Thursday, March 22, 2012

Cooma and the Mountains

Heading out of Canberra we travel the 123km to Cooma and arrived in time for lunch.  We settle in for a week and visit the local Info centre for all the necessaries to assist our planning.
Man from Snowy River in Cooma

Setting off Wednesday we head out for the mountains to Jindabyne where we find a water release happening from the dam.  The water flows from the dam into the Snowy River and this ‘flooding’ is meant to assist with the enlivening of the river after many years with little or no flow. 
water release from Jindabyne Dam into Snowy River

road marking change colour for the snow area

definately not a road for Destiny
this was just one of many along the Alpine Way
Thredbo is our next stop for coffee beside the Thredbo River followed by a wander around the village and visiting the site of the deadly road collapse that resulted in the deaths of 18 people on 30 July 1997.
Thredbo River

landslip area - new retaining wall at top of slope
2 chalets were buried with loss of 18 lives

 
Dead Horse Gap is our next stop along the Alpine Way which will take us to Khancoban on the other side of the mountains.
Thredbo (in the valley) from Dead Horse Gap

We called in to Tom Groggin Rest Area for our lunch and then drove down to the mighty Murray River and there was Victoria just on the other side.  The track is supposed to be able to be used by 4wd in summer however the entry into the river crossing on our side was very broken up and it looked as if the exit on the Victorian side had been washed away, maybe by the latest heavy flood rains etc.  I sure wouldn’t want to try the crossing.  The water did not look too deep and the bottom was stony however….
the Murray with Victorian exit on other side!!

We turn off for the 10km drive out to Olsen’s Lookout and found there were a work detail along the road. Grader, roller, two tip trucks, so it made the going ‘interesting’.  We could hear them talking on our cb radio so knew they were there.  The views from the lookout across the mountains were spectacular.
levelling just for us!! check out the flat tyre on the back

view from Olsen's Lookout

Scammell’s Ridge Lookout, Murray 1 Power Station and finally Khancoban after many miles of twists and turns, up and down.  This is a small village and the countryside changed dramatically on this western side of the range.  Green rolling hills, cattle, sheep and horses everywhere and such a pretty drive.  The normal route through to Cabramurra was closed due to a landslip so our journey took us further out through the country side until we headed towards Kiandra on the Snowy Mts Highway and then down to Adaminaby and back to Cooma.  All round was 420km and a 10 hour day, but what magic scenery, we were so glad we had made the effort.
country past Khancoban

Murray 1 Power Station



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