Dead Horse Gap

The road

These are not rally stages. No event has ever closed Dead Horse Gap - it is simply one of the best short drives in Australia. The 8-kilometre route climbs from Thredbo Village through snowgum woodland to the gap at 1,580 metres where the Alpine Way crosses the Main Range and the Great Dividing Range. The road was built to service the ski resorts and is maintained to a higher standard than most alpine roads in the country. The snowgum woodland above 1,400 metres is open and beautiful - twisted grey trunks, golden grass, and the sound of wind through the grass when the car is stopped. The gap itself is the watershed between the Thredbo/Snowy system and the Murray River - it looks south into Victoria on one side and north into the Snowy Mountains National Park on the other.

The region

Dead Horse Gap sits at 1,580 metres on the Alpine Way between Thredbo and the Victorian border. The gap is one of the main crossings of the Main Divide in the Australian Alps. The surrounding country is Kosciuszko National Park - no fencing, no development, and the alpine landscape uninterrupted in all directions.

Before you go

Fuel in Thredbo Village. The road is open November to April and can close with snow at any time of year. Check conditions before departure. No services at the gap. The wind can be severe at the summit.

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