Secrets of the Snowy
MENTION “THE SNOWY” and most Australians will know you’re talking about one of this country’s mightiest waterways: the Snowy River. Starting high in the alpine country of New South Wales and completing its journey by spilling into Bass Strait at Marlo, near Orbost, in Victoria, the Snowy is linked to many thousands of years of Aboriginal history. It is also an integral part of one of this country’s largest engineering feats – the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electric Scheme – albeit at a cost to the river’s natural flow rate.
Ask any canoeist, kayaker or rafter about this river and their answer will likely be filled with reverence; even at its far lower post-Snowy Hydro water levels the river sits high on Aussie paddlers’ bucket lists. One of the most popular river journeys starts at McKillops Bridge, in the Snowy River National Park, Victoria, and finishes at the Buchan River confluence in East Gippsland. Venture further upriver, however, deep into rugged gorge country and you will discover another, more secret, section of this famous river. Paddled by few, it offers a remote experience rich in wildlife and culture.
The Byadbo secret
Located in Kosciuszko National Park’s
