The Victorian High Country
Albury, Mansfield & Merrijig
Victoria, Australia
January 2016
There is something magical about the High Country. Whether it’s the pure serenity or the temperamental weather and dangerous terrain. Whatever it is, all I know is that ever since I can remember, I have wanted to ride the mountain ridges in a Drizabone just like my first love Jim Craig and his trusty steed, Denny, from The Man From Snowy River. (Who’s Jim Craig and The Man from Snowy River? Click here to find out about the Aussie movie classic)
As the number 1 bucket list item and a sneaky gift to myself, I booked the trip with the Lovick’s High Country Adventures. Charlie Lovick, a born and bred Victorian cattleman, was the Master of Horses for the movie and a High Country celebrity in his own right…. so clearly there was no other option but to ride the mountains his way. With no friends or family interested in horses, Tom Burlinson or Drizabone jackets, I really did have my heart set on doing the trip on my own and it was the best decision.
The night before the ride we congregated for a pub dinner and “meet and greet” at the Hunt Club Hotel in Merrijig, just around the corner from the Lovick’s farm. (Where is Merrijig? Yeah I had no idea either before this trip… check it out on the map here). At that point, little did we all know how amazing the following days would turn out to be and how a random bunch of TMFSR fans would click like a family.
Think 5 full days of incredible riding and 4 nights of true bush luxury….. drop toilets with rations of toilet paper (spiders included), no showers till night 3, horse smell ingrained in your skin, tents with swags, no electricity, barely any phone coverage, beautiful camp food and high country stories around the camp fire. It couldn’t have been a better holiday (and absolutely no sarcasm, I mean it).
There are no words to describe how raw and authentic the experience was. From the riding (some of the terrain we covered was not for the fainthearted or first time rider), the horses, the leaders, the group, the camping locations, the stories and the history. It honestly was the trip of my life time and beyond what we had all expected.
Thank you to the Lovicks for making a dream come true and to all the beautiful souls in the group…I can’t wait for a 2018 reunion.
The perfect country stay! - Highly recommend.
Glad they told us after we were on the horses.
The ski resort in the distance
Tom rode Dobbin on the 2014 MFSR ride. Very lucky to sit in the hot seat for the 5 days.
Trip Details & Recommendations
Over night stop in Albury
Accommodation: Quest Albury on Townsend
Restaurant: Boom Boom Wine Bar
Café: Valentine’s Bake House
Night before the ride in Merrijig
Accommodation: Bluegum Ridge Cottages
Restaurant: Hunt Club Hotel
The ride
Accommodation: Tents & swags
Restaurant: Ange’s camp kitchen (I was hoping to drop a few kgs but I did the complete opposite (my poor horse). Ange and team served up incredible food over the 5 day trip)
After the ride
Accommodation: The Merrijig Motor Inn Resort