Haunted Stream, Ladies Drive

Trip dates: 7-9 Mar 2026

 Participants: 

• Mackenzie and Keaton – Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (Trip Lead)
• Sue Alexander – Hilux
• Rick Creech – Prado
• Graham and Jeremy Markwick – Landcruiser
• Ralph Radovan – P38 Range Rover
• John Worthington – Colorado
• Ian and Nicole Toten – Defender 130

The weather was fine when we departed Williamsdale at 09:00 on the Saturday of the long weekend. Being last, Ian and Nicole were not only tail end Charlie but also being last to arrive get to write the trip report as well

A loose convoy headed down to Jindabyne where fuel tanks were topped up and morning tea was had. After a short break we resumed our trip down the Barry Way and stopped for lunch beside the Snowy River.

After lunch we followed the Snowy and started climbing toward the Cobberas. The long-closed entrance to Ingeegoodbee track which leads to McFarlane’s Track was noted on the way past. A short stop was held to inspect the Suggen Buggen school house after which we continued up the hill and turned right onto Limestone Road. A dingo was spotted by Mackenzie and Keaton at the front of the convoy.

We arrived at Native Dog Camp ground at about 15:30 to find a motorcycle rally and assorted other campers occupying the space so we went to the horse campground which we had completely to ourselves. The mist started rolling in after we had lit the fire and a pleasant but somewhat damp night was enjoyed by all.

Morning broke with a visit from some Brumbies and we departed Native Dog on Limestone Road for Benambra and Omeo. Arriving at Omeo for morning tea we visited the local pie shop before heading off towards Cassilis and Tongio west. Just after turning off at Tongio West, we disturbed a few wedgetail eagles feasting on a dead emu which Jeremy captured on film. Heading west along Charlotte Spur track proved to be a little more challenging than the “easy” rating on Hema maps and your author’s recollection of it from a previous trip. One small recovery was all that was necessary however, and we stopped on the ridge near the former Brookville town site for lunch before pressing on past Strobridge’s huts to the top end of Haunted stream track.

From the site of Dawson City, we descended down the valley crossing Haunted stream 54 times, negotiating some steep descents on red clay which was thankfully nice and dry before crossing the creek for the last time at the site of Stirling. The short trip was completed out to the Great Alpine Road and we made it back to Omeo in time for dinner at the pub. The booking site for the campground was somewhat shambolic with people arguing with an AI booking agent and no staff at the park but we all got sorted in the end.

Monday morning, we made our own way home with Sue and Rick heading back via the coast and the Totens and Ralph heading north via Corryong with a short detour to unsuccessfully find a grave marker at the Sunny Point town site. From Corryong we headed north through Tumbarumba to Gundagai where we bid Ralph goodbye and headed home.

If anyone is considering running this trip again it might be advisable to try and figure out how to spend a couple of nights in Omeo as there is a lot to see that we didn’t have time to properly look at. There are significant remains of the gold rush around Cassilis and the town sites along Haunted Stream also have opportunities to explore as well as the logging winches and Moscow Villa Hut.

Thanks to Jeremy for many of the attached photos and for the excellent job spotting the participants through the technical parts of the Charlotte Spur Track.