MCKILLOPS RUN

The Snowy River Country Trail offers a genuine four-wheel drive adventure with steep descents, logging trucks, towering forests and one of Victoria's most iconic bridges

- GLENN MARSHALL

It’s one of those iconic destinations that overlanders talk about in camp chairs across the country.

The historic McKillops Bridge sits high above the Snowy River in a remote corner of Snowy River National Park, and reaching it is half the story.

I began at Marlo with a stiff coastal wind trying its best to tear the awning from the Prado. After breaking camp, I rolled out towards Cape Conran, where a wild ocean swell hammered the headlands. From there, it was inland via Cabbage Tree Creek and back to the Princes Highway, before a final supply stop in Orbost. Fuel, food and a quick vehicle check are wise here, because once you turn north onto the Snowy River Country Trail, services disappear quickly.

Within minutes of leaving Orbost, the tone changes. Wind the window down and the forest announces itself. Ironbark and mountain ash tower above the track, cicadas scream from the canopy, and tree ferns mark the creeks below the road line. It feels remote, even though you are only a short distance from town.

The road is signposted at 80km/h, but that figure is optimistic at best. Blind corners, cambered sections and logging activity demand respect. This is active forestry country, so switch the UHF to channel 40 and keep it there. Log trucks are frequent, and they move with purpose. If you hear one call up, answer back and confirm your position. It makes life easier for everyone, especially on tighter bends.