Snowy Mountains Trip
Easter 2005

As planned, The Rabble contingent was late (what else is new), so the trip leader gleefully and eagerly dumped the trip report in their collective laps. This means that whatever is written here is suspect to say the least.

Day One.
Good Friday
We all met at Cooma at midday as planned. Although there was at least one Toyota that arrived a day early – better safe than sorry!
Col and Kerry led the convoy out of Cooma and led us off to Curango Station for a stop that included lunch & afternoon tea. This is a very pretty area, and although there is no camping as such you can hire the cabins – very picturesque.
We then proceeded on to Tantangara, on the dirt road. The dam was depressing – very low in my estimation – but then the water is more or less recycled from one dam to another. One of these days I will get to understand the Snowy Scheme – I wish!
Maybe when the lights go out.
We proceeded on the tar for a while. Then once again on the dirt road to Blue Holes, where we were to spend the night.
Big mistake! People, people everywhere – well it was Easter after all, and the place was pretty packed. Undeterred and undefeated, the fearless leaders chucked the appropriate u turn, and diligently searched the surrounding bush for a camp site.
Well done! What a great place they found, didn’t have a name but it suited our purposes admirably. Plenty of firewood, even a rusty decoration that we were at a loss to accurately identify. It was once a panel van, and probably had an interesting history as most panel vans did. I know mine did sterling service back in the 50s/60s – rocking and a rolling. Bragger!
The night was cold a little windy and clear, but the full moon kept me awake - wanted to howl a bit.

Day Two.
Easter Saturday
Next morning dawned cool and fine, and after breakfast, we toddled off back to Blue Holes, to see what the ‘Holes’ were all about. Very interesting place. Scenically lovely, with a very cold river running through a steep valley. Spoke to a young couple who were preparing to do some caving, and others who were there for the walking and just relaxing. No wonder the area is so popular.
Kerry, and Jacinta got the bug, and went off for a walk, others toddled down to the river, others used the windy loo facilities, and others just floated about.
After about an hour we regrouped and drove off, on the dirt road, to view Coolamine House. A restored colonial property. The walls of the house are lined with old newspapers, dating from the turn of the century, some of them covered in clear plastic sheeting to preserve and protect them. Great reading. But when you analyse it, the media has not changed all that much. It was just as sensationalised then as it is now.
When all had had their fill of history, we formed up, on the dirt road, and proceeded to Talbingo for lunch. One minor adventure, the only other great car on the trip had a flat tyre. Sorry about that Wayne.
It was a collective decision not to view the T3 Power station at Talbingo, time and the desire to get back on the dirt road, prevailed.
So we set off for our camp site at Lob’s Hole. After an uneventful but scenically depressing drive, on the dirt road, we arrived at Lob’s Hole only to find that once again the hoards had preceded us.
Yeah, you guessed it, crowded. However, after a little research and back tracking, our fearless leaders once again came up with an acceptable camp site, and we settled in for the night. After the usual pre dinner drinks and nibbles, we ate our meals and settled in for a night around the fire. Very pleasant, and very productive as the night and the booze took effect. I was very surprised to wake up next morning and find the world exactly the same as we left it the night before. I was certain that we had collectively solved all of the world’s problems.
Ah well, back to the booze!

Day Three
Easter Sunday dawned cool but again fine, and the Easter Bunny’s had been busy distributing a large variety of eggs, much to the joy of John, Roxanne & Antoine. To their credit, they shared their loot, and we all got sick. Just joking.
After packing up, the oracles were consulted and a decision was made to proceed, on the dirt road, in a south northerly direction. Let’s just say that our leaders became a little geographically challenged. After two, or was it three, false starts, we found our way out of Lob’s Hole and headed off for our final night at Geehi.

On the way, on the dirt road, Bob was driving, I was dozing, when suddenly the car stopped, and Bob jumped out.
I thought, nature call – but no, Bob had spied a snake in the grass! Not the common garden variety human kind, but a real live Adam and Eve type.
I recommend to you Bob’s optician. Bob recently got new glasses, bifocals and they must be brilliant – he spied this snake on the side of the road amongst a mass of leaf litter and other bush debris. A Python you say – no says I the poor little thing measured no more than about six inches. Probably sound better in metric, but still the same. Bob’s son John was fascinated as were a few of the other nature lovers who had a look. Never complain about your eyesight Bob – just amazing.
And as luck would have it, as we proceeded further along the dirt road, a message came across the air waves, that yet another snake, somewhat larger than the previous one, had been sighted by another eagle eye. This one had been run over, and although still alive was somewhat the worse for wear. We speeded up and eventually caught sight of it and Bob, after examining it and deciding that it would not survive, cut its head off.
I had never skinned a snake, and still haven’t. Bob, however, has and did while we continued, on the dirt road, to our camp site at Geehi.
At this point I would like to comment on the country side. As I mentioned earlier the drive was a bit depressing. I had not been in the high country since the fires, and the sight of all those trees dead and dying, was devastating. Not least because the view was stark, but because I certainly won’t see the bush regenerate in my life time.
In fact I think it will be many, many years before it approaches its former glory.
Also at this time I think it appropriate to thank Kerry for her succinct and beautifully modulated commentary on the surrounding country and historic sites. A pleasure to listen to you Kerry, thank you.
As the end of daylight saving was now upon us, we speeded up to get to Geehi before the sun set. The country side improved scenically, and the lushness of the almost tropical bush was a joy to behold.
Geehi loomed ahead and yes you guessed it, full to the brim with other happy campers. But, wait for it, our intrepid leaders did the hat trick! What a site they found. Well for me Bob & John anyway, right beside the river, flat clear and lovely.
No way were we giving it up – tough guys!
Seriously, this is a magic place, to the point that Kerry, Bob and I had a (freezing) dip in the river. At least we were clean(er) and although somewhat shrivelled and for Bob and me a high pitched voice for a while, very refreshed.
The usual set up camp performance took place the fire was set and the conversation flowed. Bob cooked the snake, and along with other bits and pieces, the evening nibbles were consumed. The snake was a bit tough and not much meat, but interesting to say the least.
The night time fire gathering was equally as pleasant as the others, and the conversation and the booze flowed easily.
Well for some of us anyway. The booze that is.
Missed you Bryce – no contentious issues!
Luckily we all decided to call it quits, just as the rain descended. The sound of the river running and the sound of the rain on the tent was like a tranquilizer. I slept like a log. Nothing to do with the booze.

Day Four
Easter Monday
Next morning dawned clear and after packing up we said our collective goodbye’s.
Some of us to travel on home, and for the more fortunate, to continue to enjoy the area and all it has to offer. Hate you guys!
Seriously, it was a great weekend, thanks to Flash and Mrs Crash, Col and Kerry, and all the other people who made it so memorable.
Let’s do it again soon.

Dave