Bradley's Hut, between Cabramurra and Khancoban

Khancoban
Delightful town on the edge of the Snowy Mountains
Khancoban is one of those well kept secrets which only people who have actually visited or holidayed in this charming, small township know about. The secret to its unassuming success is its isolation. If you want to drive the 567 km from Sydney via Cooma (166 km from Cooma) you have to drive past Thredbo Village (and all the delights of the Kosciusko region) and wind through the mountains before reaching this town which is located only 13 km from the Victorian border. The road, known as the Alpine Way from Jindabyne to Khancoban, was constructed in 1956 as a direct result of the needs of the Snowy Mountain Authority. Prior to that there had been a track which had been built in the early 1930s and supposedly followed the route the Aborigines took when making their annual pilgrimage to the bogong moth country. Unfortunately the track was so steep (it rose 1800 metres in every 10 kilometres) that even cattle had difficulty using it.

The area had been first settled in the 1830s when it was known as Swampy Plains. From that time until the arrival of the road it was a lonely and isolated settlement which virtually unknown.

Poplars near the Khancoban Pondage

Located 300 m above sea level on the edge of the Snowy Mountains (it is a southerly equivalent of Talbingo) it is a true gem. By any conventional measure the autumn colours in Khancoban are equal to those in Tumut, Canberra or Bright. The valley turns a myriad of dramatic colours in the autumn as willows, poplars, and other deciduous trees change their colours.

While it is not as totally an SMA town as Cabramurra (there are a number of private businesses in the town and it does have accommodation for outsiders), Khancoban is very much a Snowy Mountains Authority town serving and maintaining the nearby Murray 1 and 2 power stations and Khancoban Dam. It has a population of 500 of whom the vast majority are connected with the SMA.

Things to see:  

View over Khancoban from the lookout above the town

Visiting the Power Stations
The various lodges in the area, the beauties of the Khancoban pondage, the tours available for the nearby Murray 1 Power Station (it has an Information Centre and snack shop), and the variety of water sports (fishing, boating etc) all make this much more than just another holiday spot.

The Murray 1 Power Station which has a capacity of 950 000 kW (second largest in the Snowy Mountains) came into operation in 1966. It was followed by Murray 2, with a capacity of 550 000 kW it is the third largest station, which began operation in 1969.

Rafting on the Murray
Peregrine offer rafting expeditions along the Murray River which depart from Khancoban, tel: (03) 9662 2800 or the Peregrine Travel office in your state capital.

	Hotels
	Khancoban Alpine Inn Alpine Way Khancoban NSW 2642 Telephone: (02) 6076 9471 Rating: **
	Apartments
	Khancoban Rose Holiday Apts Lot Two Mitchell Ave Khancoban NSW 2642 Telephone: (02) 6076 9530 Rating: ***
	Cottages & Cabins
	Queens Cottage Khancoban NSW 2642 Telephone: (02) 6076 9033
	Lodges & Chalets
	Alpine Hideaway Village Spillway Rd Khancoban NSW 2642 Telephone: (02) 6076 9498 Facsimile: (02) 6076 9425
	Caravan Parks
	Murray Gates Caravan Park Alpine Way Khancoban NSW 2642 Telephone: (02) 6076 9488
	Restaurants
	Khancoban Alpine Inn Restaurant Alpine Way Khancoban NSW 2642 Telephone: (02) 6076 9471
	The Dargals - Khancoban Country Club Mitchell Ave Khancoban NSW 2642 Telephone: (02) 6076 9096