Canberra to Thredbo road trip: Distance, drive time & stops

Canberra to Thredbo drive: Cooma to Jindabyne

From Cooma to Jindabyne, it’s another 63km, starting out on the Snowy Mountains Highway. The Nanny Goat Hill Lookout and Mount Gladstone Lookout make for good views in the early part of the journey.

The Canberra to Thredbo route then turns down the Kosciuszko Road just after the Metro Roadhouse. It’s mainly uphill into the Australian Alps from here, and Berridale is the only settlement of any note. There are a few accommodation options and skiwear shops in Berridale, before skirting the eastern shore of Lake Jindabyne.

Things to do in Jindabyne include Harley Davidson tours, helicopter rides and trout fishing. The drive from Jindabyne to Thredbo takes about half an hour.

Top Jindabyne accommodation picks include the NRMA Jindabyne holiday park, the three star Lake Thredbo Hotel and the Jindy Inn.

Canberra to Thredbo road trip: Jindabyne to Thredbo

The distance from Jindabyne to Thredbo by car is about 36km. The truly windy part of the Alpine Way comes later, so this doesn’t take an enormously long time. You’re looking at a Jindabyne to Thredbo journey time of about 31 minutes.

The largely route follows Wollondibby Creek until Crackenback. Here you can visit Crackenback Farm or enjoy a tasting session at the Wild Brumby Schnapps Distillery.

Just outside Crackenback, you can go on a trail ride with Thredbo Valley Horse Riding.

From here the Alpine Way continues past the Lake Crackenback Resort and enters the Kosciuszko National Park. The Thredbo Diggings Campground is just off the route by the Thredbo River, and there are several excellent walking trails in the Thredbo Valley.

Once in Thredbo itself, the ski lifts head up the slopes from the town centre. Come outside of the winter months, and you can use the Kosciuszko Express Chairlift to get to the starting point of the Mt Kosciuszko hike. This trail takes you to the top of Australia’s highest mountain.