Snowy Mountains - Blown Away (2010)

Text and images by Ian Smith

The ever-present wind got slowly worse. We’d left the storm clouds behind when we headed south from Jindabyne and climbed once again into the mountains. However, here at Charlotte Pass we could see fresh threatening masses moving in as the trees were buffeted and the last of the day walkers returned.

During the night the rain, in the form of sharp showers, came in bursts and the motorhome rocked and shuddered as the tempest rolled by. It was not a good night for sleep and in the morning an executive decision was made not to do the Blue Lake Walk, much to one of the party’s disappointment.

Parking bay for the Rainbow Lake Walk	Waterfall	Lower part of the waterfall	Small stream from the lake

Before we left, we met some ebullient Japanese who couldn’t stop being happy and we eventually gave them a tour of the motorhome which left them bug-eyed and chattering.

In lieu of the Blue Lake Walk, we headed down the road and aimed for Rainbow Lake, an easier and more sheltered stroll. It turned out to be a lovely walk with the meadows laden with summer wildflowers. Purples, yellows, reds and whites were scattered in abundance wherever one looked, though at times, because they were so delicate, you had to strain to notice them in the tufted heath.

The lake isn’t visible until the final 100 metres and it was a surprise to see a wharf in sorry state of disrepair jutting into the western side though the lake was is man-made, having been utilized in the days when the Hotel Kosciusko used it for water. This splendid establishment was the architectural feature of the mountains until it was destroyed by fire in 1951. Today, all you can see is Sponars Chalet which was where the workers were housed during its construction.

You could tell this was an easy walk because only old farts were using it and we were far and away the speediest group on the track. That didn’t detract from the pleasure of viewing this little almost forgotten jewel in the highlands though.

After lunch I was let off the leash to do the Waterfall Walk. It was getting a trifle warmer because we had descended a few hundred metres and much of this walk was protected from the wind so there was no respite there. Still, it was a whole lot cooler than on the coast.

I finally got up close and personal to some of the local cicadas, one of 237 Australian types of the species. They’re only small here and the noise of the males is mercifully somewhat less than the 120 decibels some can put out.

Then there was a dragonfly I’d never seen before, the Mountain Tigertail (Eusynthemis tillyardi). Dragonflies are one of the oldest insects on the planet, going back 280 million years and, amazingly for such a small creature, they can lay 400–2,000 eggs, depending on the species.

The walk was pleasant until just before the waterfall when it got warmer as the vegetation thinned out. The fall itself was higher than I expected and was the only time in 6 kms you actually could see water except from where the trail commenced.

I started making up time on the way back but that got thwarted when I left my Christmas sunnies behind while changing lens on the camera. I managed to retrieve them but was sweating when I did so, perhaps more at the thought that I may have lost them than pure physical exertion.

After the walk we headed to Cooma and spent time with a friend called Pam who fed us and spoilt us (anyone who gives me chocolate qualifies there) until the next day when we headed home, only taking time out to see the stunning woodworking gallery and Bungendore. Per square metre, this could possibly be Australia’s finest artistic venue.

	Charlotte Pass, and our new Asian friends
	Patterns in the sky
	Rainbow Lake
	Rainbow Lake
	Small stream running from the lake
	Walk to the lookout at Charlotte Pass
	It's not that windy, I can still stand upright
	Charlotte Pass
	Snowy Mountains, Jindabyne - storm
	Snowy Mountains, Rainbow Lake - Ranunculus (buttercup)
	Snowy Mountains, Waterfall Walk - Cicada
	Snowy Mountains, Waterfall Walk - Mountain Tigertail - Eusynthemis tillyardi
Lake Jindabyne, circa 2004. It's now full.
See also: Getting High on New Year's Eve

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