Kosciusko National Park

For a first timer- with kids- have a look at Mt Selwyn. BUT- check snow conditions before you go !!
Nice & easy gentle slopes for taboganing and playing...

Haley

If you just want to see snow and stop occassionally for the kids to play, then a drive over the Snowy Mountains Highway between Tumut and Adaminaby is ideal. It is a sealed highway with plenty of snow and lots of places where you can pull over and let the kids go. You will see many families doing this, particularly around the old ghost town of Kiandra.

Once you get up into the snow line you will find the 4wd tracks will be closed along with many of the major sealed roads.

If you want to base yourself out of the snow and drive to it each day then you can do that from Cooma or up near Jindabyne but you have to drive in and out on the same roads and there is a lot of traffic going to and from the major ski resorts.

There is a beautiful all day loop you can do starting at Tumut. You drive up through the fruit growing area of Batlow and on to Tumbarumba. You may find snow at Batlow and Laurel Hill a few ks further on. Mt Kosciusko and parts of the Crackenback Range are clearly visable from some of the streets on the hills to the right as you drive into Tumba and the views are excellent. From Tumba you take the road to Kanchoban and turn to the left at the Elliot Way about 25 ks from town. This will take you through beautiful mountain scenery then deep down into the valley and along the side of the Tumut River. You then climb very steeply up into the permanent snow line past the entrance to one of the underground power stations to an intersection where you can turn right for a few ks to Cabramurra which is the highest town in the country. This town was, and maybe still is, owned by the Snowy Mountains Authority and is set out a bit like a military base. The road from Cabramurra to Kanchoban will be closed. From Cabramurra you go back to the intersection and on to Kiandra. You will pass the short turn off to the Mt Selwyn ski resort and the beautiful Three Mile Dam that was built a century ago to supply the Kiandra gold fields with water. This area is spactacular when the dam is surrounded by snow but it will be snowed over at the peak of the season. From Kiandra you turn left onto the Snowy Mountains Highway and return to Tumut driving down Talbingo Mountain and past the Blowering Dam.

All the roads on this loop are kept open but snow ploughs are working constantly as necesary. It is common to be able to drive through on clear roads while looking at metre deep snow piled up on each side of the road. If it is snowing though it can be a different story. You can usually get through with chains but be careful and crawl along slowly. There are tall orange painted poles sticking up along the sides of the road so you can see where the road is.

Don't forget you must carry chains in the park, even though you may not need them, and practice fitting them before you get into the snow.

Brian

The loop does sound great. Checked out some info on the kosi retreat too and it looks great...exactly what we are looking for. Does anyone else have any suggestions on nice places to stay down that way??