Post by Lady_Joanella on Jan 7th, 2010 at 2:00pm
Here is some info and photos from our recent quick trip on the Snowy Mountains Highway (1 week). We stopped at three nice spots which would also be great in the cooler weather when you can have a campfire.
There were fees at the spot out of Tumut ($6 per adult per night), but if we had driven three kms more there was a free bushcamp.
In the area of the Washington Hotel ruins at Ravine there were some great spots, but even though we have a strong off road caravan it is a little too large to negotiate the high humps that are on the road to provide water runoff. If the road was wider we could do them at an angle, but as with lots of these roads they are pretty narrow.
Snowy Mountains Highway rest stops do not have fees except in the ski season it seems.
There were plenty of other spots that looked nice but we didnt have time to actually stay in them this time.
Hope you dont find the following speel too long...
Dec 2009/Jan 2010
Our campsite just out of Tumut, New South Wales, Australia
There is a creek about 20 metres behind those other caravans, and the toilets were a long walk further to the right of the photo.
at least this campsite had flushing toilets. Often there are just long drops....
we do have a toilet in the van but use it as little as possible as of course the cassette emptying is not the most pleasant task.
in the middle of the night when it is a long walk to the loo is when we don't hesitate to use it ;) :)
The view from our chairs under the awning from where we watched birds and butterflies as we sipped our tea.
A harmless friend tried to hitch a ride
Another free campsite - the entrance is opposite the road into Talbingo on the Snowy Mountains Highway
when we went for a walk we were startled to see a 2 mtr black snake slithering away off the path.
It certainly pays to keep your wits about you when you go for a walk in the bush. He was just going about his business but it
did give us a bit of a jolt back from our reverie.
This spot had a creek running behind us.
Yarrangobilly Village rest area campsite
We forgot to get campsite photos until our last morning when it was cold and misty.
Day trip without caravan in tow to see historical sites near Yarrangobilly Village rest area.
Some of this day I loved, other bits I kept my eyes closed. We were on a narrow dirt road high up in the mountains
[smiley=undecided.gif] [smiley=surrender.gif] [smiley=sweatdrop.gif] [smiley=no.gif] [smiley=no.gif] [smiley=helpsmilie.gif] [smiley=SHOCKED.gif]
Do you get the message... :D ;D ;D
Quote:
Responsible four-wheel driving is an enjoyable way to see limited parts of northern Kosciuszko National Park. There are drives to river access and longer drives through remote areas and interesting cultural features. Access may be limited during and after poor weather.
Watch for walkers and mountain bikeriders.
Lobs Hole Ravine Road
Closed at times due to weather.
This is a suitable four-wheel drive touring route. The road is four-wheel drive only
between Jounama Homestead and Wallaces Creek Lookout. It leads to the site of an old
settlement where copper mining took place. The road crosses through the Yarrangobilly River
and joins the Ravine Road passing Wallaces Creek Lookout before it joins the Cabramurra Road.
Subject to weather.
Entrance Gates.
- Just off the Snowy Mountains Highway 41.9km from Tumut are entrance gates to the property associated with Jounama Homestead. Jounama property was made up of freehold land and periodic snow leases.
The earliest documented settlement of this area isaround 1858. Jounama School House site (250–300 metres) On the western side of the road. A step is all that remains and is signposted. Children walked or rode from local homesteads.
Jounama Heritage Walk (1.8km) This is a moderate 3.2km return walk over undulating
terrain. There were several homesteadsand huts within the Jounama area during
the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Northern Kosciuszko four-wheel drive trails
Jounama Homestead (4.8km) At the Blue Creek Trail there is parking for the 2.7km
return walk to Jounama Homestead. The Homestead was built from 1920 to the 1950s and occupied by three different families. It had seven rooms and was made of brick,
timber and fibro. Most of the bricks were made on site and others came from the Ravine copper mine kiln and furnace.
The front entry jasper flagstones are also from Ravine.
I don't like posed photos ::)
The homestead out-buildings and landscape included a buggy shed, chicken pen, stock yards and wool shed, and
an English style garden.
Most of the homestead was burnt down in the early 1960s and useful materials were reused elsewhere.
Pinbeyan Range (12km) The PinbeyanRidge is clearly visible. From this point on, views of the Yarrangobilly arm of Talbingo Reservoir appear as you descend into the
valley.
