Bombala - town in New South Wales, Australia

Bombala is a pretty and historic town in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales. If planning a trip between Sydney and Melbourne, the route through Bombala gives an interesting mix of coastal and mountain scenery, in addition to allowing for a visit to Australia's capital city. This may be a pleasant touring alternative to the all-freeway Hume Highway, or the coastal Princes Highway.

Get in

The Monaro highway passes straight through Bombala, connecting from Canberra and Cooma in the north, to the Princes Hwy in the south across the Victorian border.

NSW Trainlink has connections to Bombala from Canberra via Cooma three times a week. The V/Line Capital connection, which connects with the train from Melbourne at Bairnsdale and continues to Canberra runs through Bombala three times week.

• Bombala railway station. 2020-11-02

Get around

There is no public transport or taxi service in Bombala. Most people arrive by car, and you'll be quite limited in the area without one.

See

The town of Bombala was settled in the 1840s, and was one of the major towns of the region. It was the terminus for the railway line from Sydney, which has now been progressively closed all the way back to Canberra. You can still see many historic buildings in the town. The railway station and lines are still there, and you can walk on the platform.

• Bombala Platypus Reserve, Delegate Road, -36.91095°, 149.2037°, +61 2 6458 4622. The town calls itself Platypus country and has a platypus reserve around 3 km south of the township on Delegate Road. You will need to be there around dawn or dusk in order to see the platypus.
• Coolangubra State Forest.

Do

Buy

Eat

• Rush Hour Restaurant, 125 Maybe St, -36.9114°, 149.2392°, +61 2 6458 4610. 2021-07-02

Drink

Sleep

• Heritage Guest House Bombala, 121 Maybe Street, -36.9122°, 149.2379°, +61 2-64584464. Check-in: Late, check-out: 10AM. The old bank building has been turned in to a hotel/b&b with five cosy rooms. $95-120
• Imperial Hotel, 99 Maybe St, -36.910649°, 149.240202°, +61 2 6458 3211. Cheap old-style pub accommodation with shared bathrooms. Pub serves ludicrously large meals. $45s/$80d 2018-04-04

Connect

Go next

The small down of Delegate is 30 minutes drive away. You can continue on the road south from there, for a 100km winding and scenic trip to join the Princes Highway. Great trip for those who love driving corners. Not so great for travelling with those with a propensity for car sickness.