The Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales are famous around the world for their great rainforests, long stretches of scenic bays, rolling green hills, sandy deserts, high-profile events, and fine local food and wine. But in the winter, tourists flock to the regions, which are part of the Australian Alps, to experience exciting snow activities such as skiing, ice-climbing, and snowboarding first-hand. Refer to the following guide of the most popular skiing resorts if you are headed for Victoria or New South Wales this snow season:
Mount Buller
Victoria’s resort town of Mt Buller is located right on the slopes of the 1,805-metre-high Mt Buller. Aside from the vast array of snow activities that it offers, the town is popular among sports enthusiasts because it is in close proximity with Melbourne, Australia’s second most populous city.
Mt Buller town has 263 hectares of skiable area. Choose among 25 groomed trails for beginner, intermediate, and advanced skiers. The longest run stretches as long as 2.5 kilometres. The town also boasts the largest lift network in the state with 25 lift operators that have a combined capacity of 40,000 skiers per hour.
Mt Buller resort also features snowmaking facilities for the ultimate winter experience. It is a popular venue for sporting events such as the International Ski Federation Aerial Skiing World Cup and the Victorian Snowsports Championship.
Mount HothamThe Mt Hotham ski resort in Victoria is home to one of Australia’s steepest ski run, the Mary’s Slide. It is named after the mountain where it is located, 357km northeast of Melbourne and 746km away from Sydney, Australia’s most populated city. Mt Hotham recorded the highest annual snowfall in the whole country over the past ten years. Skiing activities are most active on one side of a large valley in the area that connects with the Bogong High Plains. Mt Hotham has network of 13 lifts spread over 3.2 square kilometres of skiable fields with a total of 72 runs for all levels of skiers.
The mountain rises to an altitude of 1,861m over sea level, making Mt Hotham village the second-highest resort village in Australia next to Charlotte Pass Village in New South Wales.
Perisher Blue
Perisher Blue is the largest skiing resort in the country with a total skiing area of 12.45 square kilometres. It is located in the Snowy Mountains in the southeastern part of New South Wales. Perisher Blue covers the ski fields of Perisher, Smiggins Holes, Blue Cow, and Guthega. The resort’s summit elevation reaches up to 2,054 metres.
There are 49 lifts in Perisher Blue, which is accessible only by road and by Skitube, Australia’s sole underground rack-railway. The official skiing season in the resort starts from the second weekend of June throughout the first weekend of October.
Thredbo
Thredbo is a ski resort and a village, which can also be found in the Snowy Mountains in New South Wales. It is located about 500km south of Sydney and is accessible via the Alpine Way. Some 700,000 visitors make their way to Thredbo every winter to experience the country’s long ski runs, the longest of which spans 5.9km from Karel’s T-bar to Friday Flat.
Thredbo was modelled after a European skiing town. Unlike other ski resorts, it is an actual town that offers accommodations, shopping districts, and night clubs. The resort has 14 lifts and features the steepest overall terrain than any other resort. It also has the highest lift point of 2,037m. Thredbo has invested in an extensive snow-making system to make up for its low altitude base (1,365m), which renders the lower half of the mountain less capable of stacking up snow.
Threadbo snowmaking covers 65 hectares of trails for beginner, intermediate, and advanced skiers classified under a three-colour grade system. The resort has about 50 ski runs.
Falls Creek
Falls Creek in northeastern Victoria is a car-free ski resort located some 350km by road from Melbourne. With its higher altitude of between 1,500m to 1,600m, the resort is recommended to more advanced skiers. Alongside Mount Hotham, it is regarded as one of Victoria’s best skiing destinations.
Falls Creek is most popular to local tourists but is also a favourite among foreigners, who visit to see the Kangaroo Hoppet, Australia’s long distance cross-country skiing race in the Worldloppet Ski Federation usually held on the last Saturday of August. The snow in Falls Creek is considered to be the best in the country. The resort has 14 lifts with the highest lift point being 1,780m. The ski resort also offers lodging, several restaurants, bars, and night pubs. Skiing is popular in the nearby peak of Mount McKay.
Recommended Stop-Overs
A growing number of tourists are finding it more convenient to make stop-overs in nearby towns for cheaper lodging and ski equipment rental.
The town of Mansfield in Victoria is an ideal stop-over for tourists on their way to Mt Buller because it has many budget hotels and economical food establishments. Mansfield Motel, located in the heart of the town, is one of the accommodation providers in the area that offer reasonable room rates. It is currently offering a 10% discount on ski rental equipment and in its café.
Tartan Motel in Victoria also offers practical accommodations and easy access to restaurants, cafes, gift shops, and other commercial establishments. It is only a good 100km away from Mt Buller and is near award-winning cafes, the Yea Rive Wetlands, local wineries, and Lake Elidon.
In Warrnambool, Victoria, you will also find a gem at Elm Tree Lodge. Only a few hours’ drive from the Alops, the 3 ½-star hotel promises the best services for each guest, as well as accessibility to tourist spots, including Lady Bay, Logans Beach, Tower Hill, and the Grampians. It boasts of catering to the needs of the “practical traveller.”
In New South Wales, the historical town of Cooma near the Snowy Mountains region is home to Sovereign Inn that offers cosy and convenient accommodations with rates starting at only AUD 90. It offers personalised services and home-cooked meals in its fully licensed bar and restaurants to complement simple pleasures like cool mountain breeze and magnificent surroundings.