On Wednesday morning, November 1 2023, Teddy, my adorable Cavalier King Charles spaniel, and I left Kogarah, Sydney at about 1030am. This was the beginning of our long overdue trip to the Snowy Mountains.
Driving was fine for me, but walking far was not. I had been diagnosed in June 2023 with Morton’s Neuroma in my feet , and I had to use my Jindabyne accommodation up . This was due to an impending operation, and a host who “insisted that I could only bring my booking forward, but not defer it again.” Originally, I had intended to drive to Jindabyne after my wonderful few days in Benalla, Victoria in early May 2023. That week it snowed in Jindabyne, as a result of a cold front passing through the southern part of the Continent.
I stopped at the first Highway Service Centre, which is at Pheasants Nest for a coffee, sandwich and some Krispy Crème Bites. The usual road traffic were semi -trailers and caravans. It was a good drive, and I arrived in Goulburn before 2pm. I then visited the Tourist Office, to pick up a Goulburn book, before heading off to check in at the caravan park. Goulburn has a lot to offer a tourist.
I then visited the popular Goulburn bakery to purchase a steak and mushroom pie and an apple pie for dinner. And then to the Big Merino to buy a pair of lambs wool slippers. That night, I watched most of the Matilda’s match against Chinese Taipei, which the Matildas won 3-0. Goulburn was chilly at night time.
On Thursday morning, November 2 2023, I left the caravan park in Goulburn and collected a newspaper at the nearby garage .Then on to the Freeway, turning off to the Federal Highway to Canberra and Cooma- I was hoping not to get lost.
Sadly, there was lots of road kill on the road. I took the road towards Queanbeyan, by-passed Queanbeyan, and fortunately found the Monaro Highway .It was an enjoyable drive, as the countryside was lovely, but dry. I stopped at the popular Bredbo Pies for a quiche and drink for lunch. A gentleman, who was also there for lunch, commented on Teddy stating “he’s chunky!” I told him about the descriptions a farming lady, who was in the hairdressers in Orange in April 2022,and the sheep farmer in Tathra , South Coast in November 2022 gave to Teddy. On my return journey, i planned to stop and photograph the old stove, which was outside the Bredbo shop.
Then on to Cooma for petrol, and to Jindabyne, where Teddy and I were staying for 3 nights. I located our accommodation, and checked out a local shopping centre .Then, I visited the main shopping centre, and asked about hairdressers. I had hoped to have a hair tint as i was attending a Melbourne Cup luncheon on Tuesday! I found out that two had closed recently; one hairdresser was fully booked until February 2024, and a couple of hairdressers only worked from home.
Friday morning, November 3 2023, at 1130am, I had a remedial massage in town. I had been contacted earlier by a Kogarah, Sydney neighbour, to say that a fellow neighbour had passed away of a heart attack, very suddenly on Thursday afternoon. Paul, who was 70, was visiting the park with his wife and grandchildren, felt ill, lay down on the grass and then had a massive heart attack.
After my massage, I had lunch at Birchwood Café, which was dog friendly. I took a lovely mild curry with me from the café for dinner, in order to avoid going back out again. Then, i visited the Tourist Centre, which is directly opposite the National Parks and Wildlife Office, in the same building. National Parks and Wildlife are in the news at the moment , over the planned aerial culling by the NSW Government, of brumbies in the Snowy Mountains National Park .
At 6pm, Teddy and I drove to the edge of Lake Jindabyne for a little walk. I was rugged up for the chilly evening walk. My cashmere shawl purchase at Merchant Campbell in Yass, in May 2023, came in very handy.
On Saturday, November 4 2023, Teddy and I drove to Adaminaby. It was a chilly day. Before Berridale, I saw the sign for Avondale Road for the Avonside Alpine Estate. This property has Highland Cows, or coos, as they are called in Scotland, and has a couple of guest lodges. I would love to stay on this pet- friendly farm, and see again the unique Highland coos. I last saw coos in October 2019, in the north of Scotland.
I called into the Berridale Pub to ask if they had a TAB. “No, we don’t” said the bar staff member, “but Adaminaby had one the last time I was there.” “I enquired when that was.” He replied “before Covid”.
I drove to Adaminaby, and was short on time to view the Snowy Mountains Museum, which is open 10am -2pm Saturday and Sundays only. I will visit on my next trip. I photographed the Big Trout, which is currently undergoing restoration. The bakery was open, so I had a welcome steak and kidney pie, and a coffee. Two fellows (motor bike riders) in the coffee shop said that” it was only 10 degrees Celcius up the mountain.”
I then went to the Adaminaby pub to put my bet on for the Golden Eagle, which was being raced in Sydney. The TAB was in fact one machine, and the lady behind the bar kindly assisted me. She told me that “there was a trout fishing competition on today at Lake Eucumbene. “I noticed a long table of motor bike riders enjoying lunch in the warm dining room in the pub; I assumed that it must be their regular stopping point on their bike rides.
