Australian Snow Season 2006 officially underway
Traditionally the June long weekend in Australia signals the start to the Australian snow season. This is true for both the New South Wales snow fields and the Victorian snow fields.
For the snow fields in the NSW Snowy Mountains there have been not startling changes across the resorts during the off-season, though most are pouring money into snowmaking and building even more accommodation. You can expect to see more apartments around the slopes especially at the premium level in Threbo.
So whats new …
Thredbo, the resort where Sydney society meets the mountain high-life, there are free night skiing and boarding on Thursdays at Friday Flat beginners area and on the Supertrail under lights on Saturday nights. Approximately $2 million has been spent on extra snow making to tackle the low patches and brand new hire equipment is now available.
Link: www.thredbo.com.au
Perisher Blue, known for its wide-open spaces and vast amount of non-threatening slopes to explore is Australia’s largest ski resort. It has 53 lifts covering over 1245ha of skiable terrain. There is a focus on parks and pipes catering for the snowboarders. Due to Perisher’s height it also receives a lot of dry powder snow and there will be regular night skiing in the Front Valley this year.
This year on offer is a 5.5 day lift voucher allowing you to get in half a day extra skiing before heading back in the afternoon. There is also night snow-tubing thanks to a new lighting system, more snowmaking for a better covered run tot he Ridge Quad chairlift, and improved trails.
Link: www.perisherblue.com.au
Perisher Blue, Smiggins & Blue Cow Snow Report & Cams
Looking for a snowy paradise for couples and an easy holiday for families. You can’t go past Charlotte Pass with its historic Kosciusko chalet and 12 club lodges. The completely refurbished Chalet building still has that cosy, European feel. Parents can sit in the lounge enjoying a coffee and still have full view of the slopes. It’s hard to get lost in Charlotte Pass.
New to Charlotte Pass this year includes the transport system of Mattracks, an all-terrain 16-seat vehicle which offers a more comfortable and quicker ride from Perisher Valley to Charlotte Pass.
Link: www.charlottepass.com.au
Selwyn Snowfields offers family friendly skiing at the most realistic cost in the Snowy mountains. It’s first-timer heaven with 12 lifts to take you to gentle, well-groomed slopes. Selwyn also offers a $5 all day access to the tobogganing park (cheap fun for the kids) and it also has a tubing park.
Link: www.selwynsnow.com.au
Victoria’s snow fields have been busy over summer building and improving hotels and the introduction of new incentives to win over more skiers and boarders. The alpine region of Victoria is more thickly wooded than NSW and offers smaller resorts with great nightlife, accommodation and fine restaurants.
Mount Hotham… there are shots and gullies that can make you feel like you’re skiing overseas when it snows real powder. The runs are not as long as Thredbo but there are lots more of them spread across the 320 ha resort. They are serviced by 14 lifts. Mt Hotham is the only ski resort that sits right on top of the ridge line allow you to ski out the door and have a solid run before you take your first chairlift ride for the day.
Link: www.hotham.com.au
Falls Creek is a totally snowbound, carless village that offers a magical mountain experience as you ski right from your chalet door. This is a family friendly spot that offers an easy snow holiday with less challenging slopes and easily accessible nightlife. There is Kat skiing on Austalia’s steepest accessed slop at Mount McKay. Falls Creek is 450ha in size and has 92 runs, mostly intermediate and very easy.
New to Falls Creek this year is a beginners terrain park, 5.5 day passes that start of Monday but offer Sunday afternoon free so you can arrive in the afternoon and start skiing. Burton’s learn-to-ride program has snowboards just for beginners and there’s a bungee trampoline to learn manoeuvres safely and a three-day womans program.
Link: www.fallscreek.com.au
Falls Creek Weather & Snow Cams
A sophisticated ski resort, Mt Buller is Victoria’s equivalent to NSW’s Thredbo. Just three hours from Melbourne, Mt Buller is a great all-round resort suitable for all standards of skiing. So where is the best places to ski at Mt Buller? Beginners are best suited to Bourke St or Burnt Hut. Intermediates will love the wide blue runs off the Emirates Discovery chair lift, and Little Buller Spur and Wombat are still the classics.
Federation is Mt Buller’s signature advanced run and after a snowfall, the Wombat Bowl’s Outer Edge is outstanding. After a fresh dump of powder, The Village Run, an ungroomed north-side black run, offers spectacular skiing through the gum trees and holds the snow well. This gives you plenty of time to make fresh tracks!
For snowboarders, the Shakey Knees and Tirol are now great as you don’t have to clip off or skate across the terrain.
Link: www.mtbuller.com.au
For more information on the Victorian snow fields visit www.skivic.com
For a list of snow events at the NSW and Victorian ski fields visit our Snow Calendar in our Forums.