Hot off the press: don’t let the warm weather stop you from venturing up to the Snowy’s for a weekend away.
We know, there’s no snow (much to the disappointment of everyone), but that’s no excuse not to have a great weekend camping, glamping and everything in between.
As disappointing as it is for us mere mortals who wished to slide down a few slopes, the impact on tourist towns around the NSW snow resorts is much, much worse.
Towns such as Adaminaby, Cooma, Jindabyne and Thredbo rely on a yearly tourist income through ski/snowboard hire, accommodation and food, but a severe decrease in visitors has created a stalemate.
It’s the equivalent of avoiding Gundy because the Dog is temporarily off of the Tuckerbox.
We get it, we wouldn’t have believed it worth the hassle either, had we not sent a journalist off to investigate.
What initially started under a beautiful blue sky (note: no snow cresting the top of any mountain in sight), our journalist found themselves in the tourist town of Adaminaby (population roughly 340 people), 52 kilometres outside of Cooma.
Although packed with cars from Snowy Hydro workers, the town was practically deserted as clouds began to descend. Low and slow (again, no snow).
“It’s very quiet without all the traffic from the snow,” said one bakery worker.
“We don’t see a lot of people.”
At a nearby shop, the owner admitted to seeing very little people, but remained hopeful that people would visit their shop as they passed through.
“It’s the warmest I’ve ever seen here, and I’ve lived here for 40 years,” they said.
“It’s the strangest thing.”
So, what does one do when up in the mountains without snow?
Simple.
They swim.
Fed by a natural spring, the Yarrangobilly Caves Thermal Pool stays at a consistent 27 degrees all year round. Rain, hail or shine.
Spotted around the 20 metre long, 2.5 metre deep pool is an assortment of picnic benches, tables and a barbecue nearby, as well as change rooms and a bathroom.
For anyone who can’t get past the notion of swimming in winter, there are several river walks accessible in areas of the Kosciuszko Park nearby.
Anyone not keen on taking a hike can explore the Yarrangobilly caves.
Suffice to say, pair the experience with a solid pub meal at one of the nearby towns, and you’ve got a solid winter weekend experience, all the while ensuring locals in snow tourist towns aren’t hit hard by the lack of snow.
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