Bombala: Why Live in Bombala?
Bombala Real Estate and Design
Bombala Real Estate is traditional and many homes are settler cottages. Most have been tastefully renovated but retain their old charm. Features in houses include timber floors, Blackwood bench tops historic attics, high ornate ceilings, and cottage kitchens. The homes are on flat blocks, and are steel cladding, brick veneer, double brick or wooden in construction. There are open fire places and slow combustion heating and cooking, to ensure the homes are warm and cosy in the cooler months.
Shopping
Bombala has all the essential services, like a post office, banks and grocery shops. The main street is home to gift shops, clothing shops, accessory shops and shoe shops. There are farms that are open to the public, growing potatoes, herbs, lavender and eucalyptus. They distil their own oils, producing herbal teas, packaging dried herbs for cooking and by selling the floral waters produced as part of the distillation process. For the more adventurous, visits to Alkoomi Berries and Bungarby Berries are a must. Both of these farms grow a variety of berries, and visitors are invited to pick their own fruit in season. Also for sale are homemade jams, berry wine, and frozen fruits. Devonshire teas are available at Bungarby Berries, which also offers BBQ and picnic facilities.
Schools, Education and Institutions
Primary aged children can attend either the Bombala Public School or the St. Josephs School. Bombala also has a public high school, Bombala High School, for high school students.
Distance from Cities and Transportation
Bombala is 2.5 hours from Canberra, 5-6 hours from Sydney and 6-7 hours from Melbourne. There are local bus services and the area is serviced by CountryLink, with trips to Canberra and the Bega Valley.
Sports and Fitness
Bombala has a basketball club, a jockey club, a rugby league club, a soccer club, a swimming club and a netball club. There are an abundance of reserves, parks and forests in the Bombala area. These include the Coolangubra State Forest, Endeavour Reserve (with the Bombala Lookout and walking trails), Errinundra National Park, Result Creek Falls, Nalbaugh Falls, and Waratah Creek Flora Reserve. Mount Delegate – or Delegate Hill as it is known by the locals – is the highest mountain in the Great Dividing Range, and offers 360 degree views. There are great opportunities for hiking and bushwalking. The area is also a fisherman’s paradise. The Monaro district is famous for providing the best fishing in Australia. Black Lake is full of both rainbow and brown trout; and a camping ground is available for those seeking long term recreation. The area also offers an abundance of wildflowers for nature lovers. Adjacent to Black Lake is Green Lake, also offers wonderful fishing, as well as Sautelle Lodge, a private fly fishing paradise.
Restaurants and Cafes
The Mail Coach Guesthouse & Restaurant was built in 1887. The bricks were locally made with the mantlepieces imported from Wales. It was originally built as the Post Office and has gone through a metamorphosis over the years only to be returned to its former glory when restored and turned into the guesthouse and restaurant. There is a fine dining room in the cosy front section of the building. The kitchen has been centrally located with the Stable Cafe at the rear of the building which is capable of catering for a party of up to 60 guests and conferences up to 30. There are many cafes in Bombala, all offering coffee and snacks, and other restaurants including the Heritage Guesthouse and the local R.S.L club.
Famous Landmarks
The Bicentennial Gardens, on the banks of the Bombala River, were officially opened in 1988. The gardens offer a range of facilities for the whole family, including picnic and BBQ areas. McKillops Bridge, 100 kilometres south of Bombala on the Bonang Highway, was named after early explorer and grazier George McKillop. This 256 metre long suspension bridge crosses the Snowy River where the original cattle trail passed from the Tablelands to Gippsland in Victoria. The bridge was officially opened in 1935, and the area also provides excellent camping and BBQ facilities. Also of interest is the Delegate River Tunnel, a tunnel hand cut through solid rock, which was used to divert the river away from rich farming land. Monaro Country Lavender Co-op Ltd is Australia’s oldest lavender association representing around 30 growers from South East New South Wales. The farmers are scattered around the picturesque Snowy Mountains Region and the headquarters are in Bombala. The farms produce high quality lavender based products and regularly win awards for their lavender and lavendin essential oils. The oils will soothe your soul and relax your body. Naturally they are 100% pure and are grown and produced by Australian farmers with a passion for all things lavender. The Monaro region is ideally suited to the growing of high quality lavender- the soil, altitude, cold winters, warm summer temperatures, clean water and crisp mountain air.
History
The rich history of the area is on display in all the villages and towns. The Bundian Way is an ancient Aboriginal walking track that links the coast to the mountains and passes right through the area. The traditional owners of the country, the Ngarigo tribe, advised the early pioneers on the best routes through the area. Early pioneers like Ben Boyd , Robert Campbell, William Bradley and the Imlay brothers all played their part in opening up the area to European settlement . Settlements quickly sprung up around the farming enterprises at Delegate, Bibbenluke, Cathcart and Bombala.
So if you are looking for Bombala Real Estate, why not talk to one of our sales team at Fisk and Nagle.