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Yarrangobilly area

Kosciuszko National Park

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Visitor info

All the practical information you need to know about the Yarrangobilly area.

Getting there and parking

To get to Yarrangobilly Caves in Kosciuszko National Park:

From Cooma:

  • Travel south through Cooma for around 7km
  • Turn right onto Snowy Mountains Highway and continue for approximately 110km
  • Turn left into Yarrangobilly Caves Entrance Road
  • Follow the one-way unsealed road for approximately 6km to Yarrangobilly Caves.

From the Hume Highway:

  • At Gundagai, take the Tumut exit and follow Gocup Road to Tumut
  • Turn left onto Snowy Mountains Highway and head south for approximately 75km
  • Turn right into Yarrangobilly Caves Entrance Road
  • Follow the one-way unsealed road for approximately 6km to Yarrangobilly Caves.

Yarrangobilly Village is 7.5km north of the Yarrangobilly Caves Entrance Road.

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Road quality

  • Yarrangobilly Caves entrance and exit roads are graded gravel. They're suitable for 2WD and 4WD vehicles up to 12.5m in length, however the Roads and Maritime Service (RMS) advise that the roads are unsuitable for caravans.
  • RMS recommends snow chains are carried by all vehicles driving in the park in winter, including 4WD and AWD, in case of extreme weather. Visit the Life Traffic website for road conditions.

Parking

Parking is available at Yarrangobilly Caves. Park entry fees apply for vehicles without a Kosciuszko National Park day pass or NSW National Parks All Parks annual pass.

Bus parking is available - contact the Yarrangobilly Caves Visitor Centre on (02) 6454 9597 for access.

Best times to visit

The Yarrangobilly area is packed with activities and sights whatever time of year you visit. Here are some of the highlights.

Autumn

Enjoy the beautiful autumn colours of European trees planted here in the early 1900s. Head through the historic line of elm trees on your way to Glory Arch and onto Castle walk.  Work up an appetite with a swim in the popular thermal pool. Take in the mountain air on a walk to Glory Farm before looping back via River walk and South Glory Cave (ticket required). Then cook up a hearty meal in the self-catering kitchen at Caves House and relax by the fire.

Spring

From September through to December, a burst of growth sees golden wattle, purple hovea, red pea bushes and white native daisies bloom amongst the mountain ash and gums. The path to Jersey Cave is lined with red grevillea, pink fringe-lillies and yellow billy buttons. The cool, clear waters of the Yarrangobilly tempt you to throw a line in, as rivers reopen for fishing season. This is also a great time to explore the mountain bike and horse riding trails of the nearby High Plains.

Summer

Escape the heat underground on a cave tour, including exclusive school holiday-only tours to explore caves not usually open to visitors. Make the most of the sunshine with a lazy day picnicking and swimming at the thermal pool. Keen bushwalkers will appreciate the shady trails and summer wildflowers, while birdwatchers will be busy spotting fairy wrens, flame robins, king parrots and maybe a lyrebird. Why not camp up the road at Yarrangobilly Village campground, or book a room or wing of Caves House. As the sun sets the area comes to life with kangaroos, possums, bats, red-necked and swamp wallabies. You might even meet the resident wombat, Harley, who lives under Caves House.

Winter

Imagine swimming in a 27oC thermal pool surrounded by a blanket of snow, with no one but the birds to keep you company. If you’re lucky, you’ll see icicle stalactites hanging from Glory Arch, or reflections and ripples in the seasonal pool of water at South Glory Cave’s entrance. Located only 22km north of Selwyn Snow Resort, Yarrangobilly is a handy accommodation base for the ski fields, and a great all-weather alternative if it’s raining.

Facilities

Toilets

Picnic tables

Barbecue facilities

Cafe/kiosk

Drinking water

Public phone

Showers

Electric power

Fees and passes

Park entry fees apply in the Yarrangobilly area

$4 per vehicle per day applies at Yarrangobilly Caves for motor vehicles without a Kosciuszko National Park day pass or NPWS All Parks annual pass.

See vehicle entry fees for other areas in Kosciuszko National Park.

You’ll need to buy a ticket or cave pass from the Yarrangobilly Caves Visitor Centre to visit all Yarrangobilly’s caves.

  • All Parks Pass - For all parks in NSW (including Kosciuszko NP) $190 (1 year) / $335 (2 years)
    Buy now | More info

Maps and downloads

Safety messages

All Kosciuszko National Park visitors planning a long hike, off-track or overnight adventure, or visiting a remote part of the park, are recommended to fill in the trip intention form and carry a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB). Find out more about hiring a PLB and completing a trip intention form on the dedicated iPads available at Snowy Region Visitor Centre, Tumut Visitor Centre and the Perisher NSW National Parks office.

Adventure sports

Come properly prepared for your cave adventure: sturdy, enclosed shoes are a must. The caves are very cool, so remember to bring a jacket even in summer.

Alpine safety

Alpine areas present special safety issues. Conditions can be extreme and may change rapidly, particularly in winter. It’s important to be prepared and find out how to stay safe in alpine areas.

Mobile safety

Dial Triple Zero (000) in an emergency. Download the Emergency Plus app before you visit, it helps emergency services locate you using your smartphone's GPS. Please note there is limited mobile phone reception in this park and you’ll need mobile reception to call Triple Zero (000).

Permitted

Fishing

You can fish in rivers and streams between the October and June long weekends. A current NSW recreational fishing licence is required to fish in all waters. Fishing in dams and lakes is permitted year-round, but some waterways may close temporarily or have restrictions. Refer to the NSW Recreational Freshwater Fishing Guide for information.

Prohibited

Drones

Flying a drone for recreational purposes is prohibited in this area. Drones may affect public enjoyment, safety and privacy, interfere with park operations, or pose a threat to wildlife. See the Drones in Parks policy.

This area may be a declared Drone Exclusion Zone, or may be subject to Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) rules for flying near airports, aerodromes and helicopter landing sites. See CASA's Drone Flyer Rules.

Commercial filming and photography

Commercial filming or photography is prohibited without prior consent. You must apply for permission and contact the local office.

Pets

Pets and domestic animals (other than certified assistance animals) are not permitted. Find out which regional parks allow dog walking and see the pets in parks policy for more information.

Smoking

NSW national parks are no smoking areas. The alpine resorts of Selwyn, Thredbo, Perisher, Charlotte Pass, Ski Rider and Kosciuszko Tourist Park are exempt, though some commercial and outdoor places within these resorts may have no smoking areas.

Map of Yarrangobilly area in Kosciuszko National Park. Image: OEH

Contact

Visitor centre

Links

Nearby towns

Talbingo (34 km)

Talbingo is surrounded by some of the most inspiring scenery in the Snowy Mountains. At Talbingo Dam you'll enjoy panoramic views of the region as well as superb fishing for brown and rainbow trout. You can even go water-skiing on the dam.

www.visitnsw.com

Tumut (75 km)

Tumut is a country town on the northern foothills of the Snowy Mountains. The Rolling valleys, mountain streams and alpine mountain ranges make it popular for nature lovers and adventure enthusiasts.

www.visitnsw.com

Cooma (117 km)

The Snowy Hydro Discovery Centre is a state-of-the-art visitor facility showcasing the story of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme from the early construction days to the role the scheme plays today in the development of Australia.

www.visitnsw.com