March 2024
Kiandra, on the Snowy Mountains Highway between Cooma and Yarrangobilly Caves, was once a functioning town built due to the gold mine rush of the 1830’s and is widely credited as being the birthplace of Australia’s skiing movement.
These days, it’s the Kiandra Heritage Precinct. There’s a courthouse on the side of the highway that you can’t miss. Most of the remaining buildings were destroyed during the horrible 2019-20 bushfires that ravaged lots of the high country.
It’s generally a cold place outside of winter and brutally cold during winter. The town – or what remains of it now – sits in the middle of a long valley, and the wind can really howl.
Save time for the short and interesting loop walk that crosses over the Snowy Mountains Highway at one point – look left and right and left again, people – and includes lots of signage and information boards talking about the town’s history. But not much else. It’s desolate in a beautiful way. Except if you’re there in August, when it’s probably just desolate. Look for the old graveyard, too.
Kiandra is well worth a visit if you’re on that side of the Snowy Mountains, particularly if you are interested in Australia’s history.
kitchtrips 