Events - Things to do in Jindabyne
Welcome to Jindabyne...
Modern Jindabyne is a year round holiday resort and is a very cosmopolitan place with its mix of new residents and pioneering families.
In winter Jindabyne is a base for skiers and snowboarders bound for the major resorts in Kosciuszko National Park and for the rest of the year it's a great place from which to go bush walking, mountain biking, whitewater rafting, canoeing, horse riding & kayaking. The lake provides superb opportunities for trout fishing, wake boarding and waterskiing, and all types of water sports.Walk to the top of Australia, Mt Kosciuszko, and take in the spectacular scenery and wildflowers during the summer months.
WINTER ACTIVITIES in the Snowies....
- Snowboarding
- Skiing
- Cross- country skiing
- Tobogganing
- Sight seeing
- Horseriding
SUMMER ACTIVITIES in the Snowies....
- Trout Fishing
- Wakeboarding
- Waterskiing
- Boating
- Hiking
- Mountain Biking
- Bush Walking
- Horseriding
- White Water Rafting
- Kayaking/Canoeing
- Caving
- Quad Biking
A little bit of History...
Jindabyne is a new town created after the original settlement was drowned by the Snowy Mountains Hydro-electricity Authority in the late 1960s.
Nestled at the end of Lake Jindabyne (which was completed in 1967 and has a capacity of 689 790 ML) modern day Jindabyne owes its continuing existence to its proximity to the major ski resorts Thredbo and Perisher in the Snowy Mountains and the superb facilities it offers to watersport enthusiasts and trout fishermen. Located 61 km from Cooma and 462 km from Sydney it is 991 metres above sea level. It lies below the snowline but is close enough to the Perisher - Blue Cow ski runs to be an ideal accommodation spot for people not wanting to stay in the chalets on the snowfields.
Beside Lake Jindabyne (and easily seen from the road) the Australian Polish community have built a huge statue of Count Paul Strzelecki who explored the wilderness of the Snowy Mountains and named Australia's highest mountain. The plaque on the statue reads:
'Sir Paul Edmund Strzelecki. Born in Poland on 20 July 1797. Arrived in Australia on 25 April 1839. From 1839 to 1843 he explored and surveyed vast areas of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. While exploring in the Snowy Mountains region he discovered and climbed Mt Kosciuszko which he named in honour of the Polish leader and patriot Tadeusz Kosciuszko. He discovered gold and silver in New South Wales, coal deposits in Tasmania, investigated the possibilities of irrigation, measured the heights of mountains, carried out soil analysis and collected and identified many fossils and minerals. Geology, meteorology, zoology and mineralogy.'
The goldrush in 1859-60 gave the area a brief boost which resulted in the establishment of a general store and a post office (1862) and in 1882 a school was opened at Jindabyne with a Police Station being constructed the following year. The decision to release Rainbow trout into the Snowy River in 1894 was the beginning of a fishing tradition which continues today.
The tiny settlement of East Jindabyne has grown up on the far side of the dam and is located directly above the site of the old township. In fact some of the roads in East Jindabyne still disappear into the lake to continue as underwater roads in Old Jindabyne.
EVENTS in and around Jindabyne...
JINDABYNE BOXING DAY RODEO - 26th December 2011
This annual event has been running since 1943, originally in Old Jindabyne and now at the 'John Connors' Jindabyne Sports Ground. This year’s rodeo will be a 'Bulls 'n' Barrels' event. It will be slightly different format to previous rodeos but will be no less of a spectator sport with a predominately Bull Ride show.
It’s always a great day out with the family with side shows, food stalls and bar facilities available.
Cooma Rodeo - 11th February 2012
Cooma Rural Australiana Championships Rodeo is an ABCRA Affiliated Rodeo. The event takes place in the rodeo arena at the Cooma Showground from 2.00pm and will provide great spectator viewing.
Exciting events will include: Open Bronc Ride, Open Bull Ride, Open Bare Back, Steer Wrestling, Calf Roping and Ladies Barrel Race.
For more information visit www.coomarodeo.org.au
Flowing Festival- and Dragon boat Challenge Saturday 19th - Sunday 20th February 2012
Come and experience this fantastic event set in Banjo Paterson Park on the foreshore of beautiful Lake Jindabyne. Enjoy the fireworks display on Saturday night or be apart of the 6th Lake Jindabyne Dragon Boat Challenge on Sunday. Sunday’s program also features the Renewable Energy and Climate Change Expo and huge Market Day and amusement rides. The entertainment will Flow throughout the weekend.
For more information please visit wwww.flowingfestival.com.au
Mt Kosciuszko Festival
Kozzie Fest - 14th to 15th April 2012
The Sixth Mt Kosciuszko Festival in the Snowies, during school holidays, on the outskirts of Jindabyne. A day of Strzelecki and Kosciuszko songs, celebrating Polish-Irish and Polish-Aboriginal connections, all day picnic at the premises of heritage listed St Thomas church. Sunday: traditional trip to Mt Kosciuszko witnessing Polish Aboriginal joy flights over the summit as part of ongoing dialogue with the Ngarigo people
Lake Light Sculpture - 22nd to 25th April
Lake Light Sculpture, Jindabyne is a free outdoor sculpture exhibition and competition held along the foreshore of Lake Jindabyne in the Snowy Mountains.
The sculptures are displayed along the lake foreshore against the stunning backdrop of the Snowy Mountains and Lake Jindabyne. 'Light' is a distinctive component of the event. The artworks are lit at night, providing a unique element to the exhibition and a contrasting atmosphere for viewers to the day time exhibition.
For more information please visit www.lakelightsculpture.com.au
Snowy Ride - Friday 2nd to Sunday 4th November 2012
The Snowy Ride is a motorcycle event run annually with the aim of involving motorcycle riders from all over Australia to raise money for Childhood Cancer Research. It's an opportunity for riders to enjoy a weekend away with friends and family and to ride some of Australia's best and most picturesque roads.
Snowy Ride checkpoints are located at Adaminaby, Dalgety, Berridale, Jindabyne, Cooma, Bombala, Khancoban, Charlotte Pass and riders are to be at the final checkpoint in Thredbo by 4pm on the Saturday.
The first Snowy Ride was launched in 2001 as a request from Steven Walter, a young man who lost his fight against cancer. Steve loved motorcycle riding and asked that a charity motorcycle ride be organised to raise funds for cancer research and cancer care.
For further information please visit www.snowyride.com.au
