Cooma for a Little Longer

Due to bad weather and road conditions around Bega and Tathra, following the flash flooding in the area, we decided to skip the stay at Tathra, and spend a little more time around Cooma. We will head up to Tathra/Bega when we get to Eden, as it isn't very far.
 

Our site at Cooma in the mist

The decision isn't hard as we absolutely love the Snowy High Country. The air is so fresh and the scenery spectacular. The caravan park was really nice and friendly, and the Manager and his wife were fantastic hosts. We even came across someone we had met at Tomakin. Sadly, she informed us that the husband who had been with her at Tomakin, had up and walked out on her, leaving her with the car and caravan in Cooma! We left it at that. It sounded like a long story we didn't need to hear.

The weather had turned decidedly cold, and we quickly realised, (we couldn't feel our fingers and toes!), that our summer wardrobe was all wrong for Cooma. Even fleecy lined thongs don't keep out the cold! Luckily, there was a Rivers Clearance Store in town, so we added some flanelette and polar fleece to the wardrobe at the amazing cost of $43.95 for the lot! I tell you, us pensioners can seek out a bargain.

We revisited Jindabyne, the scene of our one and only ski holiday, It was some 29 years ago. It was too cold and wet, and we were hopelessly inept, and madly in love and didn't want to leave the lodge! Even found the lodge we stayed at called Upsandowns ( no not insandouts!), which is now run by the daughter of the then owner. Had a good look around Jindabyne. It was good to let Carol loose on the shops in Jindabyne, as unless you need ski gear, snow clothes or snow boards, there isn't much else to buy!

Of course we checked out the Cooma food scene, which didn't take that long, and decided that "the Lott" was the place to go for breakfast lunch and coffee in between. How does dukkak encrusted poached eggs, with smoked salmon, lemon, coriander and Turkish toast fingers sound? Forget how it sounds - tastes bloody fantastic! There were a couple of other OK stops as well, and we even had an enterprising lady with a coffee van arrive each morning at the caravan park.


Boulder strewn paddocks near Dalgety

On Saturday we took a fantastic drive into the country. We went to Berridale and then headed for Dalgety, which for those that may be interested, was on the short list of sites to become Australia's capital city. Canberra won. A short distance along the track we saw one of those brown tourist signs that said "Winery and Boutique Micro Brewery". We looked at each other, said "out here? What the heck, let's go." So off we went into the middle of nowhere, past paddocks filled with boulders and sheep, until we finally found the place on the banks of the Snowy River.



Dalgety Winery & Boutique Brewery



The tasting arrangements were interesting. You could taste all of the wines and then have a glass of the wine of your choice, for free, or if you wanted to taste the 6 beers they brewed, it cost 10 bucks and you got a schooner of the one you liked best! The wines were all made from cold climate grape varieties we had never heard of. What good grapes grow at this elevation? The wines rated from ordinary to plain awful, (sorry guys), but the beers were a different story, they were all quite good, but the smoked porter would have to be an acquired taste. Anyway, all the people were fun and on for a chat, probably because we were the only people they'd seen this month!

Dalgety & the bridge across the Snowy River

So with a six pack and a sympathy bottle of wine in hand, we headed for Dalgety. More of that fantastic scenery, until we drove into the village of Dalgety. Not much in this little town. Looks like when they lost the capital city vote, they decided to try for smallest town!
Having said that, there was a big gymkhana going on at the showground, but not much else.



The vast high country plains near Cooma

 We left Dalgety, about 3 minutes after we found it, and headed back to Cooma on a quiet back road. As we accelerated out of town, a huge flock of little dark coloured birds, rose out of the grass like a monstrous black cloud, and flew in tight formation around us. It was a fantastic sight. So many birds. Driving through this countryside is breathtaking. I'm sure the photos don't do it justice. It is so vast, you think you are the only people on earth. It is sheep country, and they dot the fields like little marshmallow. You come across huge clumps of Pine and Poplar, planted by the pioneers as wind breaks, for their homesteads and for the sheep to shelter from the winter blizzards. It's stirring countryside, and you don't want the ride to end.

Back in Cooma, we checked out the Snowy Mountain Scheme Visitors Centre. This amazing engineering feat, rated one of the 7 engineering wonders of the world, is so well explained and a must see when in Cooma. There is also the working Cooma Gaol. It is an old sandstone walled structure, with big wooden gates, and it is right in town opposite Woolworths! Sorry, no pictures allowed!

I also remember a family holiday we had in the Snowy when I was still at school. It was a summer holiday, and we met up with Uncle Keith and Aunty Nancy. I can't remember how many of us kids were involved, but I can remember swimming at the town pool, which has moved and is much flasher now, and it was the first time I'd ever eaten trout, and I reckon I found the cafe near the park where we all had dinner!


Is this the old home town?

Monday morning dawned under a blanket of fog and 4 degrees! We pack up, grab a coffee from the coffee van, and head for Eden via Bombala. Another great drive through those rolling hills and grassy plains, and then I find why I have such an affinity with this region. We must surely come from here, the tiny village of ANDO! No houses but a school! And yes, Julia's building revolution has even hit Ando. Both the kids now have their own classroom!!

On to Bombala, where the river shows the signs of the recent flash floods, with huge dead trees thrown high along the river banks. Lunch is at the bakery, which now seems to be the focal food point in every country town, no matter how small. At Bombala, I spoke with a couple of truckies who were also lunching, to enlist their help in choosing the right route to Eden, as we have a choice of three. With all the rain, we weren't sure what road conditions were like. Their advice proved spot on, and mid afternoon we roll into the picturesque seaside town of Eden, right on the shores of Twofold Bay, and with all the wheels in all the right places!

Our site in The Garden of Eden

Our caravan park is a beauty, the Top Tourist and innovatively named - Garden of Eden! Apple trees everywhere (only kidding!). Actually lots of trees everywhere, and it takes some time to choose a spot where our satellite will work. Finally, we are set up, surrounded by lawn in a quiet part of the park, and the weather is warm again, so off with the flannels and back into the shorts for a stay of 10 nights.

You wouldn't believe the sound of the Bellbirds, and as evening falls the grasslands come alive with bunnies. April could go nuts!