Ruqayyah Snyder
Australia has skiable terrain in three states: New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania, as well as in the Australian Capital Territory, during the Southern Hemisphere winter. The Snowy Mountains, known informally as The Snowies, is an IBRA subregion in southern New South Wales, Australia, and is the tallest mountain range in mainland Australia. It makes up the northeastern half of the Australian Alps, which are larger than those in Switzerland, according to a 1957 documentary by the Commonwealth Film Unit. The Snowy Mountains contain Australia's five tallest peaks, all of which are above 2,100 meters (6,890 ft), including the tallest, Mount Kosciusko, which reaches a height of 2,228 meters (7,310 ft) above sea level. The elevation of the snowfields in Australia varies with latitude, with viable winter snows generally found above 1,500 meters. Australia has five major downhill ski resorts and several smaller downhill resorts that cater to skiers of all levels of experience.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Location | Southern states of Australia, in the lower areas of New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania |
| Number of Ski Resorts | 5 major downhill ski resorts and 5 smaller downhill resorts |
| Major Ski Resorts | Perisher and Thredbo in New South Wales, Mount Buller, Falls Creek, and Mount Hotham in Victoria |
| Smaller Ski Resorts | Selwyn Snow Resort and Charlotte Pass in New South Wales, Mount Baw Baw in Victoria, and Ben Lomond and Mount Mawson in Tasmania |
| Highest Peak | Mount Kosciuszko, at 2,228 m (7,310 ft) above sea level |
| Elevation Range | 1,250 m to 2,200 m |
| Snow Season | June/July to September/October |
| Number of Alpine Roads | 2 |
| Aboriginal Occupation | 20,000 years |
| Number of Tallest Peaks | 5 |
| Average Snow Months | May to October |
| Number of Dams | 16 |
| Number of Power Stations | 7 |
| Number of Aqueducts | 80 km (50 mi) |
| Number of Tunnel Kilometers | 225 km |
| Number of Nations of Migrants | 30 |
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What You'll Learn
The Snowy Mountains
Part of the Snowy Mountains known as the Main Range contains mainland Australia's five glacial lakes. The largest of these lakes is Blue Lake, one of the headwaters of the Snowy River. The other four glacial lakes are Lake Albina, Lake Cootapatamba, Club Lake and Headley Tarn. The Snowy Mountains are also home to many rare or threatened plant and animal species. The Kosciuszko National Park is home to one of Australia's most threatened species, the corroboree frog, as well as the endangered mountain pygmy possum and the more common dusky antechinus.
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Selwyn Snowfields
Selwyn Snow Resort, also known as Selwyn Snowfields, is a ski resort in New South Wales, Australia. It is located in the Kosciusko National Park, in the Snowy Mountains region, which is known informally as "The Snowies". The Snowy Mountains are the tallest mountain range in mainland Australia, with the five tallest peaks in the country, including Mount Kosciuszko, which is the tallest at 2,228 m (7,310 ft) above sea level. The Snowy Mountains experience large natural snowfalls for several months of the year, with significant accumulation during May to October.
Selwyn Snow Resort is the most northerly of Australia's ski resorts, with a base elevation of 1,492 m (4,895 ft) and a top elevation of 1,614 m (5,295 ft). The resort is well-suited for families and first-time skiers, with 88% of the terrain catering to beginners and intermediates. However, the Racecourse Run offers a steeper gradient for more advanced skiers and boarders. Selwyn Snow Resort is known for having some of the best-value day skiing and snow play in New South Wales. It offers a variety of activities such as skiing, snowboarding, and tobogganing, with Australia's largest dedicated toboggan park.
The resort is open daily from 8 am to 5 pm during the ski season, which typically runs from June to October. It is accessible via the Snowy Mountains Highway, from Talbingo in the west or Adaminaby in the east. There is no public accommodation available at the resort itself, but nearby towns such as Adaminaby, Talbingo, and Cooma offer accommodation options for visitors. Selwyn Snow Resort covers an area of 45 hectares (110 acres) and features 8 lifts, including two chairlifts, two t-bars, two carpets, a platter, and a Poma. The longest run at the resort is the Long Arm Run, which is 800 m (2,600 ft) long.
The Selwyn area is open all year round, but some roads and trails may close due to weather conditions or park management issues. Kings Cross Road and the Khancoban-Cabramurra Road are typically closed during the winter months. Selwyn Snow Resort offers a range of activities and facilities for groups, including school and commercial groups of 20 or more people. It is known for its affordability and convenience, with a central Selwyn Centre building that houses all guest facilities and services.
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Ski resorts
Australia has five major downhill ski resorts, with several smaller resorts also available. The major resorts are Perisher and Thredbo in New South Wales, and Mount Buller, Falls Creek, and Mount Hotham in Victoria.
Perisher is the largest ski resort in Australia, with the biggest terrain in Australasia and some of the best terrain parks in the country. Thredbo, the highest ski resort in Australia, has Australasia's longest ski run and a range of slopes for beginners, intermediates, and experts. Thredbo's Karel's T-bar terminates at 2037 metres, and the resort has a base elevation of 1365 m. Perisher's highest lifted point is 2034 metres. Both resorts offer exclusive experiences, such as Thredbo's Sunrise Session, and have accommodation and après-ski options.
Mount Buller, with 80km of trails and the largest lift network in Victoria, is a favourite among Melburnians. Falls Creek, the largest ski resort in Victoria, is a pedestrian-only ski village with ski-in/ski-out accommodation, dining, and activities. Mount Hotham's ski village is perched on top of the mountain, offering a mix of intermediate, advanced, and expert terrain, as well as a separate beginners' area.
