Labour Day Long Weekend Escape

Labour Day Long Weekend Escape

Get a little saddle grease on your trouser seat over the Labour day weekend. Join our three-day pack horse expedition and experience a truly Australian experience. Traveling in a time-honoured way, you ride into the belly of the clouds to the 'mountain dreaming place' the High Country. The pack horse load will surprise you with the 'magic pudding' quality, delicious campfire meals served one after the other! We are proud to combine the heritage of the High Country Horse with modern comforts and cuisine.

This expedition takes in Mount Fainter and Bogong Jack’s Hideout. An iconic short Australian break. We make it easy for the casual weekend rider or the beginner rider, by camping two nights at Bogong Jack’s Hideout camp. On Sunday you ride out over Mount Fainter and unload the lunch pack at Tawonga huts. After your billy boils and the cake washed down with billy tea it's out into Pretty Valley for a few good canters, let the wind blow out the cobwebs and stresses of your busy lives.

Bogong Horseback Adventures’ pack horse expedition program commences annually in the late spring when the peaks of the Victorian High Country shake off their winter snows and alpine life starts to stir. For thousands of years the Aboriginal peoples of the surrounding country embarked on their annual migration to the High Plains, and until recently the mountain cattlemen, following their time honored ways pushed their cattle up to the 'tops'. Along with gold seekers, bushrangers and early adventurers, they all helped create a rich heritage, woven into the rugged fabric of the High Country. Much of the High Country remains un-roaded today, and packhorse expeditions offer a traditional and practical means of exploring this vast landscape. The horses are a feature of this expedition, each of them our own bred and trained mountain horse, expertly matched to the rider. Each day the camp is packed up, loaded onto the packhorses and the journey continues.

Riding is between 15 to 25km per day with opportunities for loping canters across open plains. Camps are selected for their beautiful settings, some in traditional stock camps featuring huts, but often secluded bush camps maintained by Bogong Horseback Adventures. With swags rolled out dinner is prepared and enjoyed around a warming fire, with a cold beer, a local wine and a meal prepared from local fresh produce on the coals. All expeditions include a night before and a night after at Spring Spur, where you can join the family for a meal and enjoy your comfortable en-suite room.

INCLUSIONS

Experienced, knowledgeable guides
Spring Spur accommodation before and after expedition (King/Twin-share)
All group camping equipment
Quality locally bred and trained horses
Quality Australian saddlery
All meals as per the itinerary
Beer and table wine with evening meal on tour
Helmets and oilskin coats
National Park fees
First aid and emergency communications
Packing lists and travel information

OPTIONS
Transfers to and from Albury NSW

ITINERARY
Day 1
Arrive at Spring Spur afternoon/evening
Evening Dinner - Spring Spur Stay

Day 2
Pre-ride information, horsemanship basics in the yards at BHA and packing check. Ride up the Big Hill Cattle Track to camp at Bogong Jack’s hideout, on the North Fainter Spur.
B L D - Camping

Day 3
We leave camp set up, and climb up to the Summit of Mount Fainter with spectacular views across the deep cut of the West Kiewa Fiver to Mount Fainter. Lunch at Tawonga Huts and an afternoon visit to Pretty Valley and brumby country before returning to Jack’s.
B L D - Camping

Day 4
Return to Spring Spur via the Big Hill Cattle Track.
B L D - Spring Spur Stay

Day 5
Mid-morning checkout.
B

AU $2990

Season Dates

Friday 5th March 2027 – Tuesday 9th March 2027

Fully Booked
Fully booked
Enquire about other dates ← Back to Pack Treks

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know before you visit.

Why do you ask my height and weight when I book for a ride?

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Each riders riding ability, size and confidence are considered when choosing an appropriate horse and saddle.Do you have a weight limit for riders? Are there showers and toilets on the pack horse rides? Do you have a minimum or maximum age for riders?

Do you have a weight limit for riders?

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Yes, if you are above 95kg we will need to assess your height and weight ratio to consider if you will be suitable to participate in a riding activity. We reserve the right to refuse anybody that does not meet our weight restrictions.

Are there showers and toilets on the packhorse rides?

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We set up a toilet and privacy screen of an evening with access to soap and a hand wash basin. We do not provide a portable shower, however, there are some opportunities to jump in the creek for a High Country bath.

