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DESTINATIONS: HIGH COUNTRY
mountain in this particular neck of the woods.
All of the circling is worth it though, as, like
us, you’ll arrive at places like Bindaree Falls
- do not drive past without taking a look –
and Bindaree Hut further down in the valley.
Bindaree Hut guards the entry to 16 Mile Jeep
Track, which climbs 1,650 metres up to Bluff
Hut, which just happens to be my favourite
High Country hut. It oozes High Country
charm, and a short walk over the road is an
escarpment that you can perch yourself on
and take in some breathtaking views. You
could do a lot worse than spending a night in
this spot.
As we left Bluff Hut, an old Land Rover
Perentie arrived, and if you know your 4X4s,
you’ll understand the Isuzu connection. These
old Landys were unique to the Australian
Army and have only recently been auctioned
off to the public. The reliability of their truck-
derived 3.9-litre 4BD1 Isuzu diesel engines is the stuff of legend.
They are quite possibly the first melding of a 4WD vehicle with an
Isuzu truck engine, and it’s a formula that continues today with
the Isuzu N-Series truck derived 4JJ1 3.0-litre diesel powering
both D-MAX and MU-X. The Isuzu owners that I chatted with over
the course of this trip revealed that it was ‘that engine’ and its
reputation for reliability that sold them on the brand.
From Bluff Hut we descended to Sheepyard Flat and from
their back out onto the bitumen for a short drive into Mansfield.
Line-up outside Bluff Hut.