The Snowy Monaro region is located in the southern area of NSW between Canberra (or Michelago) and Queanbeyan in the north to the Victoria border in the south, bounded in the east by the Kybean range and escarpment and in the west by the Snowy Mountains (Figure 1). The Monaro region covers 16,000 km², includes the headwaters of the Snowy and Murrumbidgee rivers and covers three local government areas – Bombala, Cooma-Monaro and Snowy River.
The Snowy Monaro has unique geographical features – its elevation of 800-1000 metres above sea level and its location in the lee of the Snowy Mountains. The topography ranges from large river valleys to alpine and sub-alpine regions of the Snowy Mountains. This includes parts of tablelands and upper slopes that run along the spine of the Great Dividing Range. Also part of the area is the Monaro plains, which is an elevated plateau. In the western parts, the landscape consists mostly of flat to undulating terrain often referred to the ‘treeless plain’ (DPI 2004).
The soil types are diverse with the majority being of granite (53%), basalt (22%) and soils of sedimentary origin (for example shale and slate – 25%). Most are naturally acidic and typically deficient in phosphorous. The granite and slate/shale soils are characterised as being generally coarse in texture with low water-holding capacity and low fertility. The basalt soils have a higher water-holding capacity and higher fertility.
On the Monaro, the climate is regarded as sub-alpine. Winters are long and cold, with temperatures regularly falling below freezing and periodic snowfalls occurring throughout the region. Due to the Monaro’s location (lee of the Snowy Mountains) a rain shadow effect is experienced throughout the region, creating low and irregular annual rainfall.
To view events taking place in the Snowy-Monaro sub-region visit the
events page
