MERRIJIG, MIRIMBAH, SAWMILL SETTLEMENT
Scroll beyond the links below for town information
Merrijig, Mirimbah and Sawmill Settlement are located between a 15 and 30 minute drive east of Mansfield and around 3 hours north east of Melbourne. The Mt Buller Road runs through these small towns up to the Mt Buller and Mt Stirling Alpine Resorts. Whilst these towns are not large, they are popular bases for visiting the nearby resorts and alpine areas.
Merrijig is the first town reached when travelling towards Mt Buller from Mansfield and features a country pub, accommodation, ski hire, a convenience store and has the beautiful Delatite River flowing through it. Sawmill Settlement is a residential and accommodation area between Merrijig and Mirimbah, with some properties having superb views of Mt Buller.
The Delatite River runs beside the road for several kilometres and at the entrance station to the Mt Buller and Mt Stirling Resorts is Mirimbah, where there is a store and large picnic area beside the Delatite River. Mirimbah is also at the base of the 12km downhill mountain bike track called the Delatite River Trail, which is also popular for trail running and descends all the way from the Mt Buller Village.
Being at the foot of the alps, these towns have impressive views of the surrounding mountains, including Mt Buller, a stunning peak to be enjoyed in any season. There are nearby bushwalks (including peaks like Mt Timbertop), horse trail rides, picnic areas and easy fishing access along the Delatite River. Mt Buller Village is only about a 30 – 40 minute drive from Sawmill Settlement and Mirimbah and around 45 minutes from Merrijig. One of the popular events in these towns each Spring, is Targa High Country, which sees over 150 rally cars tackle challenging tarmac stages on classic mountain roads around Lake Eildon, Jamieson, Mansfield and Mt Buller. Visitors and locals alike also enjoy the Merrijig Rodeo each March long weekend.
The Howqua River is famous for being a delightful trout fishing river and great access is found around the Howqua Hills Historic Area at Fry’s Hut, Sheepyard Flat and other streamside campgrounds. This area of the river is around 16km from Merrijig down the Howqua Track (gravel) and is accessible by 2WD vehicles. The Howqua Hills Historic Walk is a pleasant (approx. 45 mins each way) walk between Fry’s Hut and Sheepyard Flat and the river is as picturesque as any trout fishing stream can be.
Fry’s Hut was built by fly fisherman and mountain guide, Fred Fry, around 1940, and this was his home until he died in 1971. He was renowned for the hospitality he would show to those arriving at his hut. He was a skilled bush carpenter and built himself a flying fox that he could sit on to cross the river. Fred built several other huts in the area for local families and the character Billy Slim in the novel, The Far Country, was based on Fred. Further information on Howqua Hills can be found here
The Man From Snowy River movies were filmed in the district and the stunning scenery across this valley with the backdrop of the alps, including Mt Timbertop and Mt Buller, is a must see during any season. Up around Mt Stirling and the surrounding High Country are familiar scenes from the movies, including the most recognisable of them all, Craig’s Hut. This famous hut is accessible by gravel roads (these roads are closed beyond Telephone Box Junction (‘TBJ’) from June to October, sometimes later, depending on snow – contact 03 5777 6077 for details). Detailed information about access to the hut and the Mt Stirling cross country skiing areas can be found here