I had decided to drive out to Lake Eucumbene .The mist came down, along with the fog not long after I left the pub, and on went car headlights. That was the end of my planned visit to Lake Eucumbene. On my return journey, when out of the fog, I noticed a road sign advertising Adaminaby Races for November 18 2023.
I drove back to Jindabyne, and took Teddy for a short walk to the edge of Lake Jindabyne. I was able to photograph the wonderful statue to Strezlecki, and the Irish Harp Memorial. This acknowledged people of Irish background, who worked on the Snowy Mountains Scheme.
Sunday, November 5 2023,I left Jindabyne at 10am and stopped at Berridale for coffee and to purchase the Sunday newspaper . I needed the Melbourne Cup field to study the form – I managed to back first and second in the Cup. I stopped again at the Bredbo Pie Shop. I bought some fudge -Outback Fudge, which is hand -made in Cooma, and a few other items. The shop was very busy.
I managed to get lost driving through Canberra! The shopping centres are located off the main road, and most petrol stations are there also, so there is simply no one to ask for directions. I kept driving; I did not have a Canberra map, nor a GPS, which is not good form for a former Geographer teacher. I saw an Ampol garage near a roundabout, so I drove into the garage somewhat in a “stressed state.” By this time, I needed a strong whisky , and certainly not petrol.
I asked the first man at the petrol pump “if he was a local? “ “No” he said, so I moved on to the next person. The young man said “no, that he was not a local either. “ Then I met the man who rescued me from being stuck in Canberra. I asked the third man “if he was a local?” “Yes, he said sort of, what is your problem? “ “I am lost, and I am trying to get to the road to Goulburn. I think that I need a few whiskies, as a result of this stressful ordeal.”
“Ok” he said, I will pay for my petrol, and then you follow me. I will get you to Canberra Airport, and you drive straight ahead. I will indicate and then turn off the road, you go straight ahead and you will be fine. “We drove some distance around roundabouts and then onto straight roads. I had no idea as to where I was except knowing that it was Canberra ! I honked the horn, and waved when he turned off the road with his indicator on, as promised. Thank goodness for my knight in shining armour for the day!!!
It was with a huge sense of relief that I drove into Goulburn to stay the night. Again, a chilly night.
Monday, November 6 2023 I decided to first visit a nursery in Goulburn .The nursery was on the road to Crookwell, one of my favourite country towns. It was an impressive nursery, which had wonderful garden ornaments, and a huge variety of plants. I also enjoyed coffee and fruit toast in a pet friendly coffee shop at the nursery. I bought a couple of ornaments for my garden. It was time to drive back to Sydney .The drive was uneventful, and I arrived in my driveway about 3pm having travelled over 1000 kms.
My next visit to the Snowy Mountains will be a much longer one, as there is so much to see and do in the area. I will also have two good feet. I can drive through the National Park with a dog, but am not allowed by National Parks and Wildlife to let the dog out of the car.
I will drive to Gundagai, as I have 2 night’ accommodation, prepaid in a pet friendly Gundagai motel, and I can visit again the Art Deco café, Café Niagara. Kim and Luke had done a stunning job in restoring the café over a period of a couple of years. This café won an award in the National Trust Heritage Awards in May 2023.
I will drive down a more mountainous road from south of Gundagai, which I am told has stunning scenery. Tumut has a Museum, in which some of Miles Franklin’s dresses and artefacts are held. One room contains the books, which she wrote. Also located in Tumut is the broom factory, which is the last original millet broom factory in Australia.The staff have been making brooms the same way since 1946.
Talbingo is the birthplace of Miles Franklin, writer and feminist. She is best known for her novel “My Brilliant Career “but was also committed to an uniquely Australian literature form. The Annual Miles Franklin Award honours her legacy.
Adaminaby has the Big Trout. Patrick White, as an 18 year old in 1930, jackarooed near here, and later wrote his debut novel “Happy Valley”, which was based on some of his experiences.
Adaminaby also has the Snowy Scheme Museum, which is a multi -dimensional insight into the impact on the nation of the construction of the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric Scheme.
Cooma has The Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre. This state –of- the -art Visitor Centre showcases the history of the Snowy Mountains Scheme from the early days of construction, to the present.
A bronze statue pays homage to Banjo Patterson in Cooma’s Centennial Park.” How the Favourite Beat Us, “a poem published by Banjo Patterson (prior to 1895) was read by local artist and poet, Bruce Sharp at my father’s funeral service in 2007.
Teddy, my well- travelled Cavalier, had his usual wonderful time on our road trip. I am not certain where “our next road trip adventure “will be in 2024. Country NSW always beckons. There are so many interesting places to visit and things to do! And Bonnie, who lives in northern NSW, and!, will have been friends for 60 years next year; an event worth acknowledging.
November 13 2023
