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Wild alpine: discovering the Snowy Mountains

by Alexandra Middleton | 04 Jul 2013

Whether you’re looking for leisure or adventure, there is something in this wild alpine environment for everyone.  

If you’re an avid skier you will no doubt be pleased to hear reports of fresh snowfall steadily blanketing the mountains. Take your pick from four winter resorts – Perisher, Thredbo, Charlotte Pass or Selwyn Snowfields – that not only boast the longest runs in Australia but are also packed with bars, restaurants and shopping opportunities. 

Too cold

The Snowy Mountains are synonymous with winter entertainment, but what’s on offer for those who aren’t so comfortable on the slopes? The Snowy Mountains extends from Canberra to the highest reaches of the mountains and south across the Monaro Plains.

Year round, the first stop on any Snowy Mountains trip should be the historical town of Cooma.

Whether you’re looking for a bite to eat or a place to stay, you can’t go past The Alpine Hotel. The beautifully restored art-deco hotel dates back to the 1800s and is an icon of the Cooma community. The rooms at The Alpine are comfortable and affordable and the food, served in the dining room or at the bar, is a cut above your average pub fare.

Our recommendation – the Kilcoy scotch fillet served with charred pencil leeks, truss tomatoes, dutch carrots, parsnip puree and a truffle oil demi glaze.

Truffles anyone?

Truffles are a local delicacy, which you simply must indulge in. The season kicks off with the Truffle Festival in late June and continues until late August. The Snowy Mountains region produces French black truffles, which are one of the most expensive varieties, because of the time they take to cultivate – five years. Throughout the season local producers run regular truffle hunts, which include informative talks, recipe and preparation recommendations and the chance to taste and buy truffles directly from the producer.

Walkers or talkers

One of the biggest drawcards of the Snowy Mountains is its natural beauty. Home to Kosciuszko National Park, your options range from a leisurely scenic walk, to tackling the country’s highest peak.

On the more leisurely end of the spectrum is a trip to the Yarrangobilly Caves, just off the highway between Tumut and Cooma. Discovery Tours are run three times a day through the five limestone caves, where you will see stalagmites, stalactites, shawls and cave corals. The caves are quite cool, but with the right jacket can be explored all year round.

The National Park also offers a number of formal walking tracks, which are best explored in summer.

A standout route is the Buddong Falls Track. An hour each way, the track leads to two sets of falls, one 60m high and the other 20m high. The surrounding forest is packed with birds and wildlife that easily distract from the sometimes steep and challenging path.

If you’re looking for a less strenuous walk, the Snow Gum Boardwalk takes 30 minutes and rewards with views of Mount Kosciuzko and the woodland surrounds.

Off-road adventures

There is no limit to the ways this alpine region can be explored, be it on skis, by foot, on a mountain bike, horse, kayak or even a Segway hired from Lake Crackenback Resort.  

These unique hour-long tours take you off-road, over bridges and through streams, and are a peaceful way to take in the picturesque lake.

If you’re a keen angler the area offers a number of spots to throw a line. Trout can be caught in their numbers in Lake Crackenback, Lake Jindabyne, Tantangara Reserve and most of the region’s rivers and streams.

Once you’re back on dry land head to the Wildbrumby Schnapps Distillery Door and Cafe, situated between Jindabyne and Thredbo.

Wildbrumby schnapps is produced from fruits grown in the Tumut, Batlow and Snowy Mountains region. The full range, which includes flavours such as butterscotch, Devil’s Tongue chilli, herb and apple mix, and mango liqueur, is kept on ice ready for tasting.

Compliment your schnapps with a meal from the Wildbrumby kitchen, where the emphasis is also on fresh, local produce. High country beef, Austrian goulash with bread dumplings followed by vanilla bean ice cream with butterscotch schnapps – fuel for the rest of the day, or medicine for a dream-filled sleep.

Our advice is to embrace it … you’re on holiday.

 

Experience the Snowy Mountains with Probus. Register for the 2013 Probus Rendezvous and sign up for the Pre-Rendezvous Tour with Trade Travel. 

Image credit - Mandatory credit: Paul Sinclair; Destination NSW