Snowy Mountains

The Snowy Mountains (Snowies) are a region of New South Wales in Australia in the south east of the state. The highest region in Australia and one of the cooler areas of New South Wales, they are notable for their ski-fields and are the centre of snow sports in New South Wales.

The Snowy Mountains are on Australia's eastern seaboard and are equidistant from Sydney and Melbourne. Most people travel to the region by car as this is the most flexible and rewarding way of exploring the mountains. However for visitors traveling from afar, there are regular bus services to Cooma and Tumut from Sydney and Canberra, and many plane connections into into Canberra with car hire available.

The Snowies are well served by a network of sealed roads with diverse and spectacular scenery. The Alpine Way from Jindabyne to Khancoban, the Snowy Mountains Highway between Tumut and Cooma, the Monaro Highway running south from Canberra and the Elliot Way from Tumbarumba to Cabramurra all pass through stunning landscapes.

If you are just interested in the skiing, Murrays offer a day trip from Canberra to the ski resorts during the ski season, with lift packages, and one-way fares available. Often you can get this bus for little more than the cost of the lift passes and ski hire.

The mountains are beautiful year round and the region annually attracts some three million visitors seeking nature-based and adventure holidays. Whether you're after a rugged back-to-nature experience, want to be cosseted in alpine splendor or simply feel like going somewhere beautiful, diverse and interesting with the whole family, the chances are high that you'll find it in the Snowy Mountains. Attractions, outdoor activities, tours and events - the Snowy Mountains has it all.

There are many places to eat and drink in the Snowy Mountains. Cafés are scattered all around the towns, including the mountain resorts at Thredbo. High quality food is available, but expect to find a fair amount of low quality but expensive food. In particular the cheap foods, like pizza, can be on the expensive side in the mountains with less competition.