Up and over the Snowy By Tina Gale

Two weeks at Wallaga Lakes, south NSW coast at a lakeside site was glorious. We caught plenty of flathead over the 35cm limit, a few eels and a crab. To return home we chose to head west from Bega, cross the Snowy Mountains to Albury and south along the Hume highway back home to the Mornington Peninsula.

We checked at Cooma TIB for a better route as via Jindabyne, Thredbo and Khancoban is not suitable for caravans over 19' and ours is 23'. We took the high road which is Adaminaby, Kiandra to Turramurra. The climb was steep so we pulled the 3 tonne caravan in low gears, using all the diesel fired power Colorado could give. 1500m was our highest peak. We needed the brakes on most of the descent, then commented, what's the smell? The brakes ineffective to the point of giving us little stopping power! We pulled over at 8 Mile power station - holy smoking wheels! Hot as coals! We relaxed (?), read for an hour or so as the brakes cooled, then found heaven in earth free camp at Paddys river flats about 20km further on and de-stressed for 2 nights!

Won't take that route again over the Snowy towing the caravan! Heading south on the Hume, we were waved down by a passing motorist. We had one shredded rear twin tyre in caravan which looked like black rubber dreadlocks. Fortunately the rim wasn’t damaged. We stayed in Benalla caravan park overnight with free (delicious) pancakes for breakfast, then noticed the front tyre flat on the Colorado! Quick trip to the local tyre service for one replacement and one repair. All's well that ends well!


in NSW, Australia

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