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Experiencing Australia's Snowy Mountains
 The Snowy Mountains in the south east of New South Wales are Australia's highest mountains and the highest point of the Great Dividing Range separating the New South Wales coast area from the drier inland. The highest of the mountains is Mount Kosciuszko, 2228 metres, in Australia's largest National Park of the same name.
Three explorers, Blaxland, Lawson and Wentworth were the first to cross the range but it was Paul Edmund Strzelecki , a Polish explorer, who is said to have been the first European to have climbed to the summit and gave the mountain its name after a great Polish general. Australians pronounce it Cossi-osko.
The Snowy River starts at Mount Kosciuszko and flows through New South Wales and Victoria to the ocean - a 352 km journey.
In 1949, the Snowy Mountains Hydro Electric power generating scheme was begun to harvest water from the rain and melted snow to generate electricity. 100,000 migrants from 30 countries were employed in the scheme, producing what is regarded as one of the seven wonders of the world. Lake Eucumbene holds 7 times the amount of water as Sydney Harbour.
Tourism thrives in the Kosciuszko National Park both summer and winter. In winter tourists and Australians alike enjoy cross-country skiing, snow boarding, snow tubing, tobogganing and downhill skiing . Those without skis of their own can rent them and ski lifts provide a multitude of ski-run opportunities.
Charlotte Pass, Selwyn, Perisher Blue and Thedbo are all great resorts. Pender Lea Chalets at Thredbo are just 10 minutes away from Jindabyne where there's night life for the apres-ski set and shopping for those in need of retail therapy.
In summer, the Snowy Mountains offers a wealth of activities, too. Wildflowers tours are popular and for the energetic there's white water rafting, water skiing, wakeboarding, abseiling, rock climbing bushwalking, mountain biking, canoeing, sailing, horse riding, fishing, caving, golf and horse riding.
Camping grounds have toilets and fireplaces but wood fires are generally forbidden as the bush fire danger is high.
Wombats and wallabies abound and you could be fortunate enough to see a platypus or two. The Bogong moth appears in Spring. The Aborigines used to roast them; they are said to taste like chestnuts.
The poem, The Man From Snowy river by Banjo Paterson is probably Australia's most famous poem. It tells of the amazing horsemanship as the rider goes down the mountain in pursuit of a valuable horse that has escaped and a reward is offered for its capture. The poem captures the atmosphere of the High Country, as it's often called.
Every year Corryong hosts a bush festival with Riley's Ride - Riley was said to have been the horseman who inspired the poem that ultimately led to 'The Man from Snowy River' film TV projects.
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