Lobs Hole Ravine (approx 23km) Around 1842 bullock dray traffic travelled west of
the ranges via Tollbar Ridge and Lobs Hole Ravine. This was the easiest route across the
mountains to the west. Cattle duffers were also known to frequent the valley when
moving stolen stock across the ranges. In 1861 a boarding house was established
to serve miners heading to the Kiandra goldfields. Miners also came seeking milder
conditions in winter.
In 1874 copper mining began in the Lobs Hole Ravine area. Between 1890 and 1902 copper
production reached its peak. Production fell due to mine gas, shaft flooding, fluctuating
market prices and transport costs to the Gundagai railhead.
By 1910 the Lobs Hole area had an established village which was finally renamed Ravine. Lobs Hole is actually located below Sheep Station Ridge now under water. There was a school, butcher, police station and blacksmith to service the farm and mining community surrounding the area.
Washington Hotel was opened in 1909, catering for miners and travellers crossing
the mountains to Kiandra. The building is significant because it was one of the largest
rammed-earth structures of its day.
By 1919 all mines were abandoned which brought about a speedy decline in residents and services.
Most buildings that remained in the area succumbed to fire.
The last burnt down in 1964. However, the Washington Hotel was sold in 1923, and
all materials (except the pise walls) were removed to Humula.
In the 1960s the Lobs Hole Ravine Road was constructed during the development
of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme. The area became a popular place
for campers and Snowy Mountains Scheme workers. Ravine was incorporated into
Kosciuszko National Park in 1986.
Block Stream (Boulder Field)
This is an example of a basalt blockstream formed in the last ice age. Such ‘periglacial’
features are formed from repeated freezing and thawing. The rocks gradually move downstream with each freeze and thaw.
Wallaces Creek Lookout (35km 1310 metres above sea level) There are
extensive views of the Great Dividing Range, Yarrangobilly river and valley and
Big Talbingo Mountain.
The 35kms took about 3 hours of actual driving time. We would have had about an hour of stopping time, some of the time was walking to the historical sites from the car park, some time taken to take photos and we also had a picnic lunch stop.
The road was quite safe, I just don't like heights, so driving on the narrow roads with a big drop to the valley below means I do close my eyes if I get too scared. The time we took was because Col is a good driver [smiley=driving.gif]and quite a bit of the road should be travelled at less than 20km an hour, so there were bits where we only went at 5kms an hour. Our lovely new 4WD has been christened with splashes of mud and a river crossing (about 2 foot/60cm deep).
Wildflowers
some tiny ones
There were fees at the spot out of Tumut ($6 per adult per night), but if we had driven three kms more there was a free bushcamp.
In the area of the Washington Hotel ruins at Ravine there were some great spots, but even though we have a strong off road caravan it is a little too large to negotiate the high humps that are on the road to provide water runoff. If the road was wider we could do them at an angle, but as with lots of these roads they are pretty narrow.
Snowy Mountains Highway rest stops do not have fees except in the ski season it seems.
There were plenty of other spots that looked nice but we didnt have time to actually stay in them this time.
Hope you dont find the following speel too long...
Dec 2009/Jan 2010
Our campsite just out of Tumut, New South Wales, Australia
There is a creek about 20 metres behind those other caravans, and the toilets were a long walk further to the right of the photo.
at least this campsite had flushing toilets. Often there are just long drops....
we do have a toilet in the van but use it as little as possible as of course the cassette emptying is not the most pleasant task.
in the middle of the night when it is a long walk to the loo is when we don't hesitate to use it ;) :)
The view from our chairs under the awning from where we watched birds and butterflies as we sipped our tea.
A harmless friend tried to hitch a ride
Another free campsite - the entrance is opposite the road into Talbingo on the Snowy Mountains Highway
when we went for a walk we were startled to see a 2 mtr black snake slithering away off the path.
It certainly pays to keep your wits about you when you go for a walk in the bush. He was just going about his business but it
did give us a bit of a jolt back from our reverie.
This spot had a creek running behind us.
Yarrangobilly Village rest area campsite
We forgot to get campsite photos until our last morning when it was cold and misty.
Day trip without caravan in tow to see historical sites near Yarrangobilly Village rest area.
Some of this day I loved, other bits I kept my eyes closed. We were on a narrow dirt road high up in the mountains
[smiley=undecided.gif] [smiley=surrender.gif] [smiley=sweatdrop.gif] [smiley=no.gif] [smiley=no.gif] [smiley=helpsmilie.gif] [smiley=SHOCKED.gif]
Do you get the message... :D ;D ;D
Quote:
|
Responsible four-wheel driving is an enjoyable way to see limited parts of northern Kosciuszko National Park. There are drives to river access and longer drives through remote areas and interesting cultural features. Access may be limited during and after poor weather.
