DARGO & LICOLA

Dargo sits alongside the Dargo River, on the edge of the alps and is a small community in a beautiful valley. The town originally supplied the nearby goldfields and has century old walnut groves. The Dargo Heritage Museum displays artefacts from the gold rush days, mountain cattlemen and pioneers of the district. (open by appointment by calling 03 5140 1352 – gold coin donation).  With accommodation and food options and a picturesque setting, Dargo is a favourite among many High Country visitors.

Heading north along the Dargo High Plains Rd for about 75 kms takes you through to the Great Alpine Road at Mt St Bernard near Mt Hotham about 40kms from Bright. The unsealed, but well maintained, road climbs up into the snowgums and gorgeous scenery of the Dargo High Plains, in the Alpine National Park. It passes by the freehold land of the Treasure Family who have been grazing their cattle on these high plains since the 1870’s during the warmer months. The Dargo High Plains Rd, north of Dargo, closes for Winter, generally from the start of Winter until October/November, depending on the amount of snow the area has had and if the road is clear of debris.

Daytrips can be made from Dargo into Wonnangatta Station, Grant Historic Area, Talbotville, Howitville and Crooked River Goldfields or camping in all these areas is also very popular. Wonnangatta Station is a wide mountain valley popular with campers nowadays but was first established in the 1860’s for cattle grazing. The homestead survived until 1957, when it is said, bushwalkers lit a big fire in the building’s fireplace and it accidentally burnt down. Grant can be accessed by 2 Wheel Drives and delights visitors keen to explore the mining sites of the 1860’s. Around 2000 people called Grant home, where there were 15 hotels, a church, courthouse, many stores and a weekly newspaper ‘The Crooked River Chronicle’. The majority of the gold ran out in 10 years and the last residents left in 1916. Until then, the Post Office was kept operational due to the owner writing the required number of letters to herself to keep it open. Nowadays only a few crumbling chimneys and rusty gold mining machinery remain in the area but there are many historic sites to enjoy.

Licola, on the banks of the Macalister River, is a small, privately owned (Lions Club) town. There is a caravan park, wilderness village and general store supplying travellers heading into the mountains, 4 wheel driving, bushwalking and fishing. The Licola Wilderness Village is generally available for accommodation bookings on weekends, has self contained cabins and also caters for Weddings with a large function room and beautiful settings for Ceremonies. As with many areas of the High Country travellers shouldn’t rely on GPS navigation to reach their destination. Follow this link to information on Licola Wilderness Village

About 60 km east of Licola in a remote area of the Alpine National Park, is Lake Tali Karng. This lake is thought to have been formed about 1500 years ago when a huge rock slide collapsed into the valley damming the creek above the Wellington River. A walking track accesses the lake via the Wellington Plains, 13 km each way and walkers need to be fit and self-sufficient to undertake this remote hike. Those that make the effort are rewarded with a stunning setting of tranquillity at this location known as ‘the hidden lake’. The lake sits at the bottom of steeply sided hillsides that surround it. Follow this link for more information on Lake Tali Karng

Follow this link to the High Country Back Road Tours Guide and explore this part of the High Country with some touring routes that take you off the main roads.

Follow this link to information on the Grant Historic Area & Dargo, Licola & Wonnangatta district