Destination: Grampians National Park

Grampians National Park is just a three-hour drive west of Melbourne (or roughly five hours from Adelaide), and for the latest carsales.com.au journey of discovery we had the ideal tool in which to reveal its many charms: Jeep's Grand Cherokee Trailhawk.

The 'Trailhawk' moniker is found across several Jeep model families to denote the off-road prowess of the variant in question.

In this case, Jeep claims the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk is its most 'off-road-ready' large SUV – a model to challenge the likes of Toyota's LandCruiser Prado, Ford's Everest, Isuzu's MU-X and Land Rover's Discovery, among others.

As the largest model in the Jeep range, packing the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk for a weekend camping trip was a fraught-free affair. The 60:40 split-fold second row seating folds flat in an instant, delivering a cavernous space that swallowed all our camping and photographic gear – even a couple of bulky, double-size 4WD sleeping mats, which in most instances end up strapped to a roof basket.

It's also capable on the rough stuff, boasting a dedicated electronic four-wheel drive system with dual-range transfer case, electronic limited-slip rear diff and an air suspension system that can deliver impressive ground clearance. Add in underbody protection, a terrain management system, all-terrain tyres, healthy off-road geometry and twin front recovery points, and it's built to take technical terrain in its stride.

The plan was simple: head to Halls Gap, the small hamlet that serves as the main staging point for most Grampians adventures, check out the visitor's information centre and then see what off-road fun could be had, knowing full well that some tracks would be subject to seasonal road closures.

After letting the radar cruise control take the effort out of the run from Melbourne along the Western Highway to Ararat, the Grampians soon dominate the landscape, the sandstone peaks soaring up from the flat surrounds to heights in excess of 1100m. It's no wonder this is a top destination for hikers and rock climbers, for there are any number of ridgelines and summits to tackle, ranging from mild inclines to full-on, vertical cliff faces.

Not that physical exertion was anywhere on our hit list. On the contrary, my photographer Rene and I were cosseted in the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk's cabin, complete with dual-zone climate control, heated and ventilated seating, lumbar support – even a heated steering wheel!

While Parks Victoria does periodically publish a list of current road closures, you can't beat speaking to a local, which is where our stops at Halls Gap's Tourist Information Centre and then the nearby Brambuk The National Park and Cultural Centre paid dividends.

At the latter we booked a campsite on the quieter western side of the park, and charted a central loop that would take in some of the 'must-sees' and take us through a smorgasbord of top scenery – of which there's plenty.

Halls Gap itself is a pleasant little spot, with a wide array of accommodation and plenty of eateries. We can recommend the pies and the hospitality at the bakery by the river – just keep a firm grip on your lunch, lest the fearless local magpies or kookaburras swoop in for an opportunistic feast!

After stopping to say 'hi' to the local mob of kangaroos, who appear to have taken over the local footy ground, we left the township and soon found ourselves climbing the twisting sealed route to Boroka Lookout. As fate had it the weather had closed in – it's a chance you take in mid-winter Victoria – but while we were there the low clouds cleared just enough to reveal Halls Gap, through the mist, below us.

From there we made a beeline for Mackenzie Falls, where crystal-clear waters tumble over a towering precipice and continue carving their way down to the valley below. It's around a 40-minute return hike from the carpark along a largely sealed path to the base of the falls, but the surface and stairs are good and the latter have sturdy handrails.

It's a theme that was borne out numerous times during our stay in the Grampians, where visitors are well catered for.

From Mackenzie Falls we turned off onto one of the lesser dirt tracks that criss-cross the region, increasing our ride height to the first of two off-road setting with a press of a button of the Jeep's 'Quadra-Lift' adjustable air suspension.

The system works well, giving the Grand Cherokee Trailhawk a heap of ground clearance when required, although it automatically drops back down once you exceed 68km/h (or thereabouts), which isn't always ideal.

Once off the tarmac we didn't see a soul for the rest of the day, as we wound our way through the bush and enjoyed tracks that varied from dirt to clay, mud, sand and rock, with the odd water crossing thrown in for good measure. This put the Jeep's terrain management system to good use, allowing us to select optimal vehicle settings for any given surface.

