Gloucester residents were among the groups of people who made their way up Barrington Tops as NSW kicked off its July school holidays.
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For Coralie De Angelis, it was a great opportunity to take her children to the snow after their original holiday plans have been altered due to COVID-19.
"We haven't been up to the snow since Jonas was a baby in my arms 11 years ago. Leo has never seen snow and it was on his bucket list," Coralie said.
Although they couldn't get up the mountain on Saturday (July 4) when the snow was falling, they managed a trip on Sunday (July 5).
"I explained to the kids we will have a great day and do some walks even if there was no snow left," she said. "They were so excited when we saw the first snow on the sides of the road and we continued onto to where it was safe to park and enjoyed a long snow ball battle. Jonas thought the snow tasted great."
The family enjoyed a day in the snow, followed by a picnic lunch and a short walk to Polblue Falls.
"We were so lucky to be able to take Leo to see snow for the first time. Jonas was so little (the first time) he can't remember it, so it was special for us all."
According to National Parks and Wildlife Service Area Manager, Barrington Tops, Anthony Signor, there was a steady stream of day trippers across the weekend with the campgrounds at half capacity.
"There was a light fall of one to two centimetres widespread across the plateau, mainly Saturday morning, then replaced by drizzle. It was windy and wet," Anthony said.
On Saturday morning, the Gloucester Visitor Information Centre had 70 visitors come through in three hours wanting information about snow at Barrington Tops.
"The ability to see snow for the first time drives huge interest in our destination, especially from families," MidCoast Council manager growth, economic development and tourism, Deb Tuckerman said.
The Barrington Coast Facebook post of the most-recent snow photos on Sunday, July 5 was shared 700 times and quickly reached 106,000 people in 24 hours.
"Snow helps make Barrington Tops famous and we're lucky to have this beautiful region included in our destination's footprint," Deb said.
"Gloucester and Stroud have been especially busy with snow chasers and we can confirm evidence of dispersal from the coastal regions to our hinterland."
There are still spots available at the NPWS campgrounds over the school holidays and bookings are required. For bookings visit the website (nationalparks.nsw.gov.au) or call 13000 PARKS (1300 072 757).
If heading to the Barrington Tops, visitors are reminded of the key things needed to have a safe and comfortable visit:
- Check weather and road conditions before you leave home and again before you leave Scone or Gloucester. Tell a friend or family member where you're going and when you'll be back.
- Leave plenty of time for the return trip in daylight hours: travel time is up to 1.5 hours from Gloucester or Scone
- For a trip to the snow here, leave the two-wheel-drive at home -- four-wheel-drives are best suited for driving in snow and ice conditions. During snow events, the status of roads on Barrington Tops can change at short notice. NSW Police may close the road at any time to ensure visitor safety.
- Prepare for rapidly changing extreme weather including rain, wind and sub-zero temperatures. Pack additional warm clothing and extra food and water.