The Snowy Valleys
There’s
plenty to see and do in the Snowy Valleys, so the best way to experience everything is to hit the road on an old-fashioned road trip. Along the way you’ll discover pristine waterways, mountain vistas, rolling hills and world-class food and wine. Teeming with history, culture, local produce and natural beauty, the region also offers a variety of outdoor activities and watersports.
1 PADDYS RIVER FALLS
Located 15km south of Tumbarumba, Paddys River Falls is an 18m gushing cascade with a deep alcove. A viewing platform provides vistas of the falls and downstream. A 150m track from the picnic area leads to the base of the falls where there’s a swimming hole.
2 SOUTHERN CLOUD MEMORIAL LOOKOUT
The lookout commemorates the pilot, copilot and all six passengers who were lost when the aircraft crashed on 21 March 1931. It was Australia’s first commercial air disaster and led to changes in our aviation laws. The wreckage wasn’t discovered for another 27 years. The lookout offers magnificent views of Maragle and Tooma valleys, as well as the main ridge of Kosciuszko National Park.
3 TUMBARUMBA TO ROSEWOOD RAIL TRAIL
Opened in April 2020, the rail trail features 21km of sealed track with gentle gradients and sweeping turns (see AG 160). Suitable for walking and cycling, it has historical displays and four restored bridges from the original train line. The route takes in breathtaking scenic countryside and impressive mountain views.
4 YARRANGOBILLY CAVES
Discover stalagmites, stalactites and delicate formations here. Explore six caves created from a limestone karst, shaped about 440 million years ago in Kosciuszko NP. Visitors can walk around the caves and enjoy a swim in the thermal pool, the temperature of which stays at a constant 27°C.
5 THE ADELONG FALLS GOLD MILL RUINS
The heritage-listed ruins of the Reefer Battery located in a picturesque gorge on Adelong Creek provide an insight into the region’s booming goldmining days. Dating back to 1869, the battery was built by Scottish partners David Wilson and William Ritchie to process gold ore mined in the area. Adelong Creek generated the power to drive the waterwheels. Gravity was used to feed the ore through the mill.
6 BLOWERING DAM
Celebrated as the site of the world water-speed record in 1978, Blowering Dam is one of the biggest dams in NSW. Part of the Snowy Scheme, the reservoir was completed in 1968 after construction began four years earlier. It’s a popular spot for watersports, including waterskiing, fishing, sailing, canoeing and swimming. Several boat ramps and camping grounds are located around the lake.
7 TALBINGO
Talbingo is home to the Snowy Scheme’s largest power station, Tumut 3. A scenic drive leads to the power station, where there is interpretive signage, barbecue facilities and amenities. Visitors can also check out the Snowy Hydro display located in the Talbingo shopping centre complex. An interactive display also educates visitors about the pumped-hydro expansion, Snowy 2.0. Talbingo Dam attracts a range of watersport enthusiasts.
8 KOSCIUSZKO NATIONAL PARK
At 6900sq.km, Kosciuszko NP contains Australia’s highest peak, Mt Kosciuszko.
Its rugged landscape is characterised by eucalypt forest, wildflowers, waterfalls and limestone gorges. The park’s alpine climate makes it popular with recreational skiers, bushwalkers and campers. Many rare and threatened plant and animal species occur within the boundaries of the park.
9 MURRAY RIVER
The Murray River starts out as a bubbling spring near Mt Kosciuszko and flows 2520km before spilling into the Southern Ocean near Goolwa, South Australia. Showcasing stunning mountains, beautiful waterways and scenic villages, the Upper Murray region is also home to legendary bush characters including Jack Riley (the Man from Snowy River). The river is a lifeblood to millions, a state border, a recreational haven and a true national icon.
is free of herbicides and pesticides.” The Massies join a growing list of farmers who are turning the Snowy Valleys region into a producer’s paradise.
To the west, parallel to Gilmore Valley, the Batlow Road heads into the hills. It connects Tumut with Batlow, an agricultural town that prides itself on its long history of producing apples. It began in 1922 when the Batlow Fruit Co-operative was established.
Just after the road climbs through forest scorched in the Black Summer fires of 2019–20, the first orchards appear. Neat rows of fruit trees, protected under netting, stretch into the distance. From the air, these white geometric forms look alien in the lush, green landscape. It is here that Kris and Greg Mouat operate Mouat’s Farm, a family apple and cherry orchard dating back to 1926. In January last year the orchard suffered significant damage in the bushfires.
“We lost about 2.5ha of orchard trees, plus netting, irrigation and machinery,” Kris says. “Given the amount of damage caused to some fruit blocks, it was just easier to start again from scratch.”
Kris and Greg have shown remarkable resilience and determination to start rebuilding their orchards. However, it will take six or seven years for the new trees to produce fruit. In the meantime, they will continue to service their loyal base of returning customers. “People come from Sydney and all over the place just to hand-pick our cherries,” says Kris. “Some families have been coming every year for nearly 30 years and now their children are returning with their children. It really helps tourism in the area.”
