The Victorian High Country is a seasonal destination with a hard edge to it.
Access opens and closes on published dates, the weather changes faster than the
forecast, and the cold at altitude is what catches people out rather than the
tracks.
Closures decide the route
Parks Victoria closes many High Country roads and tracks seasonally,
typically from around the King's Birthday weekend in June through to the end of
October, with extensions when conditions require. Those dates move, and
individual tracks are closed and reopened independently.
Check the specific tracks you intend to drive with Parks Victoria before you
leave. A route planned from an old trip report is a route planned on tracks that
may not be open.
Weather at altitude
Conditions change quickly and the temperature at 1,500 metres bears little
relation to the town you left that morning. Carry for cold and wet even on a trip
planned for good weather, and be prepared to turn around. Fire, storm and track
damage all close routes at short notice outside the seasonal closures.
Cold nights and a rooftop tent
This is where insulation stops being a marketing word.
Every On The Horizon rooftop tent has winter insulation built in rather than
sold as an add-on, along with a moisture barrier through the base and an
anti-condensation pad under the mattress. That combination is what stops the
classic cold morning problem, which is not the air temperature but waking up to
damp bedding.
The instinct on a cold night is to seal everything shut. Resist it. Two people
breathing overnight put roughly a litre of moisture into the air, and if it has
nowhere to go it ends up on the canvas and in your bedding. Leave vents cracked
at opposite ends. You lose very little warmth and you avoid a wet morning.
Where you camp changes the night
Cold air and moisture settle into valleys and gullies. Camping twenty metres
up a slope rather than at the bottom of it can be several degrees warmer and
noticeably drier. On a clear, still night the temperature drop is sharper, which
surprises people because clear weather feels like the safe option.
Dry it before it goes away
High Country trips often finish damp. Canvas closed up wet for weeks is how
mould starts, and it is the single most common reason a rooftop tent has a short
life. Open the tent again at home on a dry day and let the canvas, base, corners
and seams dry right through before it is put away.
Before you go
- Check seasonal closures and individual track status with Parks Victoria
- Carry for cold and wet regardless of the forecast
- Camp up the slope rather than in the gully
- Ventilate at both ends even when it is cold
- Dry the tent completely before storing it
Common questions
When do Victorian High Country tracks close?
Parks Victoria closes many High Country roads and tracks seasonally, typically
from around the King's Birthday weekend in June to the end of October, with
extensions when conditions require. Dates move and tracks are managed
individually, so check the specific tracks you plan to drive.
Is a rooftop tent warm enough for the High Country?
An insulated one is. Every On The Horizon rooftop tent has winter insulation
built in, plus a moisture barrier through the base and an anti-condensation pad
under the mattress. Ventilation still matters, because sealing the tent shut on a
cold night is what produces damp bedding by morning.
How do you stop condensation on a cold night?
Ventilate at both ends even when it is cold, keep wet gear out of the tent,
make sure air can move under the mattress, and camp up a slope rather than in a
gully where cold air and moisture settle.
Related guides
Victorian High Country Rooftop Tent Touring Guide: Closures and Cold
The Victorian High Country is a seasonal destination with a hard edge to it. Access opens and closes on published dates, the weather changes faster than the forecast, and the cold at altitude is what catches people out rather than the tracks.
Closures decide the route
Parks Victoria closes many High Country roads and tracks seasonally, typically from around the King's Birthday weekend in June through to the end of October, with extensions when conditions require. Those dates move, and individual tracks are closed and reopened independently.
Check the specific tracks you intend to drive with Parks Victoria before you leave. A route planned from an old trip report is a route planned on tracks that may not be open.
Weather at altitude
Conditions change quickly and the temperature at 1,500 metres bears little relation to the town you left that morning. Carry for cold and wet even on a trip planned for good weather, and be prepared to turn around. Fire, storm and track damage all close routes at short notice outside the seasonal closures.
Cold nights and a rooftop tent
This is where insulation stops being a marketing word.
Every On The Horizon rooftop tent has winter insulation built in rather than sold as an add-on, along with a moisture barrier through the base and an anti-condensation pad under the mattress. That combination is what stops the classic cold morning problem, which is not the air temperature but waking up to damp bedding.
The instinct on a cold night is to seal everything shut. Resist it. Two people breathing overnight put roughly a litre of moisture into the air, and if it has nowhere to go it ends up on the canvas and in your bedding. Leave vents cracked at opposite ends. You lose very little warmth and you avoid a wet morning.
Where you camp changes the night
Cold air and moisture settle into valleys and gullies. Camping twenty metres up a slope rather than at the bottom of it can be several degrees warmer and noticeably drier. On a clear, still night the temperature drop is sharper, which surprises people because clear weather feels like the safe option.
Dry it before it goes away
High Country trips often finish damp. Canvas closed up wet for weeks is how mould starts, and it is the single most common reason a rooftop tent has a short life. Open the tent again at home on a dry day and let the canvas, base, corners and seams dry right through before it is put away.
Before you go
Common questions
When do Victorian High Country tracks close?
Parks Victoria closes many High Country roads and tracks seasonally, typically from around the King's Birthday weekend in June to the end of October, with extensions when conditions require. Dates move and tracks are managed individually, so check the specific tracks you plan to drive.
Is a rooftop tent warm enough for the High Country?
An insulated one is. Every On The Horizon rooftop tent has winter insulation built in, plus a moisture barrier through the base and an anti-condensation pad under the mattress. Ventilation still matters, because sealing the tent shut on a cold night is what produces damp bedding by morning.
How do you stop condensation on a cold night?
Ventilate at both ends even when it is cold, keep wet gear out of the tent, make sure air can move under the mattress, and camp up a slope rather than in a gully where cold air and moisture settle.
Related guides