Bardwell Umbango Track

The road

Bardwell Umbango Track sits in the transition zone between the Murray Riverina plains and the elevated ranges around Holbrook - an area that most 4WD travellers drive through on the Hume Highway without realising it has tracks worth running. The 9-kilometre track climbs from pastoral flat country into rocky spur terrain with genuine technical challenge. The surface alternates between loose rock and hardpacked clay, with off-camber sections on the spur ridgeline that require considered line choice. The elevation break between the flat Riverina below and the range country above gives the track views across merino farming country that extend to the horizon on clear days. This is not dramatic alpine terrain - it is the quieter, drier country that sits behind the famous ranges. High clearance and low-range are both required. The Holbrook district itself is worth exploring - the HMAS Otway submarine in the town park is one of Australia's most unexplained roadside attractions, a full-sized submarine sitting 500 kilometres from the nearest salt water.

The region

The Holbrook district straddles the NSW-Victorian border on the Hume Highway corridor. The area is known for its merino wool heritage and the unusual inland character of the ranges at this latitude - more open and less dramatic than the Victorian Alps to the east but with a distinctive character. The Umbango range provides the elevation break that the track exploits for its technical sections.

Before you go

Fuel in Holbrook. Year-round track in dry conditions. Standard High Country/ranges preparation. Good for a day trip from Albury-Wodonga region.

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