Page 167 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

INTRODUCING NE W SOUTH W ALES AND A C T  165

Downhill and ViSiToRS’ CheCkliST
cross-country
skiing and snow­ Practical Information
boarding are n Snowy Region Visitors
popular in the Centre, Kosciuszko Road,
Snowy Mountains Jindabyne (02) 6450 5600.
between June ∑ snowymountains.com.au
and September.
Perisher Valley: ∑ perisher.
com.au Charlotte Pass:
∑ charlottepass.com.au
Yarrangobilly: open 9am–5pm
daily. 7 8 &

Flora and Fauna
The Snowy Mountains are often harsh,
windswept and barren, yet myriad flowers,
trees and wildlife have evolved to survive all
seasons. Almost all species here are unique
to the alpine regions of Australia.
Wilsons
Valley Lake
Jindabyne
Silver snow daisies, with
their white petals and
yellow centres, are the
Thredbo River Jindabyne most spectacular of all the
alpine flowers en masse.
Th
T
Mountain plum pine is a
natural bonsai tree, which
grows slowly and at an
angle. The pygmy possum
feeds on its berries.
Mowamba River Sphagnum moss
surrounds the
springs, bogs and
creeks in the highest
regions, and helps to
Thredbo River was protect primitive
once known as the alpine plants.
Crackenback River by
stockmen who thought the ranges
rising on either side of the valley Corroboree frogs live
were steep enough to break a only in the fragile
man’s back. sphagnum moss bogs
of the region.
Mountain pygmy
possums live under
the snow, high up in
The Yarrangobilly the mountains.
Caves, about 130 km
(80 miles) north of
Thredbo, are a system
of 70 limestone
caves formed 750,000
years ago. They
contain magnificent Brown and
white columns, rainbow trout,
cascading frozen both introduced species, thrive in the
waterfalls and delicate cool mountain streams.
underground pools.