Red Dirt Roaming: Omeo, Tallangatta, Cooryong & Tumburumba

It was sad to leave Dargo as we had a great time there, but it was time to get moving as it was the 8th of February. We had to start sorting out our work arrangements when we returned home so really needed phone reception for a few days as we had scheduled phone meetings. We had a look at our Camps Australia Wide book for some campsites that had phone reception. We found a couple but most of the High Country seems to be pretty bad for phone reception.

We left camp & headed back up the Dargo High Plains Road. We had driven it on our way up to the Blue Rag track so new it would be okay to tow the trailer. Once at the end of the road we had the choice to either go left up towards Mount Beauty or right to Omeo. We chose to go towards Omeo as there was a campsite not far from Omeo that was supposed to have phone reception & we really wanted to explore the area.

Back on the bitumen & we scaled the heights of Mount Hotham. All I can say is wow. This place is spectacular, we were blown away by it. We can't imagine how beautiful it must be in the winter time when it is a skiers paradise. We aren't into skiing at all, but I would love to come back in the winter time to see it. It was really quiet when we drove through, but there were heaps of resorts, it must be a bustling place when it snows. We continued on towards Omeo & the scenery is amazing the whole way.

Dargo High Plains Rd heading towards Mt Hotham

Scenery towards Mt Hotham above & 3 photos below

Mt Hotham ski slopes

Coming into Mt Hotham

Mt Hotham

Ruby at the top

It was just before lunch when we pulled into Omeo so we stopped at the famous bakery for a fantastic pie. The campsite we were aiming for was only another 20km or so up the road so we thought we would come back & explore in the next few days. We left town & took the Omeo Highway north. The road was one of the windiest we have been on & very slow. It took us about an hour to drive the 20km. When we reached the campsite Anglers Rest we found that it was right alongside a switchback in the road, only 10m from the road, near a pub & with no phone reception. Not good. We decided to keep going & hopefully find somewhere else to camp. In the end we found a campsite called Big River camp that was free & right on the water but had no phone reception, we decided to just do an overnighter & keep going the next day.

Big River camp site

The next day we kept heading north up to Mitta Mitta, a small town that did have phone reception but no camping nearby, there was Dartmouth where there was a caravan park on Lake Dartmouth but it had no phone reception either.

Snowy Creek along the Omeo Highway

We kept going up towards Tallangatta. From there we had to find somewhere to camp. We got out the camps book again & it said at least 3 campsites to the East of Lake Hume had reception so we decided to give them a go. Driving along the edge of Lake Hume was lovely although the water level was quite low. We tried every campsite in the book & none of them had the phone reception as claimed. This was getting ridiculous. We ventured around further just over the Murray River at Jingellic to a free camp. A great spot with phone reception out the back of the pub, but it was packed & no room for us. It just kept getting worse. After yet another Google search I found a free camp right on the Murray River near Towong. We decided to try it. It is just over the NSW border side & was really nice & it had phone reception & room for us to set up. By this time we were so over it, I said we are staying here no matter what even if it's just an overnighter. We managed to get a nice grassy area right on the water & it was pretty good. A couple of things that weren't great though. The pit toilet was filthy & the camp is right near the road. By this time we didn't care!

Country around Corryong

Camp near Towong on the Murray River

We finally go to set up camp, what a day! So much for exploring around Omeo. Damn getting back to real life, if we hadn't needed phone reception for jobs, we could of explored as much as we wanted.

The next day we were pretty buggered from our 2 days in the car, so just headed into Corryong to get some fuel & groceries. We then went on a short drive up into Burrowa Mountain National Park which was a nice drive & we stopped to get some firewood on our way back to camp.

The next day we had a big day out exploring. We headed down to Khancoban & then to Thredbo. The road is again slow & windy, but had fabulous views & we got to see the hydro water power stations as we went along.

Power station

View between Khancoban & Thredbo

There is lots of camping around here in the Kosciuszko National Park as well & we checked it all out including Geehi Hut & Tom Groggin to file in the memory bank for when we next come back, because we will definitely be back, it's a gorgeous area.

Gheei Hut

All the camping is on lovely creeks like this

We went into Thredbo itself & it's beautiful as well. I have been there once before in the winter on our year 10 skiing trip, but it's just as lovely in the summer time.

Slopes at Thredbo

It was then off to Jinabyne for some lunch as we came into town there was a huge storm brewing over the hills of Lake Jindabyne & there were big lightning strikes, pretty cool. Jindabyne was bigger than we thought it would be & even had a Woolies. After we ordered a drink & some lunch at the pub overlooking the lake the heavens opened & it poured rain for about an hour.

Lake Jindabyne

Storm coming

Lunch time view of Lake Jindabyne

We thought we had better get moving as it was still a long way home. By the time we got to Berridale there was water running on the edges of the road & quite a bit flowing over the road as we turned up towards Adaminaby. It sprinkled on & off all the way home.

Near Adaminaby

The section of road towards Cabramurra was a great drive with steep ascents & descents, water power stations, dams & rivers, a very enjoyable drive.

Views near Thredbo above & 2 photos below

Dam near Cabramurra

It ended up being quite a long day & we got more rain that night as well. The next day was beautiful & sunny. We zipped into town at Corryong & had a great coffee at a local cafe, we then decided to head back to camp & spend the day soaking up our last day on the Murray River, it really was a picturesque camp spot.

Near Towong

Sunsets over the river at camp

The next day we packed up camp to go to Tumburumba to spend the weekend with Mats Aunty & Uncle. It was a lovely weekend & we had a good look around the area & visited Paddy River Dam which had a big storm the night before & there were pockets of hail on the ground, Sue City dam & the Paddy River Falls. The Falls were fantastic & you can drive right up to the top of them. You can then walk onto a viewing platform to see them. Beautiful. Next up we headed towards Tumut, more on that soon.