Pete the Local was right: these mountains really are full of tracks. You see them mysteriously darting off as you head up the Buckland Valley toward Goldies Spur Track, which climbs the southern boundary of Mount Buffalo National Park before dropping down to Lake Buffalo. You were told this track would be fairly easy with a short steep pinch thrown in for good measure. It’s been a while since you engaged the 4WD, so it sounds perfect.

Mount Buffalo presides over the rolling farmland to your right; a waterfall cascades down a cliff in the distance. After a while you turn onto Goldies Spur Road which turns into the track just past the last house.

“This is it! Let’s go!” you cheer as you accelerate up the first steep rise.

Your vehicle hums as it climbs the narrow road along the side of the range, and looking out the window you notice you can't see the bottom of the tight valley. Mount Buffalo is right there alongside, its granite rocks peeking out among the trees.

The pass tops out at 1,224m after 9km on the dirt and you pull up at a junction to enjoy the views of the mountain ranges to the south. There’s something about views from up high – they never disappoint.

Back in the 4WD, the track descends through bushland into the Buffalo River Valley, where you make a short segue left onto Yarrarabula Creek Road and a quick right onto the SEC Access Track that leads out to Buffalo River Road. You’re back on the seal now, driving along a quiet road that runs alongside Buffalo River as it gradually widens into a serene lake. Lake Buffalo, which snuggles up against the western slope of the mountain, is actually a small dam, but as you pull into the picnic area for lunch and a swim, it looks like it has always been there.

The day passes easily and after a few hours you bundle everyone back into the car and follow the road out for 24km to Myrtleford, where you keep with the Buffalo theme and stop in at the Buffalo Hotel for drinks and dinner.

What an awesome day. To think, you own this 4WD and barely use it.

The return drive to Bright comes in at 100km of which 26km is on dirt. You could have gone back the way you came, but completing the loop on the sealed section past the lake and into Myrtleford has been well worth it.

A round of drinks arrives at your table and its time to deliberate. What are you going to do tomorrow?

It looks like there are two dominant options, but you can only pick one. Which will it be?