The best snow places in Australia!

Whether you’re an experienced snow fiend or a complete snow novice, our wonderful country has some world-class options for you to explore winter sports.

The fact that we have some world-class snow sports here in Australia often comes as a bit of a surprise to our European friends. “Isn’t it always hot and sunny?” is the first question they ask, quickly followed by some clichéd comment about kangaroos, surfing and shrimps on barbies. Thank Paul Hogan for that one.

But yes, we do indeed have some stunningly good snow here, and here’s our pick of the best snow escapes we have to offer!

Best snow places in Australia: Thredbo, Snowy Mountains, NSW

The name Snowy Mountains gives it all away, of course, but it’s right up there as far as peak snow sport goes. Thredbo is an awesome experience, whatever your level.

The Thredbo Supertrail weighs in at 3.7km, has its highest point at 2037m above sea level, and also boasts the largest vertical drop of an Aussie ski resort – 672m – for good measure!

Now, while the sport’s important, so too is the ‘experience’ as everyone seems to love to say these days.
A spot of wining and dining? No problem – the Kareela Hutte and Merrits Mountain House have you covered. An evening drink or three? Line them up at the Alpine Bar!

And of course, good rest is imperative after a hard day on the slopes (you poor thing). Thredbo’s got some a-ma-zing places to rest your weary head, including The Denman and The Eastern. What’s not to love?

Best snow places in Australia: Perisher, Kosciuszko National Park, NSW

Our biggest ski resort, Perisher has been welcoming guests since it opened almost 30 years ago, and boasts it has ‘the highest terrain, the greatest number of lifts and the most reliable snow in Australia’. So there.

And, it certainly lives up to its big billing. It has four trails – the Perisher Trail, the Guthega Trail, Devil’s Playground and Double Trouble, the latter of which, as the name suggests, is for serious skiers only.

Aside from the slopes, Perisher Village has a supermarket, coffee shops, a medical centre, a pharmacy – even a post office, while across the resort’s four areas – Perisher Valley, Blue Cow, Smiggin Holes and Guthega – there’s a range of restaurants and accommodation offerings, as well as on-mountain stays in the form of the Marritz and The Man from Snowy River Hotel.

Best snow places in Australia: Mount Hotham, Victoria

Across the border and over in Victoria, Mount Hotham is where the action is at. The Mount Hotham Alpine Resort is a popular destination, located four and a half hours from Melbourne.

With 320 hectares of ski terrain, you’re not going to be short of routes to try, and the resort also boasts that it is Australia’s only ski resort with a ski village located at the top of the mountain – and, because of that, its ski village is the country’s highest!

Up there, you’ll find a whole host of accommodation options to choose from, restaurants to visit, shops to explore and spas to unwind in. So enjoy!

Best snow places in Australia: Falls Creek Alpine Resort, Alpine National Park, Victoria

We love Falls Creek Alpine Resort as it’s a pedestrian-only ski village – meaning all of the accommodation and food and drink options are accessible on skis!

Of course, there’s a whole host of dining and nightlife options too – the Feathertop Restaurant is a perennial favourite, as is the 4pm happy hour – while the Cloud 9 ‘on-snow’ offering, located at the top of Halley’s Comet chairlift, is a stunning place to enjoy food and drink at any time of day.

Getting started in snowsports

Meanwhile, if you’ve always wanted to give snow sports a go but have never got round to it – fear not! The opportunity certainly hasn’t passed you by. Resorts cater for all ages and abilities, and there are plenty of lessons to get stuck into before you hit the slopes by yourself.

And you don’t need to just ski, either. Different resorts offer different sports too. As well as skiing, you can generally take part in activities including tobogganing, dog sled tours and snowmobile rides, and there’s always stuff for the kids, too.

Failing that, just go and enjoy the accommodation, the multiple brilliant restaurants and bars, and enjoy the escape!

And, if you can wait, by 2025 in Western Sydney, you’ll be able to give it all a go without committing to a full-on holiday, thanks to a new $400m indoor snow resort, Winter Sports World. Check it out – it looks awesome!