Are the longer pack treks suitable for young riders?

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Our recommended minimum age for the pack treks is 12yo, however, we would suggest some young riders are more confident and resilient than others. A parent or guardian should consider the child’s confidence on a horse and camping experience before committing to a tour.

Do I need any special equipment or camping gear?

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We will provide all camping gear required; including tents, swags, sleeping bag, inflatable mattress, kitchen, and all group camping equipment. If you would like to bring your own sleeping bag make sure it is suitable to alpine conditions.

What is the maximum number of riders allowed on a pack trip?

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There are up to a maximum of 12 places available on our pack rides, plus staff members.

Do you ride to Craigs Hut?

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We do not operate in this area, however we do visit older and more authentic huts that were not purpose-built for a movie!

Are there public transport options?

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Rail – There are daily rail services into Albury from both Melbourne and Sydney. There are also some rail services that connect with coaches running right to Mt Beauty. V/Line can give you details on all services.

Where are you located?

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Spring Spur, 52 Fredas Lane, Tawonga. Situated in the spectacular Kiewa Valley in the heart of the Victorian High Country. Take a look at our contact page for more info.

Can you arrange transfers?

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We can arrange transfers to and from Albury, you can select this option when booking one of our products online.

What type of weather can we expect?

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The Kiewa Valley enjoys a warm temperate climate, with four distinct seasons.Our tour season is planned to operate in the summer and autumn months. Our warm to hot, dry summers with cool nights produce some wonderful cool climate wines. Day time temperatures in the summer are generally in the 25-35 degree Celsius range. Night time temperatures are cool. In our mountain camps above 5,000 feet, the days and are nights are up to 10 degrees Celsius cooler.Winter sees the surrounding mountains covered in a mantle of snow, whilst spring and autumn are just magnificent. Local Weather.

Will there be mobile phone reception out on a pack trail ride?

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There is relatively good coverage on most of our itineraries, however, we suggest you turn your phone off for the week and enjoy your great High Country break.

I have not ridden a horse in many years, will I be okay to do a 7-day pack tour?

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We travel at a fast walking pace during the day, with canter opportunities once we are on the High Plains. The distance we travel averages between 15 to 25 kilometers a day with a lunch break and other chances to hop off for a stretch. We often have complete beginner riders on our longer tours. We suggest you would need to have a moderate level of fitness to partake in our overnight adventures.

Why do you limit your pack tour rides to Summer only?

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Our Parks Victoria tour operators license permits us to conduct our packhorse tours from December through to April, we offer Weekend Packages and Daily Trail Rides into the lower levels of the Alpine National Park all year round.

Do your staff have first aid qualifications?

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A first aid trained staff person is present on all of our riding activities.

Do you have any jobs or work experience positions going right now?

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We require all staff to have some previous riding experience send your inquiries to jobs@springspur.com.au
You can also take a look at our jobs page.

Can I arrange a gift voucher?

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You can arrange a gift voucher for any of our products.To Arrange a gift for one of our day ride products, go to our Gift Cards page, or any of our other products are available to buy as a gift by choosing the product, then click ‘buy as a gift’. The recipient will receive a customised email with voucher code and details on how to book, if you would like to keep it a surprise make sure you add your email to the recipient email field.

Can I lay-by my pack trek?

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We require a 20% deposit to secure a booking with final payment due 30 days prior to tour departure. Call our office to discuss any special needs you may have regarding payments of a tour.

Do you cater for someone who has never ridden?

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Our daily trail rides are suited to all levels of rider experience. Around 25% of our half day riders would be first-time riders. We take great pride in our pre-ride briefings that equip novice riders with the basic skills of managing their horse, our guides are available to you throughout the ride to assist and advise and we take great efforts to match horse to rider.

Can I bring my own horse?

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No we do not allow BYO horses for customer safety and farm bio security reasons. We have been breeding and training our own horses since 1989 combined with regular work – the magic ingredient to make a good horse – we have a range of horses that suit all levels of rider.

Can I bring my own saddle?

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We use traditional Australian stock saddles and gear, matched to consider riders comfort and correct fit to the horses back. We will do our best to fit your saddle to one of our horses, however, we will need to assess if the saddle will be suited to your horse and for bush riding. English or dressage saddles are not appropriate for riding in the Australian bush.