Bombala

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.

Bombala

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 coach connections to Bombala from Canberra (from Kingston) via Cooma three times a week, which costs roughly $26 per adult. The V/Line Capital connection, which connects with the train from Melbourne at Bairnsdale and continues to Canberra runs through Bombala three times week.

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. The town centre is walkable, but that's about as far as it goes.

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, ☏ +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. 
• 🌍 Historic Bombala Railway Station, cnr High & Dickinson St. 24/7. Bombala's old railway station before it closed in the late 20th century. Most of the old station buildings and rail infrastructure is still there, though somewhat overgrown. (updated Jul 2024)

• 🌍 Rush Hour Restaurant, 125 Maybe St, ☏ +61 2 6458 4610. (updated Jul 2021)

• 🌍 Heritage Guest House Bombala, 121 Maybe Street, ☏ +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, ☏ +61 2 6458 3211. Cheap old-style pub accommodation with shared bathrooms. Pub serves ludicrously large meals. $45s/$80d. (updated Apr 2018)

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.

SE Forest National Park holds one of the area's last patches of pristine wet fern rainforests – it does require some travel on gravel roads, though.