Smaller downhill resorts include Selwyn Snow Resort and Charlotte Pass in New South Wales, Mount Baw Baw in Victoria, and Ben Lomond and Mount Mawson in Tasmania. Selwyn Snow Resort, the most northerly of Australia's ski resorts, is well-suited to families and beginners, with 88% of its terrain catering to beginners and intermediates.
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Elevation
The elevation of the Australian snowfields varies with latitude. Generally, viable winter snows are found above 1500 m. Thredbo, near Mount Kosciuszko, has Australia's highest lifted point at 2037 m, with a base elevation of 1365 m. Kiandra, in the Northern Skifields, has an elevation of 1400 m, while Mount Mawson near Hobart, Tasmania, is at 1250 m.
The Snowy Mountains, known as "The Snowies", is an IBRA subregion in southern New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the continent's Great Dividing Range cordillera system and makes up the northeastern half of the Australian Alps. The Snowy Mountains contain Australia's five tallest peaks, all of which are above 2,100 m (6,890 ft). The tallest peak is Mount Kosciuszko, which reaches a height of 2,228 m (7,310 ft) above sea level. The Snowy Mountains experience large natural snowfalls for several months of the year, with significant accumulation during May to October.
The discovery of gold at Kiandra (elevation 1,400 m or 4,600 ft) in 1859 brought thousands of people above the snowline and led to the introduction of recreational skiing to the Snowy Mountains around 1861. The Kiandra Gold Rush was short-lived, but Kiandra remained a service centre for skiing for over a century. In 1957, Australia's first T-bar lift was installed at Kiandra, but in 1978, the ski facilities were moved up the hill to Selwyn Snowfields. Selwyn Snowfields is the most northerly of Australia's ski resorts, with a base elevation of 1492 m and a top elevation of 1614 m.
The Australian Alps snowfields are larger than those in Switzerland, according to a 1957 documentary by the Commonwealth Film Unit. The Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Scheme, constructed between 1949 and 1974, is the largest engineering project ever undertaken in Australia. The scheme consists of 225 km of tunnels, pipelines, and aqueducts. The township of Cabramurra in New South Wales was established in 1954 for the workers and their families.
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History
The Australian Alps, also known as "The Snowies", are the tallest mountain range in mainland Australia. They are part of the continent's Great Dividing Range cordillera system and contain Australia's five tallest peaks, including Mount Kosciuszko, which reaches a height of 2,228 m (7,310 ft) above sea level. The Snowy Mountains, which make up the northeastern half of the Australian Alps, experience large natural snowfalls for several months of the year, with significant accumulation during May to October. The snow usually melts by November, though it can sometimes persist through summer and the next autumn.
The Snowy Mountains were first explored by Europeans in 1835, and in 1840, Edmund Strzelecki ascended Mount Kosciuszko, naming it after a Polish patriot. Banjo Paterson's famous poem, "The Man From Snowy River", recalls the era when high country stockmen used the mountains for grazing during the summer months. The cattle graziers left a legacy of mountain huts scattered across the area. The discovery of gold at Kiandra in 1859, at an elevation of 1,400 m (4,600 ft), briefly enticed a population of thousands above the snowline and introduced recreational skiing to the Snowy Mountains around 1861. The Kiandra Gold Rush was short-lived, but the township remained a service centre for recreational and survival skiing for over a century.
In 1927, William Hughes, of the Kiandra Snow Shoe Club, together with four members of the Ski Club of Australia, made the first historic ski traverse from Kiandra to the Hotel Kosciusko (now Sponars Chalet). In 1930, the Kosciusko Chalet was built at Charlotte Pass, giving relatively comfortable access to Australia's highest terrain. By the mid-20th century, the Australian snowfields were well-established, and Australian skiers competed in the Winter Olympics for the first time in Oslo in 1952. The construction of the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme from 1949 opened up the Snowy Mountains for large-scale development of a ski industry, leading to the establishment of Thredbo and Perisher as leading Australian resorts.
European migrants who arrived in the 1940s and 1950s to work on the Snowy Mountains Scheme brought centuries-old traditions that transformed how Australians experienced the snowfields as a tourist destination. Australia's first T-bar lift was installed at Kiandra in 1957, but the ski facilities were moved up the hill to Selwyn Snowfields in 1978. Today, Thredbo has 14 ski-lifts and boasts Australia's longest ski resort run, the 5.9 km from Karel's T-Bar to Friday Flat, the greatest vertical drop of 672 m, and the highest lifted point in Australia at 2037 m.
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Frequently asked questions
The Snowy Mountains, known as "The Snowies", is the tallest mountain range in mainland Australia. The range contains Australia's five tallest peaks, all of which are above 2,100 m (6,890 ft). The Snowy Mountains experience large natural snowfalls for several months of the year, with snow cover usually melting by November.
The Australian snowfields are located in the Southern states, in the lower areas of New South Wales, Victoria, and Tasmania. The Snowy Mountains, part of the Australian Alps, make up the northeastern half of the range.
The ski season in the Australian snowfields typically runs from June/July to September/October. During these months, there are several well-serviced resorts to visit, including Thredbo, Perisher Ski Resort, Charlotte Pass, and Selwyn Snowfields in New South Wales.
The discovery of gold at Kiandra in 1859 briefly drew a large population above the snowline and introduced recreational skiing to the Snowy Mountains around 1861. The township of Kiandra remained a center for skiing for over a century. In the 1950s, ex-Snowy Scheme workers constructed ski resorts in the High Country, expanding the Australian ski industry.
