In late February 2020, Craig Sheather took a road trip around Victoria’s High Country to visit communities impacted by the summer bushfires. In a devastating setback, the coronavirus crisis has now stopped all travel and tourism and there is a strong possibility, that the troubled region will be overlooked and forgotten.
It’s been a few months since one the worst bushfire seasons on record. Many towns and villages in Victoria’s High Country were lucky to avoid direct fire destruction but many communities were evacuated during periods of extreme fire conditions. Locals and visitors fled the region and thousands of tourists and day-trippers cancelled their travel plans. The whole region became a massive ghost town during one of its busiest tourist periods, leaving many without jobs and income usually generated by the tourism industry. The road to recovery will be long and will depend on the support of thoughtful travellers who make the effort to the visit the area and spend some money there. When the dust settles and life returns to normal after the pandemic, we must continue to support all bushfire affected regions. Hopefully, this itinerary will provide travelers with a bit of inspiration for a High Country road trip.
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