A former gold mining town that today survives on revenue gained from pine sawn timber grown on the picturesque hillsides of the region.
Where is it?: Southern Agricultural. Tumbarumba is 480 km south west of Sydney; 477 north east of Melbourne; 114 km south east of Wagga Wagga; 65 km south of Tumut
Annual events: Tumbafest is an annual festival featuring country music and local foods and wines. It is held in February.
Things To See and Do
To the south and east, the highest peak of the Snowy Mountains and mainland Australia - Mount Kosciuszko - can be seen.
Glenroy Heritage Reserve with the Pioneer Women's Hut Museum and Cottage Craft Shop, 8 km from Tumbarumba on your way to Rosewood. Maginnity's Gap Monument, 13 km from Tumbarumba on your way to Rosewood, marks the spot where the bushranger Dan Morgan shot the local sergeant David Maginnity.
Surrounding Area
Paddys River Falls (15 km south) is a great spot to stop for a picnic. There is a barbecue and picnic area situated above the falls and a staired track to the base of the waterfall. The falls are 60 metres in height and the water flows over the drop and then continues down Paddys River.
Khancoban (75 km south) lies at the south western edge of the Snowy Mountains, on the Kosciuszko Alpine Way. It is next to the Kosciuszko National Park, and has a reputation as an excellent base from which to explore the Snowy Mountains and the beautiful Upper Murray region. Offering a stunning view of the not too distant snow topped mountains in winter, Khancoban is only 77 km from Thredbo. You can make it your base for winter activities as you can hire or buy snow chains and ski clothing in Khancoban.
Khancoban was originally built to accommodate workers and their families on the Snowy Mountains Scheme. The lovely Lady Hudson rose garden in town is a memorial to these workers. Murray 1 Power Station on the Alpine Way near Khancoban is the second largest station in the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Next to the station is the Murray 1 Visitors Centre, which offers an exciting interactive experience with a wide range of displays, "hands on" models and exhibits.
Kosciuszko National Park is one of the best known and best loved national parks in Australia, attracting around three million visitors each year. The park is named after Mount Kosciuszko, which at 2,228 metres is Australia's highest mountain.
The snowfields of Mount Selwyn and Thredbo can be accessed from Tumbarumba and nearby Khancoban. Snow does fall occasionally in the town of Tumbarumba and surrounds during winter.
Batlow (37 km north) is well known for its apples. About 50 growers in the district supply 1.6 million cases of apples, or 10% of the Australian apple crop, to the Australian market. The district also produces cherries and stone fruit. The town's main landmark, the 'Big Apple', stands testament to the orchards which have been vital to the town's economy for over 120 years. The district supplied troops with dehydrated fruit and vegetables during World War II.
About Tumbarumba
The town of Tumbarumba was established in the 1850's and gold discoveries here and at Kiandra led to an influx of population which in the mid 1860's made Tumbarumba a town of considerable importance. Many people stayed to select land which was available and suitable for agriculture. Gold mining assisted the beginning of the timber industry. As the gold became more difficult to obtain it was necessary to use fluming to bring water for sluicing. Timber was also used for pit props in the deep-lead tunnels that developed around the turn of the century.
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