Autumn poplars line the main street

Berridale
Small town between Cooma and the New South Wales snowfields
The tiny settlement of Berridale calls itself 'Crossroads of the Snowy' because, when miners were making their way to the goldfields at Adaminaby and Kiandra from the port at Twofold Bay, they passed through Berridale.

Today it is a small service town which, by an accident of history, lies conveniently between Cooma and the snowfields of Thredbo and Perisher Valley. Consequently each winter it becomes a popular stopover point for thousands of people who are heading to the snowfields.

Located 436 km southwest of Sydney and 35 km from Cooma it has a population of 800 and is 860 metres above sea level (ie. below the snow line). It is a small township with a winery, a small shopping centre and the Snowy River Shire Council Offices.

As a wit in Jindabyne observed: 'Berridale is the sort of town where if you blink you'll miss it but if you roar through you'll remember it forever because you'll probably get booked for exceeding the 60 km speed limit.'

Berridale was first settled in the early 1860s when William Oliver selected land in the area. He built a house in 1863 which subsequently became a wayside inn. The site of the original building is now Berridale Inn on the Jindabyne Road. Oliver named the town after his home in Scotland. The area grew slowly and although the SMA established a work camp in the town there is little evidence of SMA housing.

Things to see:  

The Poplar Drive
The chief attractions of the town are the poplar drive (on the Jindabyne side of town) which, in autumn, boasts one of the finest stands of yellowing poplars anywhere in the Snowy Mountains and the old schoolhouse in Oliver Street which dates from 1883 and is listed by the National Trust. Although the buildings have had extensions they still are a reminder of what a small country school was like at the end of the nineteenth century. Of particular interest is the gabled roof and the unusual curved corrugated iron roof. They are actually two buildings which have been joined by the inevitable pragmatic extension.

The Snowy River from the balcony of the Snowy River Winery

Snowy Vineyard Estate
The town also boasts a winery which is actually located on the Snowy River and must be the highest vineyard in Australia. Open from 10.00 a.m. - 5.00 p.m. daily it sells wines as well as offering teas and lunches. Its setting, amongst the granite rocks on the banks of the upper limits of the Snowy River, make it one of the most attractive destinations in the district. To sit in front of the open fire in winter and enjoy a good meal is a delightful way to spend a few hours.

Eucumbene Trout Farm
The Eucumbene Trout Farm offers trout-fishing opportunities, tours of the facility and horseriding. It is located on Round Plain Rd and is open every day from 10.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. tel: (02) 6456 8866.

	Motels
	Snow Gate Motel Lot 13 Jindabyne Rd Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3111 Facsimile: (02) 6456 3104
	Snowy Mountains Coach & Motor Inn Jindabyne Rd Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3283 Facsimile: (02) 6456 3049 Rating: **1/2
	Southern Cross Motor Inn Middlingbank Rd Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3289 Facsimile: (02) 6456 3437 Rating: ***1/2
	Hotels
	Berridale Inn Hotel Jindabyne Rd Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3209
	Bed & Breakfast/Guesthouses
	Ballantrae House P.O. Box 67 Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3388 Facsimile: (02) 6456 3388 Rating: ***1/2
	Cottonwood Lodge Bed & Breakfast 3 William St Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3374 Facsimile: (02) 6456 3999 Rating: ***1/2
	Holiday Homes & Units
	Coliro Flats 7 Cecil St Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3073 or (02) 4471 3176 Facsimile: (02) 4471 3176 Rating: **1/2
	Merrydale Cottage 44 James St Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 9523 4908 or 0407 77 44 26
	Snowdale Holiday Units 6 Thowra Close Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3073 or (02) 4471 3176 Facsimile: (02) 4471 3176 Email: femsnow@acr.net.au Rating: ***
	Cottages & Cabins
	Glenelm Cottage Dalgety Rd Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3152 or 6456 3177 Facsimile: (02) 6456 3624 Rating: ***1/2
	Merrydale Cottage 44 James St Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 9523 4908 or 0407 77 44 26
	Lodges & Chalets
	Cooba Lodge Cootralantra Rd Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3150 Facsimile: (02) 6456 3691 Rating: ***1/2
	Caravan Parks
	Southern Cross Tourist Park Middlingbank Rd Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3289 Facsimile: (02) 6456 3437 Rating: **
	Restaurants
	Berridale Inn Jindabyne Rd Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3209
	Coolamatong Country Club Jindabyne Rd Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3636
	Snowy River Winery Rockwell Rd Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 5041
	Southern Cross Motor Inn Middlingbank Rd Berridale NSW 2628 Telephone: (02) 6456 3289