My Brilliant Road Trip

Like most children growing up in Australia in the 1990’s I was introduced to a book called My Brilliant Career in school.
This was a book by a young Australian lady, Stella Franklin who penned the book under the name of Miles Franklin. The story is of a young girl fighting tradition back in the early 1900 and her struggle with choice between love and her brilliant career.
In this book she spoke of the beautiful landscape of the Talbingo Brindabella and Monaro region of New South Wales. I was taken by the way the writing moved me vowing (Sybylla style) that I will visit this land that inspired the book.

It was nearly 10years after I read the book that I took a trip. After flying into Canberra Airport I collected my hire car and head out to discover Sybylla’s world.
I took my little hire car to Tumut to begin with and this was a nice 2 hour trip with a stop at Gundagai to see the Dog on the Tucker Box at Snake Gully. Tumut lies on the Tumut River which is feed from the Snowy Mountains. The Valleys were stunning with the river lined with Weeping Willows and the road’s lined with poplars. I decided from Tumut I would make my way to Blowering Dam which is part of the Snowy Mountain Scheme. The Dam wasn’t in place during the time My Brilliant Career was written but it is a great place to go hiking. The drive to the dam wall was along a paved road that took in some beautiful bushland. Parking close to the dam wall I ventured out for a hike down to the water. The path took me past wombat burrows and I even crossed paths with a beautiful Lyre bird. The lyre bird is native to the region and is very deceptive as it’s an imitator and its calls are a mixture of noises from its environment. This was a nice easy hike with some beautiful views and some encounters with the native fauna made it more special.

From Tumut the trek up to Talbingo is only short. Talbingo Station was the birthplace of Miles Franklin so I was now firmly in Sybylla’s country. Talbingo is on Jounama Lake and has always been popular for water sports like fishing. I said good bye to Talbingo and headed up to Yarrangobilly Caves for a spot of caving.
The caves offer guided tours most days and are a great side trip when in the area.
I know headed of to Cooma via Kiandra. Kiandra was home of a 9kg gold nugget and was home to hundred of settlers who wished to join the Snowy Mountain gold rush. The gold rush was in full swing during Miles Franklin’s times but Kiandra’s last occupant left the area in 1974.
Cooma welcomed me as the sun went down and I found my accommodation. That was the end of “My Brilliant Road Trip” but the memory has stayed with me.

Tips for Driving in the Snowy Mountains

Most of the driving done between Talbingo and Cooma is through National park and above the snow line. If travelling during the snow season in this region you will need to purchase Snow Cover from the car hire suppliers. You may also require snow chains.