One of Australia's highest towns is often an overlooked one. Perched at 1,017 metres, Adaminaby in the lower Snowy Mountains of New South Wales is both a town of success and failure. It used to be one of the most successful towns created as part of the Snowy Hydro Scheme, but was entirely submerged and had to be relocated due to the creation of Lake Eucumbene.
Understand
The town is too small to have a visitor centre, but there are several websites that you can check for up-to-date information.
Get in
Adaminaby is 52 km northwest of Cooma, which also has the closest airport to Adaminaby. Adaminaby can only be accessed via car, and only via the very windy B72 Snowy Mountains Highway.
Get around
See
- Big Trout, Baker St, -35.997294°, 148.774543°. During the times when Adaminaby used to be by Lake Eucumbene, Adaminaby used to be a popular place for trout-fishing. Today, the 10-metre sculpture that is one of Australia's many big things has become the town's icon. 2022-06-29
- Snowy Scheme Museum, 5199 Snowy Mountains Hwy, -35.998348°, 148.775079°, +61 2 6454 1643, info@snowyschememuseum.com.au. Sa Su 10AM–2PM. Get an insight of the hydroelectric project that changed how New South Wales and southeastern Australia looked at energy. The museum was opened in 2011, and now has several exhibits of equipment and machinery used during the project, but the museum also tells the stories of migrants and how it completely reformed Australia's migration program and policies, kickstarting multiculturalism in Australia. 2022-06-29
Do
Buy
Eat
- Adaminaby Bank Cafe, 18 Denison St, -35.9958°, 148.7737°, +61 2 6454 1116. A small cafe in the CBC Bank building that has a High Tea once every so often (usually once every three months, but this can vary). You'll find lots of classics in this cafe, and some traditional tea and coffee. 2022-06-30
Drink
Sleep
Connect
Go next