Snowy Mountains Extravaganza

19 March 2025 / Author: Simon Trickett - Photos: Simon Trickett, Rob Wilko, Lili Chi

Meeting at Calwell shops on a slightly grey Sunday morning, 7 cars (and not a single Soul Red amongst them!), 11 members and 1 ring-in (my dad) took on the Snowy Mountains Extravaganza, a two day 850km jaunt.

Alas for some, there was no caffeine to be had at Calwell shops – unless you count the servo coffee that nobody was tempted to try. So off we drove for the first leg of the journey down to Cooma and then on to Adaminaby. There was a slight drizzle so a detour onto Old Cooma Road was required so people could put up their roofs. Back on the highway it was an uneventful drive until our morning tea stop at Adaminaby.

Whilst taking in the wondrous sight of the ‘Big Trout’ the group got their much needed caffeine and whatever sweet treat they fancied. For me, it was the sour cherry pie, yum!

By this point the clouds had disappeared and it was warming up nicely, so it was hats on and tops down. Until now the roads had been pleasant but nothing too exciting, however from here to Jindabyne it was all about the roads. Ignoring the GPS, (because I know better!) we didn’t take Kings Cross Road past Selwyn Ski Resort, instead we veered to the right to continue on Link Road. It was a good choice, as this stretch of road was devoid of other road users and was full of sweeping bends with good visibility around them, no line markings to be seen however, so driver beware. Going this way we did get to see a group of wild Brumbys grazing near the road, we also saw plenty of evidence of them with many piles of poo on the road!

To give the group the chance to stretch their legs, we took a detour into the town of Cabramurra where we stopped at the lookout. This lookout area was the original location of the town before it was moved in 1974 to its current more sheltered position. The town was home to the Snowy Hydro employees, but now most of them drive in / drive out.

Descending to the Tumut Pond dam we were able to enjoy watching some ducks paddling slowly across the large expanse of water. To me it seems a bit big to be called a pond given the dam is holding back 52,793 megalitres of water. Once back in our little sports cars we headed in the direction of Khancoban. Yet again the roads were superb and the scenery was equally picturesque.

Lunch at the Pickled Parrot Providore provided much needed sustenance after the morning we had had. By this time it had really warmed up, so for some it was tops up and air con on for the next leg.

For those who haven’t driven the Alpine Way from Khancoban to Thredbo, it could be compared to the local run from Uriarra Village to the Cotter (6kms of twisty road). Except it is 76km with tighter corners and far more ups and downs, fair comparison? Not really but its as close as I can get. Fours cars headed off first for a more spirited run up the hill whilst I stayed back with the others. This proved to be a good choice given the first group had a run in with a ‘Bloody Volvo driver’ whereas we had a clear run. This road really does test the driver as its narrow, has numerous blind corners, drop offs with no barriers, rock walls and tree debris on the road. But no pot holes! It is surprising how good the roads are in around the Snowy region given the weather they are exposed to. If only our local roads were this good.

The first group were waiting at Dead Horse Gap, so we swung off the road and waited for the final two cars. Given Rhys’ need for some apple strudel and ice cream, we quickly got back on the road and headed for the Wildbrumby Distillery. The service was so quick that those who ordered first were getting their requests before the other end of the table had ordered! The Schnappygato proved to be a hit amongst those who ordered it. Given the comments I received, I think a lunch run to Wildbrumby will likely be on the calendar either later this year or in 2026.

From here it was just a short drive to Jindabyne and to our accommodation at Horizon’s. Dinner was a casual affair at the Lake Jindabyne Hotel. Lucky for us the EFTPOS was down, so some of us were able to get the first round of drinks for free!

We woke to a rather beautiful dawn and hot breakfast, but by the time we were ready to drive out it had started raining and there were also patches of fog and mist. Not the best conditions, but, taking it easier that the previous day we all made it safely back down the mountain. To assist in regrouping at Khancoban, the kind folks in the local council organised a set of traffic lights that kept us stationary for 12 minutes and allowed those at the rear to catch up. Once we had regrouped we headed for Corryong in Victoria. 

Corryong Cafe Brew was chosen by me purely for their Hedgehog slice and it didn’t disappoint! Seriously though, the customer service, baked goods, tea and coffee has always been excellent here, well worth a visit if you happen to be passing.
Getting back on the road, it was back into NSW for the drive to Tumut. There was a puncture scare, however this proved to be a false alarm possibly caused by a rock which was driven over and may have upset the sensor. The only other scare we experienced was when I rounded a corner to find an oncoming semi in the wrong lane, not sure how the MX would have fared had the truck not moved over in time. 

As we approached Tumut, Google Maps indicated a car crash, so an alternate route was taken through Tumut. The Oriental Hotel was booked for lunch and again it proved to be a good place to stop. Trout is one of their specialities and those who had it said it was very good. It was here we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways.

For us we had a final interesting drive on Gocup Road before getting to Gundagai and the Hume Highway. Although at this stage I was happy to be able to set the cruise control and just relax for a while and reflect on what was an excellent weekend with a great bunch of people. 

Highlights of the 2 days for me? In no particular order: a kamikaze burger, glasses left at the hotel, keys locked in a boot and a 100km u-turn – but what happens on a run, stays on a run so you’ll get nothing further from me!

Thanks to Rob Wilkins who has produced the following excellent Relive featurettes! Well worth a watch.

Relive – Day 1 - https://www.relive.com/view/vPv4ZBWDJ36
Relive – Day 2 - https://www.relive.com/view/v36AVdwABZq