Watch for walkers and mountain bikeriders.
Lobs Hole Ravine Road
Closed at times due to weather.
This is a suitable four-wheel drive touring route. The road is four-wheel drive only
between Jounama Homestead and Wallaces Creek Lookout. It leads to the site of an old
settlement where copper mining took place. The road crosses through the Yarrangobilly River
and joins the Ravine Road passing Wallaces Creek Lookout before it joins the Cabramurra Road.
Subject to weather.
Entrance Gates.
- Just off the Snowy Mountains Highway 41.9km from Tumut are entrance gates to the property associated with Jounama Homestead. Jounama property was made up of freehold land and periodic snow leases.
The earliest documented settlement of this area isaround 1858. Jounama School House site (250–300 metres) On the western side of the road. A step is all that remains and is signposted. Children walked or rode from local homesteads.
Jounama Heritage Walk (1.8km) This is a moderate 3.2km return walk over undulating
terrain. There were several homesteadsand huts within the Jounama area during
the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Northern Kosciuszko four-wheel drive trails
Jounama Homestead (4.8km) At the Blue Creek Trail there is parking for the 2.7km
return walk to Jounama Homestead. The Homestead was built from 1920 to the 1950s and occupied by three different families. It had seven rooms and was made of brick,
timber and fibro. Most of the bricks were made on site and others came from the Ravine copper mine kiln and furnace.
I don't like posed photos ::)
The homestead out-buildings and landscape included a buggy shed, chicken pen, stock yards and wool shed, and
an English style garden.
Most of the homestead was burnt down in the early 1960s and useful materials were reused elsewhere.
Pinbeyan Range (12km) The PinbeyanRidge is clearly visible. From this point on, views of the Yarrangobilly arm of Talbingo Reservoir appear as you descend into the
valley.
Lobs Hole Ravine (approx 23km) Around 1842 bullock dray traffic travelled west of
the ranges via Tollbar Ridge and Lobs Hole Ravine. This was the easiest route across the
mountains to the west. Cattle duffers were also known to frequent the valley when
moving stolen stock across the ranges. In 1861 a boarding house was established
to serve miners heading to the Kiandra goldfields. Miners also came seeking milder
conditions in winter.
In 1874 copper mining began in the Lobs Hole Ravine area. Between 1890 and 1902 copper
production reached its peak. Production fell due to mine gas, shaft flooding, fluctuating
market prices and transport costs to the Gundagai railhead.
By 1910 the Lobs Hole area had an established village which was finally renamed Ravine. Lobs Hole is actually located below Sheep Station Ridge now under water. There was a school, butcher, police station and blacksmith to service the farm and mining community surrounding the area.
Washington Hotel was opened in 1909, catering for miners and travellers crossing
the mountains to Kiandra. The building is significant because it was one of the largest
rammed-earth structures of its day.
By 1919 all mines were abandoned which brought about a speedy decline in residents and services.
Most buildings that remained in the area succumbed to fire.
The last burnt down in 1964. However, the Washington Hotel was sold in 1923, and
all materials (except the pise walls) were removed to Humula.
In the 1960s the Lobs Hole Ravine Road was constructed during the development
of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme. The area became a popular place
for campers and Snowy Mountains Scheme workers. Ravine was incorporated into
Kosciuszko National Park in 1986.
Block Stream (Boulder Field)
This is an example of a basalt blockstream formed in the last ice age. Such ‘periglacial’
features are formed from repeated freezing and thawing. The rocks gradually move downstream with each freeze and thaw.
Wallaces Creek Lookout (35km 1310 metres above sea level) There are
extensive views of the Great Dividing Range, Yarrangobilly river and valley and
Big Talbingo Mountain.
The 35kms took about 3 hours of actual driving time. We would have had about an hour of stopping time, some of the time was walking to the historical sites from the car park, some time taken to take photos and we also had a picnic lunch stop.
The road was quite safe, I just don't like heights, so driving on the narrow roads with a big drop to the valley below means I do close my eyes if I get too scared. The time we took was because Col is a good driver [smiley=driving.gif]and quite a bit of the road should be travelled at less than 20km an hour, so there were bits where we only went at 5kms an hour. Our lovely new 4WD has been christened with splashes of mud and a river crossing (about 2 foot/60cm deep).
Wildflowers
some tiny ones
