Skiing In NSW

If you are one of those resilient sorts who shuns sulking the minute the sun retires for winter and instead decides to seek out the nearest ski opportunities – then read on! Although you make think that being Down Under means you have made your choice; that you have opted for sunshine, beaches and BBQs and that those winter pursuits will just have to be cruelly abandoned – you will be pleased to hear that there is no need to decide. Here is New South Wales – us lucky buggars have it all. Perhaps that is one advantage of living in such a vast country – it can be boiling hot on the coast and then ruddy freezing once you venture inland and up a bit!

In this piece, in the name of keeping you thrill seekers placated during the winter, we outline some the major destinations in Australia’s cooler months…

Snowy Mountains…

Given its name, it should hardly be a surprise that New South Wales’ Snowy Mountains (or ‘Snowies’ as they are more commonly known) are home to some of the countries most popular ski resorts. The Snowies are the highest range in Australia and the impossibly spelt Mount Kosciuszko is its highest peak, standing at a rather impressive 7310ft. It isn’t just this peak that attracts the attentions of adrenaline junkies across the world; the range contains five of the highest peaks on the Australian mainland – and what comes with cold weather and high altitudes? That’s right – snow. And plenty of it!

Throughout the months of June, July and August, snow falls in these mountains and attracts boarders and skiers from all across the nation and even further afield.

The first ski resort to open was Charlotte’s Pass back in 1930, where people can still, to this day enjoy skiing on some of Australia’s highest terrain. However, it wasn’t until 1949 that the huge Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme (basically a gigantic dam) opened up the region to development of the ski industry on a more epic scale! It was around this time that Thredbo, detailed below and Perisher, Australia’s largest ski resort, opened their slopes to the public.

Attracting nature lovers all year round because of its breathtaking scenery and abundance of outdoor pursuits, The Snowy Mountains are a fantastic destination where there is something to suit all tastes and energy levels!

Located equidistant from Sydney and Melbourne, there are a range of ways that you can get to The Snowy Mountains be it by car, coach or plane. Although the temptation may be to get there as quickly as possible, those with a little more time on their hands may enjoy the winding network of roads surrounded on all sides by scenery so spectacular it may cause your camera lens to crack. There are also a charming array of towns to stop off in on the way.

Thredbo

By many, this NSW ski resort is considered to be the best in the whole of Australia. Located 500km from Sydney, in the Kosciuszko National Park, high up in the Snowy Mountains – Thredbo is great for one thing in particular – the best verticals, the greatest of which, the ‘Supertrail’ being 621m long. For those of you not down with the lingo, this means that you can spend more blissful time cruising downhill than at any other resort in the country.

Another impressive credential – Thredbo has the highest lift in the country and as they are all high-speed, there isn’t much queuing time before you are taking the load off and being whisked up the mountain for your next downhill mission. If you crave a spot of off-piste action then you are in the right place – in fact people haven’t been shy when it comes to saying that it is home to some of the best skiing of its kind in the southern hemisphere. Put in simple terms, no matter what type of skiing takes your fancy – there will be something to suit you and all of your group.

If you thrive on a spot of competition, arise early and join the other competitive sorts at the top of the Supertrail to race to the bottom. If you should beat your competitors to the finish line you can expect to be showered with cash prizes and ski-related swag. If competition isn’t enough of a thrill for you then the Monster Energy Bag Jump could prove more up your street. It is basically a gigantic cushion where people can practice their flips and tricks without fear of broken bones!

There’s no denying that Thredbo village is well thought out, has a lot to offer and facilities like free shuttle buses and some top class bars and restaurants go a long way to explaining why the resort constantly tops the polls for best holiday destinations in the country.

Jindabyne

Another fantastic resort town, located not too far from Thredbo is Jindabyne. The town is a beautiful base for people who want to combine their love of the slopes with perhaps a little bit of exploration of the surrounding Snowy Mountains. People flock to the area at all times of year to enjoy the delights of Lake Jindabye where you can go fishing or enjoy a spot of bush-walking but it is undoubtedly more popular in the winter months with tourists setting up base close to the slopes in the surrounding hills.

If an absolute must for your ski-break is nightlife then Jindabyne should be top of your list. Workers from Thredbo and Perisher ski resorts more often than not reside in staff accommodation in Jindabyne, therefore come pay day (every Wednesday night) all of the bars will be full of over-worked staff looking to let their hair down and fritter away their pay-packets as quickly and as decadently as possible! Lake Jindabyne Hotel (LJ’s) is a good starting point and then you should just follow the crowds – more than likely to The Banjo Patterson Inn.

As a gateway to the Snowy Mountains, setting up base in Jindabyne is a good idea for those who don’t want to limit themselves to one ski resort. As Thredbo, Perisher and Charlotte’s Pass are close by, you can mix things up and work out which resort appeals to you most. Another reason people choose Jindabyne is because they want to be close to the snow but also want to enjoy the other activities associated with the winter – be that the aforementioned debaucherous nightlife, perhaps some trout fishing or, just relaxing with a good book.

Jindabyne is just under five hours drive away from Sydney but there are also bus services available or if time is of the essence you can always catch a flight from Sydney straight to the Snowy Mountains airport.

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