Australia’s Snowy Mountains
As I have mentioned in previous posts, my husband is Australian. While we reside in the USA, his family are all “back on the island”. During our visits home we always go on a family get away.
Spring in the Snowy Mountains
On the road from Canberra, ACT to Cooma, NSW.
I love a sunburnt country,
A land of sweeping plains,
Of ragged mountain ranges,
Of droughts and flooding rains.
I love her far horizons,
I love her jewel-sea,
Her beauty and her terror
The wide brown land for me!
My Country (excerpt)
~ By Dorothea Mackeller
Cooma, NSW
The first half of the drive takes you across miles of fertile grazing land to a town called Cooma. Cooma is the gateway to the alpine region and headquarters to the Snowy Mountain Scheme - Australia’s largest hydroelectric project.
Visit the Snowy Mountains Hydro Discovery Center in Cooma for models, photographs and interactive displays which share the history and impact of the Snowy Mountain Scheme.
Constructed between 1949 and 1974, the hydro electric project consists of 16 major dams and seven power stations.
Cooma is home to several heritage listed buildings and to this lovely park in the town center.
Mosaics depicting important aspects of the town’s history and industry are also displayed in Cooma’s town center.
Lake Crackenback, NSW
Resort Views.
Our home base during our Snowy Mountain sojourn was the Novotel Lake Crackenback Resort. The resort is located on the outskirts of Kosciuszko National Park in the Thredbo Valley. Accommodations included apartments, chalets and over water rooms.
Our chalet, interior, exterior and view.
The resort had heaps of amenities including:
- Hiking/Mountain bike trails (and bike rentals)
- A pool 🏊♂️
- Gym
- Disc Golf
- Kayaks 🛶
- Archery 🏹
- Trampolines
- Stand up paddle boarding
- 2 restaurants
- A small market
Husband
Father-in-law
Canoes and kayaks
Lake Crackenback was a perfect location for wildlife viewing. While at the resort we spotted non native species including deer and bunnies. I had my FIRST wild PLATYPUS sighting (sadly no photo). There were several wombat dens on the property and plenty of kangaroos kept us company at the trampolines and disc golf course.
Eastern Gray Kangaroo joey and mama
Walking around the lake
Thredbo and Mount Kosciuszko
From Lake Crackenback it was a short drive to Thredbo Alpine Village, a small ski resort within Kosciuszko National Park. The national park was established in 1967 and is 6900km/2664 square miles in size. It borders the Australian states Victoria and New South Wales.
Ski chalets.
During the winter Thredbo has the longest ski runs in Australia. In the spring and summer the area is popular for fishing, mountain biking, bush walks and rock climbing. From the top of The Kosciuszko Express Chairlift, summer visitors can walk to the summit of Australia’s tallest peak, Mt. Kosciuszko (7310ft/2228m). The 13km walk takes approximately 4-5 hours round trip.
The bottom of the Kosciuszko Express
Thredbo vistas
Bushwalking to Bullocks Hut
After leaving Thredbo, we set out on a short bushwalk to Bullocks Hut. The tiny cabin along the bank of Thredbo River was originally constructed in 1934 as a fishing lodge. Today it is a popular and scenic venue for weddings.
The most stunning views
The hut
Keeping an eye out for more platypus but having no luck.
A beautiful eucalyptus filled mountain valley.
Back at Lake Crackenback after the day’s explorations.
I love these articles about trips because I almost feel that I am there. As a curiosity, a kangaroo in Portuguese is a canguru, but a platypus is an ornitorrinco (something like birdnose).
The Portuguese word for playtpus is soooooo long! But it makes sense considering their duck shaped bills.
Beautiful pictures, Looks like a wonderful trip. I bet the pics do the experience no justice. I think, i would need a vacation to relax after this trip lol
😄 I think I always need a vacation to relax after my vacations. I don’t think I have ever travelled just to hang out and have a mellow time. It’s always go, go, go. 😁
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Was in that neighbourhood in feb 2010. (Lakes Entrance we stayed on the coast)
The coast is a good choice. I think next visit back we will steer the family towards the ocean vs the mountains. ☺️
Hiya, just swinging by to let you know that this post made the Honorable Mentions list in our Daily Travel Digest!
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My parents live in the snowy mountains. It looks like you visited at a very mild time with no snow in sight. Its so beautiful out that way. We hope to get back to Thredbo in the near future.
Hello @insideoutet,
How lucky are your parents to live there! Yes we went in early December (though I think I may have said November in my post... vacation! The days blend together! 😄). There was still a bit of snow on the higher hills, but temperatures were pleasant. It kind of switched back and forth throughout the day between a little too warm and a little too cold. The area around Jindabyne, Crackenback and Thredbo is so lovely!
They think so in Summer, Winter they are not such huge fans lol. It gets freezing and the dogs bring chunks of snow in the house. I do love going there in winter though as snows a novelty for me. We live on the West. No snow ever here.
West as in WA or just west of the mountains? I lived in Australia for 5 years but only got as far west as Adelaide. 😄 WA is on my bucket list. Just now that we are back in the states it is that much further away! ☺️
Snow is fun in little doses. A whole winter’s worth of snow would be too much for me. ⛄️
Western Australia, no mountains here either lol.. We were in the States last year twice actually Jan and then again in October. Very different weather lol
Yeah, the opposite seasons is always a bit trippy. I was born in July so summer here. Those fives years of winter birthdays in Australia were rough. And we were in Canberra so got the cold gloomy weather! 🤣
@dfinney I am born in our summer here, December, I am not great with the cold, although the heat is also a bit of a killer for me post getting my ileostomy as dehydration is a huge risk. As for Canberra, I hope you saw somewhere other than just there as that is not a great representation of the rest of the country lol.
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