Going 4WD - Trip Report 7

Trip
Report 7

30^th October 2005

Toolangi State Forest

Map: .... Rooftop Toolangi - Macedon Adventure Map

Weather: .... Early Fog, Fining up, Expected top 26°

Track Conditions:.... Dry & Dusty, Rocky & some Bog Holes

Tracks Used: ... Spraggs Road, Victoria Range Road, Rocky Track, Marginal Road, Martins Road, Kalatha Creek Track, No Name Track (between Marginal & Klondyke Rds.), Kalatha Creek Track, Campsite Track, Marginal Road

Still Photos: ... From The Film & Diccon Voller

A Foggy Sunday Morning greeted me as I waited in Yarra Glen for the boys to meet me after an invite to take a ride through Toolangi State Forest to experience the Bog Holes of the area. Quite a few Club Instructors bring their Newbies to Toolangi as it offers a variety of situations from Rocky Tracks to Creek Crossings and the Bog Holes. After topping up with fuel it was now time to head off for what will be a great days 4WD.

This trip starts at the intersection of Spraggs Rd and Victoria Range Road and continue along Vic. Range Road through some large but shallow puddles. The track itself is pretty easy down hill to the intersection of Rocky Track. Going straight ahead down Rocky, a track I thought would take about 20 minutes but actually took just over an hour to come down as this track has ledges and large loose rock galore and requires concentration. The Rodeo ended up going half way down before deciding to head for the chicken track and missing the worst section of this track which some locals say should be closed.

Down the bottom, Rocky Track meets Marginal Road and Melba Highway and we decided to have morning tea in the clearing at the foot of Rocky. Here the bikes have made a little track just above the creek with a steep but short ledge which Paul in the Rodeo gave a go at. Once down the slippery ledge the Rodeo looped back upto Rocky.

We headed off along Marginal Road which is a 2wd gravel road winding its way a few km’s and turned left on to Martins Road. Martins Road has some ruts which even the compact 4wd can use and only goes a short distance to Kalatha Creek Track which is definitely a full 4wd track.

With a number of Bog Holes on this track, even locals can get drowned in these Bogs which can be hazardous to Range Rovers and a costly drowning too. Turning right back onto Marginal road and headed along here a couple of hundred metres to a no name track which goes up hill to a lookout on Klondyke Road. This track is loose rock and with a large fallen tree across the track we decided to turn back and head for Campsite Track.

From Kalatha Creek Track you turn into Campsite Track and slide down a little bank into the creek for the first of 3 creek crossings. Campsite Track is a real pearler with not only the creek crossings but ruts and a steep short hill you can try if your game or you can use the chicken track. Keep turning left at each intersection along Campsite and you’ll end up not far from your Campsite Track starting point.

With a left turn onto Kalatha Creek Track and then a right Turn onto Martins Road, we headed for Marginal Road and the Melba Highway. Toolangi State Forest has something for everyone no matter how much experience you may have. A fantastic day or weekend trip as there are lots of camp sites dotted around.