Cabramurra, New South Wales

Infobox Australian Place | type = town
name = Cabramurra
state = nsw

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caption = Cabramurra town, afternoon in summer, looking north from the lookout.
lga = Tumut Shire
postcode = 2629
est = 1954
pop = 60
pop_footnotes= [census 2006 AUS|id=SSC16603|name=Cabramurra (State Suburb)|accessdate=2008-03-31|quick=on]
elevation= 1475
maxtemp = 11.5
mintemp = 4.0
rainfall = 1701.8
stategov = Albury
fedgov = Eden-Monaro
dist1 = 503
location1= Sydney
dist2 = 223
location2= Canberra
dist3 = 109
location3= Cooma
dist4 = 110
location4= Tumut

Cabramurra is the highest town on the Australian continent, situated at 1,488m AHD in the western Snowy Mountains of the Great Dividing Range, in the state of New South Wales. The name "Cabramurra" may be derived from Wiradjuri "gambirra marra", meaning "crooked hand". [cite book |last=McNicol |first=Sally |coauthors=Hosking, Dianne |year=1994 |chapter=Wiradjuri |title=Macquarie Aboriginal Words |location=Sydney |publisher=Macquarie Library |pages=97]

Cabramurra was established in 1954 using prefabricated houses, as part of the Snowy Mountains Scheme and associated Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme. An earlier surveying camp had been established there in 1951. The town was moved some 500m and 20m vertically to a more sheltered position, its current site, in 1974, leaving the original site as the lookout.

Cabramurra is a 'company town', being the place of residence for workers in the nearby Tumut 2 hydro-electric power station and electrical switching yards, and Tumut Pondage dam.

The town has 48 houses, a general store and petrol station, primary school, pub (tavern), indoor swimming pool, downhill ski slope, and tennis courts. The nearest small towns for other shopping are Adaminaby, New South Wales and Tumut; the nearest large towns (that is, with a hospital) are Wagga Wagga, Tumbarumba and Cooma. Emergency evacuation can be conducted by helicopter.

In winter, the town can be covered by snow for 3-4 months. This has dictated the building design with a very highly pitched roof for the houses. The town's downhill ski run was the first in Australia to have lighting installed to allow night use.

The town is located within the boundaries of Kosciuszko National Park, on the road between Kiandra on the Snowy Mountains Highway to the north and Khancoban, another hydro-electric power site. The road is kept open to Kiandra by snow plough during winter, also serving the Selwyn snowfields resort. The road south of the dam is closed to traffic.

References