While the majority of it could have been conquered by your average two-wheel drive vehicle, there was the odd creek or rutted and/or rocky section that required jacking up the suspension and some careful throttle and steering input. The clearance is helped by the absence of side steps, as the vehicle settles down to an entry/exit height when parked.

Our leisurely pace meant we could admire the superb scenery, with stark cliffs and jutting outcrops soaring up from the green bushland below, and enjoy the frequent wildlife sightings that are commonplace on this quieter, western side of the park.

Kangaroos are plentiful as are emus, while the birdlife too is prolific. After setting up at the remote Baundik campsite and warming ourselves by a roaring fire, we were soon joined by a number of inquisitive brushtail possums, all clearly eager to inspect our provisions…

We had the whole campground to ourselves – perhaps no surprise given our visit's school-term, mid-winter timing – and in the morning, as the sun finally crept above the looming nearby ridgeline, we were woken by kookaburras and the deep beating thrum of a nearby emu. The Grampians might only be a relatively short distance from Melbourne, but they offer a sense of isolation that dictates otherwise.

After devouring a hearty breakfast of bacon-and-egg rolls, all washed down with a stove-top coffee, we packed the Jeep and then set off on a short walk to the nearby Billimina Shelter, an ancient site of indigenous rock art located not far from a rushing waterfall.

The human figures and parallel lines painted with ochre on the walls of the shelter really hammer home the history of the Grampians – a history that stretches back eons, rendering European history a mere blip on the timeline. There are many fine examples of rock art to be found in the Grampians, some within a short distance of a road or track and others requiring a longer trek.

Continuing on our anti-clockwise loop, the Victoria Range track looked promising on paper but our exploration was promptly cut short by a locked gate. It was disappointing, but not unexpected – while most of the main dirt roads in the Grampians remain open through winter, the gnarlier tracks are subject to seasonal closures, which preserves their condition for off-road explorers through the warmer months.

Most tracks through these parts are graded as level one, or 'easy'. These generally remain open, while routes denoted as level two (medium) – such as Victoria Range track, Fields Track and Goat Track – are subject to seasonal closures (June 14 to November 1 in 2018). Likewise the routes classified as level three (difficult), of which there is only one in the Grampians – the Launders Track.

There are no tracks in the park classified by Parks Victoria as level four (very difficult), but all these routes are neatly categorised in the track notes for the Grampians Drive, a suggested four-wheel drive tour published by Parks Victoria.

The southern part of our loop saw the red clay track spear onwards across the landscape between the overlooking peaks and ridges, before we climbed again and found ourselves shrouded in mist. While the Jeep's factory sat-nav impressed with its detail, it pays dividends to carry a good paper map too – the bush is dense in these parts and straying off course is all too easy.

We took a couple of minor 'deviations', but eventually popped out on the sealed Grampians Tourist Road at the majestic Lake Bellfield, just south of Hall's Gap. In winter this compact body of water takes on a different character, the low cloud and mist dissecting the overlooking range and framing the skeletal remains of long-dead gums near the lake's shore.

From here it was merely a short hop back to Halls Gap, where we replenished ourselves once more at the bakery before the return run back to Melbourne. Our weekend adventure seemed all too short – there's so much to explore here you could easily fill in several days or even longer, especially if a multi-day hike is also on the agenda – but we returned to the city feeling revitalised and refreshed nonetheless.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee Trailhawk was the perfect companion for an escape like this, whisking us across the scenery in a cocoon of comfort that often times seemed at odds with the challenges of the prevailing terrain. To that end it's a vehicle with a split personality – just one that deftly switches from one landscape to another, from stylish city SUV to backblocks explorer.

If you're looking to flee the Big Smoke in favour of some natural – or rather, nature – therapy, put the Grampians on your destination hit-list. As any previous visitor will attest, you'll be very pleased you did…

Fast facts: Grampians National Park
Size: 168,241ha
Location: 260km from Melbourne or 460km from Adelaide
Nearby centres: Halls Gap (central), Dunkeld (south), Horsham (north), Stawell (north-east), Ararat (east).
Tourist information centre: Halls Gap, tel 1800 065 599
Campground bookings: Brambuk The National Park & Cultural Centre: Halls Gap, (03) 5361 4000, www.brambuk.com.au
Parks Victoria: www.parks.vic.gov.au