The best thing about the project vehicles we have at 4X4 Australia is working with the amazing aftermarket businesses that contribute and supply the gear to make them special.

In 2025 we’ve built up a couple of special 4x4s – the BYD Shark and the LandCruiser 79 Series – fitting them with top-notch gear to create better off-road touring vehicles.

We had a specific target for these builds, with both set to tackle a Simpson Desert drive, and we wanted to make sure they were up to the task. The PHEV Shark in particular was a bit of an unknown quantity, so we ensured we had the back-up needed to get it across the desert – hopefully under its own steam, but with help on hand if required.

Thanks to our amazing suppliers and drivers, both vehicles crossed the Simpson relatively unscathed, and the corresponding video below is well worth a watch 👇

With many of these suppliers in town for the Melbourne 4×4 Show – and conditions in the mountains perfect for an alpine drive – we invited them to join us for a couple of days of off-road touring in the hills.

Not everyone could make it, but we welcomed crews from Ironman 4×4, Marks 4WD, Evakool, MSA 4×4, Terrain Tamer, Piranha Offroad and Slattery Auctions. Of course, not all of the suppliers involved in the vehicles could join the trip, but it was a great crew and a manageable number of rigs to convoy over the mountains.

We based ourselves at the foot of the mountains in Mansfield, specifically at the Buller Road Brewery, where Adam from the brewery offered to lead our convoy over Mt Skene in the hope of scoring some snow-driving experience. The group was a mixed bag of vehicles with varying capability, so that had to be taken into consideration – not all of them were up to following Adam’s portal-equipped LandCruiser wherever it could go.

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The Jamieson-Licola Road takes you up over Mt Skene, and it’s one of the few places in the High Country where you can find a good snow drive, with most other high-altitude tracks closed for winter. The road over Mt Skene is also closed, but you can drive it with a permit from 4WD Victoria, and with permits for each of our vehicles we headed up the hill.

It’s a long climb up the road from the hamlet of Jamieson, and in a few places we had to negotiate around fallen trees or break out the chainsaw to clear the way. Soon enough we were seeing patches of snow on the sides of the track, growing ever larger as we neared the summit.

Unlike the last time we attempted a convoy over Skene – when the snow was so deep it eventually turned us back – there was relatively little fresh snow on the summit this time. That made for a fun but straightforward drive to the top, where we were able to pull up and grab some pics in and around the patches of snow.

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Of course, a cold front rolled through in the following days and dumped plenty more snow in the Alps, but any day wheeling in the mountains beats a day in the office. Soon enough we mounted up and continued on.

In some places, the drive down the mountain was more challenging than the climb up, with trickier terrain to contend with. More fallen trees across the track and wet, slippery descents tested the drivers’ skills on the way down, while a couple of river crossings made for great photographic opportunities.

When we finally emerged on the Woods Point-Jamieson Road, it was still another hour or so back to Mansfield, where we congregated at the Buller Road Brewery for a great night of tasty food and an excellent selection of beers, all brewed on-site.

With Mansfield being the start or finish point for so many 4×4 adventures, the Buller Road Brewery is the perfect stop-off for a feed and a brew – you won’t be disappointed.

While some of the crew had to leave the next morning, Ironman’s Mark Berger led a convoy of the remaining rigs up to Mt Terrible. The run included more epic four-wheel driving, sensational scenery, a touch more snow and plenty of camaraderie.

It’s this camaraderie that makes 4×4 trips so special – visiting amazing places, testing our skills and the ability of our vehicles, and spending time with mates. By the end, you always find yourself planning the next trip.

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For us at 4X4 Australia, it’s a way of thanking and spending time with those who support our vehicle builds and our publications, in a friendly atmosphere we all enjoy – and one that lets us talk shop without talking business. We thank all of our supporters, especially those who took the time to join us on this adventure.

We’re already planning the next one!

MORE Victorian travel yarns!