ROAD TRIPPING VICTORIA'S HIGH COUNTRY

Victoria's high country – there’s nowhere in Australia like it.

In fact, as we learned, the alpine region accounts for only 0.15% of the continent. Its natural beauty is as precious as it is unique, providing a home for only the hardiest animals and plants. The majority of this landscape is blanketed in snow for at least four months each year, making the ‘green season’ window even more special. Riding through this area is about as good as mountain biking gets, and road tripping is the best way to do it.

Here at AMB, we’ve done a few of these road trips before. Last year we explored Western Australia, and before that the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales. This year we’re showing you some of the best places to ride in Victoria’s alpine region, one of which is my current home. Victoria’s high country is a place better told in imagery than words, but the experience is best on the ground. I grew up in Albury and then lived in Sydney and Canberra across ten years, all the while frequenting Victoria’s high country for holidays. In 2021, I finally surrendered to the call the mountains and made Bright my home. It’s a spectacular place with epic views around every corner and atop every trailhead.

During summer at the Victorian alpine resorts, you won’t find huge queues, overflowing carparks, or wallet-draining accommodation. While there’s a time and place for raucous energy and loud atmospheres, that’s not what an escape to the high country is about. Rather, places like Falls Creek or Mt Buller offer respite from the crowds and rat race. They provide quiet solitude, making you feel small in a way that only big mountains can. Their trails are some of the highest quality and yet the most remote feeling of any in the country; they’re perfectly manicured by renowned trail builders, and as we found out, are only set to multiply.

So what’s the best way to take it all in? There’s so much to be said for the timeless tradition of road tripping. Your car carries everything you need for a good time – including bikes. Minimal luggage is required if hopping between accommodation providers, with hot showers and warm meals awaiting you at the end of each day. Driving your own car means you can take the journey at your pace, stopping at each lookout and friendly pub. You could do a day trip to one location, or spend a month ticking off every trail. But here at AMB, we’ve collated the ultimate road trip in Victoria's high country; it takes about a week, and encompasses the best the region has to offer for two-wheeled tourists. Use it as a guide, or just as some inspiration for a trip of your own.