Sydney to Perisher road trip: Best stops, distance & drive time

Sydney to Perisher 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 Sydney to Perisher 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 Perisher takes about half an hour.

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

Sydney to Perisher road trip: Jindabyne to Perisher

The Jindabyne to Perisher drive is 34km long, with a driving time of around 29 minutes. It’s all along Kosciuszko Road, which comes to a dead end shortly after passing the Perisher ski resort.

You can, however, make a thoroughly enjoyable day of this short drive. There are several road trip attractions on the way from Jindabyne to Perisher that make it enjoyable even if you’ve no intention of going skiing.

The first section of the journey skirts the south-eastern edge of Lake Jindabyne. The Gaden Trout Hatchery, where you can learn about the trout breeding and fishing industry, is a short diversion away.

The Jindabyne to Perisher drive then reaches the Thredbo River Picnic Area, a delightful spot on the edge of the Kosciuszko National Park.

You’re soon inside the national park, and there are a couple of good walking tracks near the entry station. The Waterfall walking track is an enjoyable 6km loop and takes in the Sawpit Creek waterfall. Meanwhile, the shorter Sawpit walking track is a 2km circuit and acts as more of an Alpine scenery taster.

Later on, the Rennix walking track and Rainbow Lake walking track are also worth considering. Just before reaching Perisher, you’ll pass the Smiggin Holes Ski Resort, Perisher’s smaller cousin.

There are several accommodation options in Perisher, should you prefer to avoid the drive from Jindabyne. But there are more eating and drinking options in Jindabyne.