What? Australia has snow! Sure does! Is there snowboarding and skiing in Australia? Sure is! If you are not Australian then this might be your reaction to finding out Australia gets snow. But if you are Australian you will know, when the cooler winter months arrive, there is some great snowboarding and skiing to be had in Australia’s alpine region. So if you are a local or an international visitor looking for the best places to go skiing in Australia to start shredding, read on. 

And if you are from overseas and disappointed winter is over in the Northern Hemisphere then set your sights on the land down under and have an endless winter. In the southern Australian states you will find some rad and diverse ski areas with plenty of snow on the slopes and some backcountry. So one minute you could be enjoying the snow in Europe, Japan or Canada and the next skiing in the best ski resorts in Australia!

I classify myself more as a ‘beach babe’ than a ‘snow bunny’ but I still have gone to Australia’s ski centres a few of times. In this post I am covering the best Australian ski resorts to ski and snowboard at plus, provide information on where to eat, where to stay and what to take to make your Australia resorts ski holiday a good one. Whether you are hitting the snow solo, as a couple, with friends or with your family to the ski fields with kids, there is an Australian ski resort just waiting!

Note: even though I predominantly say skiing in Australia, I am also meaning snowboarding at the same time.

When is the Best Time to Ski and Snowboard in Australia?

Typically the snow season in Australia runs from mid-June to mid-October – but this depends on the white stuff! The winter months in Australia are June, July and August and these months provide the best time to ski in Australia. July and August are particularly good as this is when Australia is deep in the winter months and the snow is most reliable. 

The ski season is relatively small compared to other countries. If wondering, most of the ski resorts are open year-round. This is because when the snow melts the hikers and mountain bikers head to the mountains for the great hikes and mountain bike trails.

Where to Ski in Australia – Best Australia Ski Resorts

So where is the best place to ride or ski Australia at? You will find the snow areas in Australia in two main areas. Check out my map that shows you where the ski resorts are. Ski resorts are found in both New South Wales and Victoria in the alpine areas. Tasmania also has some great skiing but the resorts are small compared to those in New South Wales and Victoria. 

The best resorts in Australia mentioned in this post are not listed in any order of personal preference. They are listed under each state as I thought of them.

as you can see from my map the best snow resorts in Australia are in NSW & Victoria

Best New South Wales Ski Resorts

New South Wales is home to some premier Australian ski resorts with Thredbo and Perisher being the top two.

Thredbo 

First on the list of best ski resorts in Australia is Thredbo. Thredbo is Australia’s number one year-round Alpine resort. It is located within the Kosciuszko National Park in the NSW Snowy Mountains and is roughly a 5.5 hours’ drive from either Melbourne or Sydney and 2.5 hours’ drive from Canberra. It boasts a huge amount of snow terrain for all ages and abilities along some of Australia’s five longest ski runs. Thredbo Village at the base of the mountain is a vibrant village with a range of accommodation, restaurants, bars, cafes and retail shops. 

Great nightlife too, so if looking to party, Thredbo is a great place to hit the slopes during the day and enjoy the apres ski at night. But it is also very family-friendly if visiting the snow fields with kids. And check out fabulous views while enjoying a butterscotch schnapps at the Eagles Nest. It is Australia’s highest on-mountain restaurant at 1963 metres (6,354 feet). 

Fast Thredbo Facts & Tips

50kms (32 miles) of rideable terrain, 53 trails, 14 lifts. Thredbo gives you lift access to Mount Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest peak.
Most drive to Thredbo, and park in the car parks close to the village and mountain. From the car park, there is a free shuttle bus to take you around the village. Or you can catch the bus from Jindabyne.
Thredbo is located in the Kosciuszko National Park so a NPWS Annual All Parks Pass is required to enter the park. You can purchase online here. 
For more information and to purchase a lift pass check out the Thredbo website.
Check out the accommodation options for your Thredbo visit Book here.

Perisher

Nestled in the Snowy Mountains is Perisher Blue incorporating four mountain resorts making it the largest ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere. This is one of the best ski resorts in Australia incorporating four ski and snowboard areas – Perisher Valley, Blue Cow, Smiggins and Guthega. Together offering the skier and snowboarder some 3,000 acres of skiable terrain.

And speaking of terrain, Perisher has a diverse terrain to keep everyone from newbies to seasoned pros to cross country skiing happy. And if you love to ski or ride at night, the Front Valley slope lights up every Tuesday and Saturday night. 

Fast Perisher Facts & Tips

Beginner and family friendly. 124 trails, 47 lifts (home to Australia’s highest chairlift ascending to 2033 metres (6,673 feet), 35kms (22 miles) of rideable terrain.
Most drive to Perisher and as no overnight parking is allowed in the village there is parking in Bullocks Flat. Then hop on the Ski Shuttle Alpine Railway into Perisher Resort and Mount Blue Cow.
For more info and to purchase a lift pass check out the Perisher website.
Check out and book your Perisher on-mountain Accommodation here. 

