Tumbarumba Creekscape
Posted on by Debbie

A Tour of Tumbarumba for #SundayStills

Today I’m your Tumbarumba Tour Guide – are you ready  to join the tour?

Maybe you haven’t heard of Tumbarumba before, but I’m about to share some of my favourite photos so you’ll get an idea of why I love living here.

Tumbarumba in New South Wales
Tumbarumba sign

Tumbarumba is halfway between Sydney and Melbourne in NSW Australia.  It is a small rural town, home to approximately 2000 people.

What’s in a name?

The first European settlers adopted the Aboriginal name, Tumbarumba, meaning ‘hollow sounding hills’ and preserved it on the first maps of the district, identifying Tumbarumba Mountain well before the existence of a town.  This town nestles between two ranges, an ancient volcanic basalt remnant with its own ‘Sounding Ground’ to the west and to the east the granite rise of Mount Tumbarumba, it too with its very own distinctive echoing ground to be found just below the summit on the northern ridgeline.

Source: Sounding the Ground Nineteenth century journeys to Tumbarumba and the South East by Ron and Catherine Frew

Home

Tumbarumba has been home to my family for over 30 years now but I’m still not considered a local!  Thankfully we are all accepted and have been involved with local initiatives for many years in a volunteer capacity so we are very welcome and feel like a part of the community. For us it’s a great base for travel, an easy place to live, we have many friends and lots of things to do, despite us both being retired now.

Tumbarumba (often shortened to Tumba – because that’s what we Aussies do), is nestled under Mt Tumbarumba. I’m fortunate to have this view of it from my front verandah, it’s always worth a look to see what’s happening, the ever changing colours and skies.  On nights with a full moon there is nothing better than watching it appear over the hill, and sunrise and sunset are just as magnificent.

Views over Tumbarumba
The hills of Tumbarumba are alive with colour
Green green grass of home in Tumbarumba
Awesome autumn colours
Tumbarumba hills are alive
full moon

My husband takes walks up into the hills on a regular basis and the views from the rocks are magnificent from up there. I’ve done the walk quite a few times and you can see for miles on a clear day.

On top of the rocks
View from the rocks

Trees

When we were told the Mathematician had been posted to Tumbarumba High School as the Head Teacher Mathematics, back in December 1990, I remember ringing my aunt who lived nearby and asking her about the place.  Her answer was quite cryptic and included the phrase, there’s lots of trees there!

Sugar Pine Walk near Tumbarumba
Disused rail corridor in Tumbarumba soon to become a Rail Trail
Home in Tumbarumba
Tumbarumba Creekscape
Tumbarumba sunset through the trees
where I walk
Trees at sunset on the rail trail
Avenue of trees at Pilot Hill Arboretum
A shady parking spot amongst the trees

I think it was a case of what she wasn’t saying and i’m happy to say it’s changed a lot since then for the better. Yes, we have lots of trees in Tumbarumba – gum trees, pine trees and deciduous trees – it is a photographers’ paradise in Autumn with the leaves changing colours.

Autumn leaf
Tumbarumba park in autumn
Autumn in Tumbarumba 2022
Harris Park in Autumn
Tumbarumba park in autumn
Home in Autumn
stunning autumn colours in Tumbarumba
Autumn colour in Tumbarumba

Water

We have lots of creeks, a man-made lake and a beautiful waterfall. The mighty Murray River isn’t far away from Tumbarumba – all popular spots for camping, fishing, canoeing and swimming.

Mannus lake near Tumbarumba
Mannus Lake with trees
Still water of Mannus Lake
Tumba creek path under water
Tumba creek rocks
Tumbarumba creekscape
Tumbarumba Creekscape
Flood waters under the bridge in Tumbarumba
Tumbarumba Creekscape
Tumbafest 2018 in Tumbarumba NSW Australia

Paddys River Falls

Water tumbling down near Tumbarumba at Paddy's River Falls
Paddy's River Falls Tumbarumba
Paddys River Falls Nov 2022
Paddy's River Falls November 2022
Photographers at Paddy River Falls

Wine anyone?

Our area is well known for its cool climate vineyards producing award winning wine, not to mention gorgeous views of vineyards on our doorstep.  Blueberries are also grown in the area and bring a lot of visitors to town to pick the fruit over summer.

Pure Gold, afternoon light shining over the vineyard in Autumn
morning light looking over the vineyard
Rainbow over the vineyard
rainbow over vineyard
vineyard in autumn
Rainbow and sculpture

Mountains

Mt Kosciuszko (Australia’s highest peak) is within sight of our town and the snow capped Main Range is a popular draw-card for visitors throughout the year. Skiing, cycling and hiking are all fun activities. We are quite high with an altitude of 645metres above sea level and we sometimes get snow falls in winter.

Views over mountains in Tumbarumba NSW Australia
View, mountains, Australia
Mt Kosciuszko, Australia, walk, hike, me
walk, mountains, Australia
Snow on the main range
snow day

What do you love about where you live?