The scars of the fire on the farm are largely gone. Lush grass covers the area where mature cherry trees once stood. Between Batlow and Tumbarumba, however, a section of badly burnt forest still illustrates the ferocity of the fires.
The quaint country town of Tumbarumba was spared from the fires and is forging ahead. Attracted by the natural beauty of its surrounds, visitors flock there from the urban centres of Sydney, Canberra and beyond. Tourists are drawn to the dramatic, 18m-high Paddys River Falls ( just outside of town), its lively cafes, local produce, old-fashioned shops and nearby wineries.
Tumbarumba is the epicentre of the changes that are transforming the Snowy Valleys. It was all kickstarted by petite powerhouse Laura Fraumeni. She is a trailblazer of the region’s vibrant cafe scene, bringing in fresh ideas. Laura was a long-time visitor to the region before moving there in 2009, when she opened Café Nest. “The move was initially a lifestyle choice,” Laura says. “I used to visit my family here so I had a strong connection to and love for the area. I just wanted to live in a place with mountain scenery and natural beauty.”
I n add it ion to g reat cof fee a nd food , Ne st operates a boutique cinema, bookstore and music space. Laura’s passion for promoting the region ensures that local and seasonal produce feature predominantly on the menu and on her shelves.
“The distinct four seasons, our backyard and the region’s produce are the inspiration and source for our dynamic menus,” says Laura. “Our favourite occasions have been truffle hunts, orchard strolls, dinner events and bringing producers into the limelight to showcase their stories and food around campfires.”
JUST OUTSIDE OF TOWN, the tall, Nordic-looking Richard Cottam is pruning his vines. He is another business operator with strong family ties to the area. His great-great-grandfather migrated to the district in 1858 from the UK. In the mid-1980s Richard and his wife, Elvie Yates, decided they wanted to establish a vineyard in the area.
“I just wanted to live in a place with mountain scenery and natural beauty.”
The Snowy Valleys encompasses Australia’s highest mountains in the east, and stretches west towards the fertile plains of the Riverina.
“I moved to Canberra for work in 1972 but always had a strong connection to the mountains and to working the land,” says Richard. “We wanted to retire to the area.”
By 1989 Richard and Elvie began leasing the same property where his grandfather and father had previously operated an abattoir and butchery. In 1990 they planted their first vines and in 2010 they bought the property, now called Mount Tumbarumba Vineyard. Nestled at the foot of bulky, forest-covered Tumbarumba Hill and surrounded by lush paddocks dotted with plump cattle, the neat rows of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vines form a physical landscape of soothing beauty.
“The one thing that was really driving us was quality,” says Elvie. “And we knew that because of the location, cool climate, soils and the chosen grape varieties, we could achieve and maintain quality. We haven’t entered many competitions but we’ve managed to win a gold medal and several silvers so that’s given us the confidence to know we are heading in the right direction.
“What makes it so exciting is that our children, who are now in their 30s, are extremely keen to be involved in our plans. One daughter is already living nearby in Tumbarumba, while the others are looking for excuses for how they can come here and run things in the future. So it’s bringing those younger generations back to their roots, which is nice.”
Long-time resident Ron Frew’s passion is history. He and his wife, Cath, arrived in Tumbarumba nearly 40 years ago as “temporary” teachers. The couple are long-standing members of the Tumbarumba Historical Society and Ron has authored numerous history books.
“The region has a very rich and interesting history,” he explains while walking through Tumbarumba’s charming museum. “Many people visit or move here to reconnect with their family history, whether it be from links to First Nations people, European settlement, the gold rush period, timber industry, World War I involvement or the Snowy Mountains Scheme. For some, it’s a real pilgrimage and homecoming.”
For others, it is the dream of living a peaceful and inspired life away from the hustle and bustle of the big smoke and corporate life. Rising real estate prices and the lack of availability of properties in the region reflect this trend that was exacerbated by the pandemic.
NEW LIFE HAS ALSO COME TO JINGELLIC. The peaceful village, less than 50km south-west of Tumbarumba, straddles the northern bank of the Murray River. Settled in the late 1830s by cattle grazers, the town is now home to about 60 residents. The iconic Bridge Hotel, aka the Jingellic pub, established in 1925, is an important community hub for residents as well as a popular tourist attraction. In September 2019 the wind of change reached this idyllic outpost when the pub was purchased by ‘accidental publican’ Glenn Elliott.
Glenn’s transport business is based in Albury and he lives on a farm with his wife, Jackie, at Bowna – 80km from Jingellic. Every Sunday, Glenn used to ride his motorbike along the scenic river road for a bit of stress relief and to clear his head and would enjoy a beer at the Jingellic pub before returning home.
The pub had been on the market for some time and when auction day arrived Glenn attended because he was curious to meet the new owner.
“The auction started slowly with no bastard putting a bid in,” he says. “So I put up my hand