High country, VIC - Snowy Range, part of the Alpine NP

Experiences are the most exciting part of my travels and allow me to see beyond my limits.

After cruising around Tasmania, being in Tarra Valley in the Gippsland for a couple of days, I went to Traralgon and then Heyfiled where Ron picked me up from the bus stop at 6.30 pm on a cold Thursday night. Then we needed to drive for a hour and a half to the Higging's Hut in the Alpine National Park of Victoria. This place is called the High country and it is one of the most high places in Australia; the Great Dividing Range goes across Victoria and New South Wales and the High country is part of it. 

The high country has been for so many years home to cattle stations and huts where people found shelter after being mustering the cattle/ exploring the mountains and/or skiing in the territory. Higging's hut is a private property in the national park, one of few remaining that has always been used for mustering and has horses paddocks, cows yards and operates a horseback tour from there. I went there to help out during the 6 day tour that follows the "the Man from Snowy River" *shooting spots of the movie and for another 3 day tour at Wonnangatta station and valley. 

During this experience I learnt to horse ride better and prepare all what is necessary for a horseback tour. I had to help to put up camps for the customers and got to see how is the life of a cattle man with the horses. Kevin, the owner of the business, had been working around the north of Australia, from Queensland to Northern Territory to Western Australia in cattle station and has started his business with horses and cattle mustering by his over the last 20 years. At first he seemed to be a tough and rough country man, with the typical aussie outback pronunciation and slang, then I got to know him a bit better and started to listen to his stories told near the fireplace. His mate, Ron, helps to organise the logistics of the trips and entertain people with his lovely comedian style.

What I liked most was the opportunity to see that beautiful part of Victoria, through the eyes of local people and even better on the back of a horse or being a passenger in the 4WD land cruisers. The country is beautiful, it surprises your eyes every corner with a stunning view. The colours are mainly green and blue with different tonalities that change according to the weather.

Photos from a lookout

Craig's Hut

*The Man from Snowy River is a poem written the end of the 1800 by Banjo Patterson. From poem it became then a famous movie in the late 1980's and it's important to australian horse country people. Craig's Hut is shot in one of the introductory scenes of the movie and was built mainly just on purpose for the movie scenes. The horseback tour took us up there on the 4th day; it is a reachable spot with a 4WD or following a walking track and it is incredible beautiful, looking to Mt. Stirling.