Ski Resorts in Australia
The thought of skiing in Australia might raise a few eyebrows, but the sun burnt country is surprisingly home to a bunch of ski resorts with a variety of terrain, ideal for skiing during the northern hemisphere summer.
Pros
- Perfect ‘summer skiing’ vacation
- A range of diverse ski areas
- Home to the largest ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere
Cons
- Terrain lacks difficulty compared to Europe and North America
- Variable weather conditions – rain and low snowfall
- Slopes can become slush by the afternoon
Getting there
- Fly into Melbourne, Canberra or Sydney. Ski resorts in Australia are split between the states of Victoria and New South Wales. Flying into Melbourne will give you access to the resorts in Victoria. Flying into Canberra is the best option for ski resorts in New South Wales as it will shave hours off the drive down compared to Sydney.
- Best way to resorts is by renting a car and driving yourself. Bus tours are also available although a road trip in Australia should be on the bucket list of any traveler and there’s no better final destination than a ski resort. The journey can take anywhere from 2.5 hours departing Canberra, to 3-4 hours departing Melbourne and 5-6 hours from Sydney.
Ski resorts in Australia are relatively unknown, that’s why we’ve picked out the ones you need to know about. These best ski resorts in Australia offer a better resort experience with larger terrain, well-equipped ski villages, superior snowmaking than some of the smaller ski fields around.
Just an hour away from each other, Perisher and Thredbo are Australia’s premier resorts both sitting in the state of New South Wales. Perisher, a Vail-owned resort is the largest ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere while Thredbo has the longest ski runs in the country. Both offer some of the best terrain, terrain parks and ski villages in the country. New South Wales is also home to smaller ski fields such as Charlotte Pass and Selwyn Snowfields.
In the state of Victoria, Mount Hotham is where you want to go for some of the most challenging terrain and best ski-in/ski-out accommodation in Australia. Falls Creek has also got its fair share of ski-in/ski-out lodging, although most of the terrain here is intermediate-friendly. It’s also the place to go for cross-country skiers with the country’s best trails. If you’re short on time, Mount Buller is the closest ski resort to Melbourne and is a family-friendly resort with some solid groomed slopes. Victoria is also home to smaller ski fields such as Mount Baw Baw.
The island state of Tasmania is home to two small ski fields, Ben Lomond and Mount Mawson. Here you’ll find a small number of runs serviced by T-bars, Pomas and rope tows.
| Stat | Resorts |
|---|---|
| Best for Beginners | Mount Buller, Selwyn Snowfields |
| Best for Intermediates | Falls Creek |
| Best for Advanced and Experts | Mount Hotham, Thredbo |
| Best for All-rounder | Perisher |
| Highest Summit Elevation | Perisher |
| Highest number of runs | Perisher |
| Largest ski area | Perisher |
| Highest number of lifts | Perisher |