A wonderful ski season is currently on at the Snowy Mountains. If you’ve missed the slopes in two years of COVID closures, or are new to skiing and snowboarding, then now is the time to go.
The adventure wonderland is brimming with fun experiences, from thrilling downhill runs on pristine snow, to music festivals, wine tasting, fascinating heritage and much more.
Whether you’re carving up the slopes or soaking in thermal pools, here’s the ultimate way to spend a long winter’s weekend with your family.
Perisher
Perisher is the largest resort in the Southern Hemisphere with 1,245 hectares of snowy playground in which to ski and snowboard. Its four linked resorts include Perisher Valley, Smiggin Holes, Guthega and Blue Cow, and there are 47 lifts across seven peaks. You can ski or snowboard from one to the other or ride the Skitube, an innovative Swiss-designed mountain train, between Perisher Valley and Blue Cow if you want to only ski one way. Each of the areas has a different personality, but also offers terrain for all levels. Perisher also has an impressive network of cross-country trails, as well as snowshoe tours and an acclaimed Snowsports school.
Thredbo
Thredbo is an award-winning alpine gem, home to the longest ski run in Australia known as the Crackenback Supertrail. It is also home to Friday Flat, a brilliant area for beginners. In 2020 it also launched Merritts Gondola, Australia’s first alpine gondola, and one of 14 lifts servicing more than 50 runs. Hitch a ride on Karels T-bar to the highest lifted point in Australia and once you’ve arrived at 2,037m, you can ‘ring the bell’ to celebrate. Off the slopes, enjoy the après ski bars, restaurants and entertainment, and Olympic-sized heated pool and waterslide at the Thredbo Leisure Centre.
Charlotte Pass
The highest resort in Australia (1,760m), Charlotte Pass is a charming and secluded alpine village that is completely snowbound in winter, only accessible by oversnow transport from Perisher.
All the accommodation is ski-in ski-out, so you won’t find it crowded. Charlotte Pass offers an intimate experience and is perfect for beginners or for families who might want to avoid busier, bigger resorts. It is also popular with cross country skiers due its great trail access.
Another reason to go is the gorgeous Kosciuszko Chalet Hotel, dating back to the 1930s. It is the historic heart of the resort and sitting by the fire with a hot chocolate at the end of the day is magical. The resort offers five lifts and 19 runs for skiers and snowboarders of all abilities, and lessons are available
Selwyn Snow Resort
After closing in 2020 due to severe bushfire damage, Selwyn Snow Resort is set for a grand re-opening. Extensively rebuilt, it includes the new and expanded Selwyn Centre, housing guest facilities and services. Best of all, the relocated and expanded Toboggan Park will also open once again, offering the best tobogganing experience in NSW.
Selwyn Snow Resort is popular with families and beginners, offering gentle varied slopes across 45 hectares of skiable terrain. There are 10 lifts, and runs for beginners, intermediate and advanced skiers, and snowboarders. The gently progressing terrain is ideal for first-timers, and a team of instructors will have you gliding down the slopes on skis or a snowboard in no time.
Cooma
With the snow fields of Thredbo, Perisher and Charlotte Pass around 90 mins away, Cooma is the place to pick up your hire gear and tyre chains. In summer, the lakes of the region are playgrounds for canoeing, swimming, water skiing and wakeboarding, with fly fishing a great activity on beautiful rivers and streams.
Jindabyne
Jindabyne is perfect asyour Snowy Mountains base, given the slopes of Thredbo and Perisher are only 30-minutes’ drive away. You can also drive to Bullocks Flat and catch the Skitube alpine railway to Perisher and Blue Cow.
Explore the scenery in the summer, horse riding, fishing, and mountain biking, taking in the scenic lakes and charming villages.
GETTING THERE
The scenic four-hour drive south from Sydney is part of the adventure: the epic road trip takes you through the mist-draped villages of the Southern Highlands, skirting Lake George and passing Canberra before arriving in Cooma, the largest town in the Snowy Mountains. This is the start of the legendary Kosciuszko Alpine Way, a 170km route carving through the range toward Khancoban, with Australia’s loftiest peak (Mount Kosciuszko) your backdrop.
BEYOND SNOW
The Snowy Mountains region is beguiling all year round, from its wildflower-strewn spring meadows to its boulevards of autumnal colours.
For bushwalkers, a new adventure awaits in the recently opened Snowies Alpine Walk between Guthega and Charlotte Pass – a 55-kilometre multi-day walk.
If you prefer your adventures less strenuous, then you’ll enjoy the many beautiful mountain drives, and the cuisines and wine experiences the Snowy Mountains has to offer.
But it’s when the mercury dips, that the Snowy Mountains starts to heat up! From first tracks at sunrise to fresh powder on backcountry trails and evenings by the fire, every day is an adventure here. Plan your perfect family holiday in the Snowy Mountains today and let thrill begin.
For more information www.visitnsw.com/feelnew