Snowy Mountains NSW - Sydney's official guide to events ...

Cooma and surrounds
Hospitable, historic and full of character, Cooma and its surrounding villages
are perfectly equipped to show you the best of the Snowy Mountains.
Must see and do
Explore the Monaro loops and trails
– on a mountain bike, road bike or
motorcycle.
Visit Mt Gladstone Lookout just west
of Cooma for sweeping views across
the Monaro plains to the peaks of the
Snowy Mountains.
Browse through Cooma’s Raglan
Gallery & Cultural Centre, a showcase
for the finest local art and craft.
Stroll the Lambie Town Walk past
Cooma’s historic sites.
Experience the power of water
at the Snowy Mountains Scheme
Information & Education Centre.
Photographs
above left to right: Cooma Railway Station
(Don Fuchs); Coolringdon Station (Trisha
Dixon); Avenue, Coolringdon Station (Trisha
Dixon); Anglican Church, Cooma (Don Fuchs)
Cooma
Set among rolling plains, legendary rivers and
snow-covered peaks, Cooma is the largest town
in the High Country region and the gateway
to the State’s alpine area. With a choice
of accommodation, this is a great base for
exploring and enjoying the Snowy Mountains’
sensational range of year-round activities.
The town is famous as the home of the
Snowy Mountains Scheme, the biggest
civil engineering project ever undertaken in
Australia. Here you’ll discover the Cooma-
Monaro Shire’s rich history, art galleries and
craft stores, specialty foods and restaurants.
Snowy Mountains Scheme
In the 1940s, Cooma was transformed from
a rural town to a bustling, multinational
community. Over a period of 23 years, rivers
were diverted, storage dams created and towns
relocated to harness water for hydro-electric
power and irrigation along the Murray and
Murrumbidgee valleys.
The Snowy Mountains Scheme Information
& Education Centre, situated on the Monaro
Highway, tells the story of the scheme
with photos, models, hands-on exhibits and
interactive displays.
More than 100,000 people from around
30 countries worked on the Snowy Mountains
Hydro-Electric Scheme; many were migrant
workers recruited from war-torn Europe. In
Cooma’s Centennial Park, the Avenue of Flags,
erected in 1959, celebrates their contribution.
Cooma township
Cooma is surrounded by stunning countryside,
and the Cooma Visitors Centre has put together
a number of touring routes that showcase the
beauty and diversity of the region. Themes
include wildlife and wine, the gold-mining
history of the district as well as the rivers
and lakes of the region.
At the centre, pick up a copy of the ‘Discover
Cooma’s Rich History’ brochure, which details
walks through the historic and photogenic
quarters of the town. Here you can also find
information on events such as the Ute Muster
and National Sheep Dog Trials.
Among Cooma’s historic treasures is Lambie
Street, which features award-winning heritage
gardens and 11 buildings with a National Trust
classification, including Victorian cottages and
elegant houses dating from the 1860s.
The Lord Raglan Hotel, built in 1854, now a
gallery and cultural centre displaying some of
the work of the many talented local artists, is
one of many attractions. Don’t miss the Cooma
Court House, the Post Office, historic gaol,
Solomon’s Store, Cooma Hotel and the war
memorial in Vale Street.
The Cooma-Monaro Railway ceased
commercial operations in 1988, but visitors
can still experience the thrill of rail travel
on a 1924 rail motor. The train departs from
Cooma’s historic railway station each weekend
and travels north either to Bunyan or to
Chakola, 19 km away, on the Numeralla River.
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Snowy Mountains NSW