Charlotte Pass

Charlotte Pass is the highest resort in Australia at 1760 metres and sits in the heart of Kosciuszko National Park. It was named after Charlotte Adams, the first European woman to climb Mount Kosciuszko in 1881 – wow! It is snowbound for most of the ski season. So, there are no cars or buses, nor are there long queues for the ski lists, which are right on your doorstep. Even though it might be the highest, Charlotte Pass is small with some 50 hectares of rideable terrain. But, on the positive side, there are plenty of uncrowded runs for beginners to intermediate riders. 

Fast Charlotte Pass Facts & Tips

Beginner friendly and family friendly oriented ski resort. Has 12 trails, 5 lifts and 10kms (6 miles) or 50 hectares of rideable terrain.
Getting to Charlotte Pass: Because of its remoteness, you can only access the resort via a snowcat from Perisher Valley some five miles away.
For more information on Charlotte Pass check out the website.
Accommodation: The village is comprised 13 lodges allowing around 607 guests at one time. Consider staying at the Kosciuszko Chalet Hotel – known as the grand old lady of the mountains as she dates back to 1939. Check out accommodation options to stay in Charlotte Pass here.

Other Ski Resorts in NSW

Mt Selwyn 

Jindabyne: You can’t actually ski in Jindabyne. Jindabyne is a town at the bottom of the slopes and makes a great base for daily trips up and down the mountains. Check out accommodation options for a stay in Jindabyne here.

Best Victorian Ski Resorts

The state of Victoria, Australia has some great skiing and snowboarding spots. Falls Creek, Mount Buller and Mount Hotham being some of the best Australian ski resorts.

Falls Creek

Falls Creek lays claim to some fabulous scenery and being the largest ski resort in Victoria. It is about a four and a half hour drive away from Melbourne. Located entirely above the snow line cars are not permitted in the snow-filled village making it a pedestrian only village. Visitors either stay in the on-mountain ski-in ski-out accommodation or further down the mountain at nearby Bogong Village or Mt Beauty and travel the 15 or 30 kms respectively to the resort each day. If you stay in the village there are good vibes with the accommodation being ski-in, ski-out – perfect for everyone.

If you are seeking a family friendly resort that has child-friendly trails, toboggan runs, ski school, then Falls Creek Alpine Resort is the place for you. There is some pretty good back country skiing too. And Falls Creek offers plenty of great skiing, snowboarding and cross country skiing for people of all ages and abilities. 

Fast Falls Creek Facts & Tips: 48kms (30 miles) of rideable terrain with 92 trails and 14 lifts.
To get to Falls Creek most drive and park in the car parks at Mount Beauty then catch the shuttle bus up. This is because there is no car parking in the Falls Creek alpine village.
For more information about Falls Creek including a lift pass check out their website @ Falls Creek.
To book accommodation to stay in the Falls Creek alpine village check out these options.
You can also stay in accommodation at Bogong Village and Mount Beauty and catch the bus up to Falls Creek. However, it is a very windy trip and takes about an hour.

Mount Buller 

Mount Buller is only a three hour drive from Melbourne making it a very popular weekend getaway and best ski resorts in Australia. It rises to an altitude of 1805 metres above sea level and is one of Australia’s best all-season alpine resorts. There are some 25 ski lifts capable of moving 40,000 people every hour. There is accommodation on the mountain with around 7,000 beds available at the resort in hotels, commercial lodges and ski club facilities. Sometimes, you head to the mountains for the adrenaline and other times, it’s all about the scenery. At Mt Buller, you can soak up both. This ski resort effortlessly blends awesome views of the Victorian Alps and Delatite Valley with gorgeous slopes and first-class facilities. What more could you ask for on a ski or snowboard holiday?

Also keep a look out for winter Olympians. Mount Buller has produced more Australian Olympians and World Champions than the other Australian ski resorts. Many of them train at Mt Buller’s official Olympic training centre.

And when the lifts stop spinning for the day, there is plenty to do for all ages. From hitting the toboggan slopes, enjoying the day spa and shopping till you drop. If after some après-ski, well take your pick from over 30 bars and restaurants catering to those looking for a quiet dinner to those who want to party.

Fast Mt Buller Facts & Tips

Mount Buller has 49 miles of marked runs, 80 trails and 20 lifts.
If you don’t want to stay on the mountain, there is accommodation available in nearby towns such as Mansfield, about a 45 minute drive away. Then you can either drive to ski on Mount Buller or you can book onto the bus.
For more details on skiing or snowboarding at Mount Buller visit the website.
To stay in the village check out these accommodation options.

