While Australia is best known for water sports at its beaches, it boasts stunning snow resorts for an unforgettable snow sporting experience. During the Australian winter months of June to August, Snowy Mountains’ snow-covered peaks and the Alpine Region are everything that anyone with Snowboards can dream of! Read on to know more about the three best winter resorts in Australia and the snowboarding opportunities you may encounter there.
Mount Buller:
Spread over 850 hectares and situated about 200km to the east of Melbourne, Victoria, Mt. Buller is one of the most popular weekend snow sports destinations. It is equipped with 22 lifts with a capacity of carrying 40,000 people per hour, gaining an altitude of 400m. However, weekends are a bit crowded, and if you’re a serious snowboarder, you will enjoy the slopes over the less crowded weekdays.
The terrain offers a perfect mix of freerides, pistes, and even a park and a half-pipe. A total of 19 pistes give you more than 80km of snow to test your speeding skills. Overall, both the Northern and Southern tracks are more suited for intermediate-level snowboarders. You can avail of a single day, 6-day, or season passes for about $100, $500, and $1400, respectively.
Mount Hotham:
Known for its tree-lined freestyle trails, Mount Hotham is the second-highest resort in Australia, after Charlotte Pass. Also situated in Victoria, Mt Hotham is about a 200km drive to the northeast of Melbourne. The drive to Hotham along the Great Alpine Road offers spectacular views of snow-covered dales and valleys and is sure to get your spirits higher than the peak (1845 m) well before you reach Hotham.
The resort is equipped with 11 lifts that carry you up an ascent of 395m to the summit. It allows you to spend more time snowboarding, with even a half-day of activity being equally rewarding. If you take the Heavenly Valley chair lift, you can access some of the best freeride trails in Australia. The blacks are short but steep and a challenge to even advanced snowboarders. Read more about How to Travel Lightweight?
Along with natural hits, there are also four parks available, with some of them even open for night-riding! Additionally, at Hotham, near Dinner Plain, you can find Australia’s only Biathlon training course. You can avail of half-day passes for $95, single-day passes for $110, and 6-day or season passes for $500 and $1500, respectively.
Perisher Valley:
The Perisher has something for everyone – from beginners to advanced-level snowboarders. It is the largest ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere and is located in the Kosciusko National Park in the Snowy Mountains, NSW. It is about a 6-hour drive away from Sydney and Melbourne. However, driving in snowy conditions can be tricky, so ensure you take all necessary precautions. Perisher Valley is also connected via flight, which runs based on weather conditions.
The resort is vast – 1250 hectares and is equipped with over 40 lifts, connecting you to 7 terrain parks and more than 3 acres of pistes. The PlayStation Slopestyle Terrain Park is Australia’s most famous park, found in the Front Valley. Owing to its size, Perisher offers a fresh freeride slope almost into late afternoon. There is simply no dearth of things to do at Perisher. Half-day passes cost about $90, while full-day passes cost $115. You can even avail of 6-day passes and season passes for about $600 and $1500.
Australia boasts of well-facilitated slopes and parks for snowboarders and skiers alike. If you happen to live in the Northern Hemisphere and miss the snow in summers, then a refreshing visit to Snowy Mountains or the Alpine Region is a must! Enthusiastic retailers will help you buy Snowboards and Skiing accessories in Sydney if you aren’t comfortable traveling with your gear. This summer, plan a winter adventure in Australia!
