valley of the MacLaughlin River situated between Cooma and Bombala. The Facebook page "Bombala History in Photos" contains a wealth of information about the town's history. On January 15, 2022, a tornado touched down in the vicinity of the town. Heritage listings Bombala has a number of heritage-listed sites, including: Goulburn-Bombala railway: Bombala railway station 91 Main Road: Crankies Plain Bridge Population In the 2016 Census, there were 1,387 people in Bombala. 85.1% of people were born in Australia and 89.9% of people spoke only English at home. The most common responses for religion were Anglican 34.6%, Catholic 23.8% and No Religion 20.3%. Geography and climate Situated at 705 metres above sea level on the eastern edge of the Monaro Tablelands, Bombala is known for its cold winters with frequent frost and occasional snow—however due to its downwind position on the Great Dividing Range, winters are relatively warm and dry for its latitude and snowfall insignificant. A few kilometres to the east, the land slopes downwards to the South Coast, a flat coastal plain where summers are warmer and winter temperatures much milder. Examples are towns such as Bega and Merimbula, both about 80 kilometres east of Bombala. According to Köppen climate classification scheme, Bombala has an oceanic climate (Cfb). Most rain in the area falls as either thunderstorms in summer, or with cold fronts in winter. Extreme temperatures have ranged from 40.7 °C (105.6 °F) to −10.0 °C (14.0 °F). Transport The railway reached Bombala in 1921 and closed in 1986. being an extension of the line from Queanbeyan to Cooma. The line was and still is known as the Goulburn to Bombala line. During the 1970s, service was provided by a small rail bus, taking 4 hours to cover the between Cooma and Bombala (compare road distance ). The Monaro Highway (now route B23) which runs from Canberra to Cann River (Victoria) passes through Bombala. Other major roads include Mt Darragh Rd which connects to Pambula and Merimbula on the NSW South Coast. The nearest airport with regular air services is at Merimbula, to the east. Notable residents Minard Crommelin MBE (1881-1972), postmistress and environmental conservationist, born at Aston Station, near Bombala. Michael Farrell (1965-), contemporary poet and magazine editor, born in Bombala. Sir Alexander George William "Bill" Keys AC, OBE, MC (1923-2000), long-serving president of the Returned and Services League (RSL), grew up in Bombala. Dick Tooth