Cooleman Mountain campground is in the northern precinct of Kosciuszko National Park. To get there:

• From either Tumut Visitor Centre or Adaminaby, drive along Snowy Mountains Highway.
• Turn onto Long Plain Road
• Drive north along Long Plain Road for about 17km, then turn right onto Blue Waterholes trail.
• After 2.5km, you’ll arrive at the campground.

Road quality

• There’s no vehicle access to this campground between the June to October long weekends and roads may close in extreme weather.
• Check the weather before you set out as Long Plain Road can become boggy when it rains.

• Unsealed roads

Vehicle access

• 2WD vehicles

Weather restrictions

• 4WD required in wet weather

Parking

Parking is available at Cooleman Mountain campground.

• Tank water is available at this campground – you'll need to treat or boil it before drinking.
• Rubbish bins are not available – please take rubbish with you when leaving.

Toilets

There's an accessible non-flush toilet at the campground.

• Non-flush toilets

Picnic tables

There are 4 picnic tables at the campground, including 1 accessible picnic table.

All tables are set on concrete slabs and surrounded by grass. You'll need to cross over uneven, grassy ground and navigate over the lip of the concrete slab to reach the table.

Barbecue facilities

• Wood barbecues (bring your own firewood)
• Fire rings (bring your own firewood)

Step-free access

Cooleman Mountain campground is step-free, but there are no pathways. You'll need to cross over grass and hard-packed ground to reach the campground's facilities.

Most of the ground surface is uneven and the campground is sloped, with an average gradient of 1:9.

• Cooleman Mountain campground factsheet
• Cooleman Mountain campground map (1.7MB pdf)

Disability access level - medium

Cooleman Mountain campground is step-free, but the ground is uneven, grassy and sloped, with an average gradient of 1:9. People with reduced mobility may need assistance to get around the campground.

There's 1 accessible picnic table and an accessible non-flush toilet.

• Clarke Gorge walking track The 5km Clarke Gorge walking track follows Cave Creek downstream through limestone gorges and cave formations. Stop along the way to do some fishing and birdwatching.
• Nichols Gorge walking track The 7km Nichols Gorge walking track, suitable for experienced hikers, follows Cave Creek and passes some karst features before rejoining Blue Waterholes trail.
• Snowy Mountains adventures with Cochran Horse Treks Join Cochran Horse Treks for an unforgettable adventure in Kosciuszko National Park. Their 3 to 7-day guided tours are a great way to experience stunning Snowy Mountains landscapes on horseback.

• Clarke Gorge walking track The 5km Clarke Gorge walking track follows Cave Creek downstream through limestone gorges and cave formations. Stop along the way to do some fishing and birdwatching.

• Snowy Mountains adventures with Cochran Horse Treks Join Cochran Horse Treks for an unforgettable adventure in Kosciuszko National Park. Their 3 to 7-day guided tours are a great way to experience stunning Snowy Mountains landscapes on horseback.
• Snowy Mountains multi-day horse ride treks Immerse yourself in the wild beauty of the Snowy Mountains on a multi-day horse riding trek guided and supported by Reynella Rides. You'll enjoy hearty mountain food and roomy tents as you explore the High Plains area in Kosciuszko National Park.

Animals

• 

  Eastern bentwing-bat (Miniopterus schreibersii oceanensis)

  Eastern bentwing-bats congregate in caves across the east and north-west coasts of Australia, in colonies of up to 150,000. These small Australian animals weigh around 13-17g and can reach speeds of up to 50km per hour. Eastern bentwing-bats use both sight and echolocation to catch small insects mid-air.

• 

  Swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor)

  The swamp wallaby, also known as the black wallaby or black pademelon, lives in the dense understorey of rainforests, woodlands and dry sclerophyll forest along eastern Australia. This unique Australian macropod has a dark black-grey coat with a distinctive light-coloured cheek stripe.

• 

  Common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus)

  Commonly found in forests, woodlands and leafy gardens across eastern NSW, the Australian ringtail possum is a tree-dwelling marsupial. With a powerful tail perfectly adapted to grasp objects, it forages in trees for eucalypt leaves, flowers and fruit.

• 

  Superb lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae)

  With a complex mimicking call and an elaborate courtship dance to match, the superb lyrebird is one of the most spectacular Australian animals. A bird watching must-see, the superb lyrebird can be found in rainforests and wet woodlands across eastern NSW and Victoria.

• 

  Eastern water dragon (Intellagama lesueurii lesueurii)

  The eastern water dragon is a subaquatic lizard found in healthy waterways along eastern NSW, from Nowra to halfway up the Cape York Pensinsula. It’s believed to be one of the oldest of Australian reptiles, remaining virtually unchanged for over 20 million years.

• 

  Bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus)

  A large, squat marsupial, the Australian bare-nosed wombat is a burrowing mammal found in coastal forests and mountain ranges across NSW and Victoria. The only other remaining species of wombat in NSW, the endangered southern hairy-nosed wombat, was considered extinct until relatively recently.

• 

  Yellow-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus)

  The yellow-tailed black cockatoo is one of the largest species of parrot. With dusty-black plumage, they have a yellow tail and cheek patch. They’re easily spotted while bird watching, as they feed on seeds in native forests and pine plantations.

• 

  Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)

  One of the most fascinating and unusual Australian animals, the duck-billed platypus, along with the echidna, are the only known monotremes, or egg-laying mammals, in existence. The platypus is generally found in permanent river systems and lakes in southern and eastern NSW and east and west of the Great Dividing Range.

• 

  Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)

  One of only 2 egg-laying mammals in the world, the short-beaked echidna is one of the most widespread of Australian native animals. Covered in spines, or quills, they’re equipped with a keen sense of smell and a tube-like snout which they use to break apart termite mounds in search of ants.

• 

  Common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)

  One of the most widespread of Australian tree-dwelling marsupials, the common brushtail possum is found across most of NSW in woodlands, rainforests and urban areas. With strong claws, a prehensile tail and opposable digits, these native Australian animals are well-adapted for life amongst the trees.