For this week’s photo challenge Terri asks us to share photos of our town. Her post is here and it’s great to see where others live around the world.

Looking at the photos I’ve shared I think I can safely say it’s all about the natural beauty of the area for me. It’s funny we had round table discussions this week looking at what our town has to offer, how we can improve things and what needs to be done – all these things came out, natural beauty, outstanding views, a community can-do attitude and the fact that we might be rural but we’re definitely not backward.

Since I wrote this original post back in 2018, we now have the first rail trail on NSW Government owned land; a Sculpture Trail; NSW Tourism Gold Medal Award winning events like Tumbafest and venues such as Courabyra Wines (NSW Tourism Awards 2022).

We are a relatively unknown place but that is changing, as people are starting to discover out of the way places and coming here for bike riding or wine tastings or events and finding it a beautiful and hospitable little town.

I’ve enjoyed sharing some of my favourite photos of my town and I hope you’ve enjoyed it too. 

There’s no place like home!

Dorothy

Let me know your thoughts, I’d love to hear what you love about where you live too. Small town living isn’t for everyone but I’m happy to say it is for me!

LOVE along the rail trail
I found LOVE in my town

Deb xx

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43 Replies to “A Tour of Tumbarumba for #SundayStills”

  3. Pingback: #WQ #15: Be a Tour Guide – Marsha Ingrao – Always Write

  4. Lovely to re-visit the beauty that is where you live. Yes, not a local (yet) …I understand that lol. Hope you & G are feeling better….. Thanks for being part of the Wednesday’s Words and Pics group with your post this week. It’s the last link up for 2022 next Wednesday, 21 December, and I hope you get to add a post again! The link up returns on Wednesday 4 January 2023. Warmest wishes, Denyse.

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  5. I really enjoyed your Tumbarumba tour, Debbie! You have some lovely views and areas there, and how cool that there is a Harris park. I chuckled about what you said about not being considered a local – that’s the same here. You’re called a “blow-in” for who knows how many years!
    I’m very much a small town person too. I guess it depends on whether you feel at home and enjoy the community. The prompt for this post is one I would have loved to do, sharing photos from my small town. What makes me love this town is the surrounding beauty, the colourful buildings, the sea, the people, pub life with lots of music, etc.

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  6. You make a fabulous tour guide Debbie! Ahhhh it looks so beautiful there. This is the kind of place where I would love to live. The Tennis Player would be difficult to convince though. One day I hope to escape the suburbs. Beautiful photographs and I love that you love where you live!

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  10. Since I started following you, I’ve always loved the name of your town and played around with how it’s actually pronounced. Haha! Thank you for sharing it’s meaning and more beautiful photos.

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    1. Yes our town has a magical name Kirstin. It’s pronounced just as it’s written Tumba-Rumba (like the dance). I love sharing photos of the town so I appreciate your interest.

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  11. Deb your photos are gorgeous and make me want to to visit. Tumbarumba is stunning. You’re very lucky to live in such a beautiful natural environment. Thanks for giving us the tour and sharing what’s special to you

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  14. Really enjoyed this post. Fun and interesting to see where you live. Although thousands of miles from where I live, there are a few similarities. There are also a lot of trees here in nearby Epping Forest, and I love watching the changes over the year.

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    1. Lovely Gail! Seasonal changes are a delight as we get all four seasons here unlike many parts of Australia. Your area sounds lovely with the forest nearby too.

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  17. Not a local, with a park named after you, LOL? I love your post on Tumba, you deeply are about it, volunteer and take part in the community, Debbie! Your photos of the area are spectacular and to be able to see Mt Tumba from your veranda must be very special. Another way we are alike, my friend–outdoorsy, friendly and loving life! Hope you have a guest room…

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  18. Pingback: Sunday Stills: In My Little #Town – Second Wind Leisure Perspectives

  21. Hi Deb, what a lovely part of the world you live in. Thanks so much for the tour and I would definitely love to visit one day. The trees are gorgeous and I love the small bridge. No wonder you enjoy riding your bikes and walking there are so many options. I wouldn’t be moving either if I lived there. x

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  22. Hi Deb – I love your town (I love just saying Tumbarumba!) and that little riverlet that runs through past the park and under the bridge is just gorgeous. You have so much diversity in your scenery and your weather – we’re much more ‘flat land’ and ‘moderate weather’ where we are.

    What I love best about where I live – I love not being in the city, the quiet, the friendly neighbours, the lack of crime, the peace, and the beauty of the countryside around me. We’re also close to rivers, the estuary, and the ocean – so winning all the way.

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    1. Yes Tumbarumba is a word that just rolls off the tongue isn’t it? We have a lot of variety here and experience all four seasons too which is delightful. Thanks for sharing what you like about where you live too, it sounds like a great place to be settled.

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