Mount Hotham Alpine Resort

Mount Hotham Is about about a five and a half hour drive away from Melbourne or a short plane trip for those who wish to fly. This resort is one of the only Australian ski fields that can be accessed by plane. Mount Hotham is one of the highest resorts in Victoria and is at the heart of the Great Alpine Road region. Known for having plenty of steeps, deeps and the highest percentage of black runs. Yep, great for adrenaline junkies. But there is plenty of white powder for all!

For first-timers not wanting to challenge themselves, there is the husky-pulled dog sled door, time to unwind in a day spa, snowmobiling and sitting in one of the coffee shops. Along with Hotham’s range of snow sports, Hotham Village has a massive array of restaurants, bars, nightclubs and accommodation options to suit a huge range of budgets. The apres ski is pretty darn good if you want to enjoy it!

Fast Mount Hotham Facts & Tips

Mount Motham has some 30 km (19 miles) of rideable terrain with 80 trails and 13 lifts.
Daily car parking is available from 7am to 11pm and for short stays, a day or multi-day permit is available. All vehicles stopping at Mt Hotham during the declared snow season are required to purchase a resort entry permit for each day the vehicle is stopped in the resort. Get more details on visiting and skiing at Mount Hotham and to purchase a lift pass and parking pass at their website.
Check out and purchase your Accommodation here

Other Ski Resorts in Victoria

There are other places to ski and snowboard in Victoria other than the big 3.

Mt Baw Baw is a relatively small resort just 173km east of Melbourne or about a two and a half hour drive. It is popular with day trippers to the snow and an ideal place for those wishing to learn to ski. 

Lake Mountain is Australia’s premier cross country ski resort and very popular with families who want to introduce their children to the snow. And also for snow play with great tobogganing. Lake Mountain is about a two-hour drive east of Melbourne. It does not have any on-mountain accommodation but Marysville, about 20 minutes away, is the nearest and largest town where there is a variety of accommodation, cafes, pub and restaurants. Marysville is linked to Healesville by one of Australia’s best road trips – the Black Spur in the Yarra Valley.

Book your accommodation in Marysville here.

Best Tasmania Ski Resorts

How to Organise Your Ski Trip in Australia to the Snow

Now you know where to ski and snowboard in Australia, it is time to organise your trip. 

1. The first thing you want to do when planning a trip to the Australian snow fields is to choose where to ski or snowboard.
2. Next, book accommodation either on the mountain or in one of the nearby towns.
3. Buy a ski lift pass and/or book ski lessons.
4. Sort your transport to the ski resort. If driving, snow chains will be required or 4WD vehicles as mandatory or book a bus ticket.
5. Purchase any park passes. It’s worth noting that you will have to pay a daily resort entry fee for most Australian ski resorts. That’s because they sit in national parks so a good reason to stay on the mountain in the villages will see you only paying the park entry once. If you choose to have a base outside of the park and drive or bus up the mountain, you will need to pay the park entry fee each time.
6. Pack appropriate clothing and equipment for your ski holiday – or rent it before you arrive, though there are rental places on the mountains to hire clothes and gear.
7. Don’t forget travel insurance that includes coverage for extreme sports such as a policy with WorldNomads.
8. Hit the slopes and have a great time.

How to Ski in Australia on a Budget

Snowboarding in Australia and skiing in Australia can, to say the least, be expensive. Here are a few money saving tips to help you ski in Australia on a budget.

1. Clothing and gear can be expensive to buy and I would only buy it if I intended to go regularly. And then I’d try to buy second hand clothes and gear. My budget tip here is to rent your clothes and gear.
2. If you plan to ski or snowboard often during the snow season, purchase a season pass such as the Epic Australia Pass.
3. Buy lift tickets online before you arrive as they are cheaper online than buying them at the counter on the day.
4. Ski or snowboard on a weekday as lift tickets are usually cheaper during the week than on the weekend. There is often less people during the week also.
5. Save on accommodation by staying off-mountain and travelling to the ski fields each day. You are paying for the convenience of being close to your accommodation on the mountain.
6. Eat a hearty breakfast to help you be energised for the day. Then bring some snacks as food on the mountain can be very expensive to buy. This is because nothing is grown on the mountain thanks to the snow and all the food is trucked in. You can keep your snacks in a bag in a locker you can rent for the day.

Wrapping up

So there you have it, if you are looking for a holiday destination in Australia over the winter months why not enjoy some skiing or snowboarding at one or more of the best places to ski in Australia. Do you love to ski or snowboard? I’d love to hear. If you really love it why not get a job in one of the Australian snow fields and work and ski Australia.