News Stay & play in (Sn)omeo
Snow + Omeo = Snomeo. See what we did there?
Omeo offers affordable accommodation, ski hire and a rustic alpine village vibe, located at the base of the ski fields of Mt Hotham and Dinner Plain. You also get to tick off the epic Great Alpine Road on your journey, an essential Australian bucket-list item.
From Melbourne, you take the Great Alpine Road north of Bairnsdale, to arrive at Omeo some 5 hours later. From here you can be at Mt Hotham – an easy drive with a very gradual ascent - in under 50 minutes.
Accommodation in Omeo is already booking up fast – so if a trip to the snow is on your list this year, you better get your ice-skates on! (Sorry.)
The Omeo top 10
One of Victoria’s most remote communities, this is a place of proud cattlemen and see-it-to-believe-it mountainous views. It’s quintessentially Australian, and yet unlike anywhere else in the world. Ornate buildings adorn the town centre, remnants of its gold mining heritage.
- Hit the ski fields: Carve the mountain on a board, get the little ones up on skis, and start thinking mid-afternoon hot chocolate breaks. Be at Dinner Plain in under 40 minutes, and Mt Hotham in under 50 minutes. Ski hire is available from Omeo Ski Hire and service station.
- Road-trip the Great Alpine Road: The journey snakes its way from the shimmering waters of the Gippsland Lakes into the heart of high country. Pop into Bullant Brewery in Bruthen or check out the Great Alpine Gallery, Swifts Creek. Have a snifter from the rammed earth cellar door of Ensay Winery, or a cold one at Albion Hotel.
- Eat & drink: The Crazy Cow Cafe & Bakery is renowned for having the best pies around. The Hilltop Hotel menu offers a mix of Asian-inspired dishes alongside pub classics, while the iconic Golden Age Hotel does a great line of hearty steaks.
- Omeo Pump & Skills Track: Put your mountain biking prowess to the test at this all abilities track with berms, rock sections, log crossings, jump ups and jump downs. MTB hire available at Omeo Ski Hire.
- Walking Trails: Set out on the tranquil Livingston Creek Walking Track, which stretches all the way from the town to the Oriental Claims. The track is known for its birdlife and flora, including native orchids. Or take the Ah Fongs Loop Walk through eucalypt-scented bush.
- Wander the Justice Precinct, made up of heritage-listed buildings showing off the town’s gold rush history, including the Post Office with its impressive arched verandah. Further east in Benambra, the majestic United Church is an impressive landmark atop the hill.
- Visit Cassilis Estate (25 mins from Omeo) who are open by appointment only, but it's worth locking in a visit to sample their delicious range of ciders and stock up for home.
- Drink in the panoramas from Kosciusko Lookout, a great viewpoint (11 mins) out of town on the Great Alpine Road
- Taylors Crossing (40 mins) is a scenic picnic spot and camp ground by the mighty Mitta Mitta. There is an impressive pedestrian swing bridge across the river.
- Anglers Rest (30 min) is a base where many people enter the Alpine National Park, and there is horseriding available.
Published on under: Nature & Outdoor