nagoid 4 Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 For those Aussies on here, can you give me an idea of where the best place to be for snow (ie. resorts) over there is. Just interested in general ideas from real people, and then I can go research. I ask as I may well be going down there in July for a few weeks and wondering if visiting some snow might be on the cards. Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites
mandycreighton 0 Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Australia is a big place and although the snow is only in one area I thought I would start by giving you some info on locations for the main ski hills. Near Sydney - well if you call 6 hours drive close (I live in Sydney and we do weekends) also close to Canberra (1.5 hrs drive): Thredbo - around a dozen lifts including fast quad chairs, highest lifted point in Australia 2037m and the most vertical 670m www.thredbo.com.au Perisher - biggest ski area in Australia, 50 lifts across four linked areas similar highest point to Thredbo but not as much vertical www.perisherblue.com.au Near Melbourne: Mt Buller, approx 3 hours drive, 25 lifts great sking when the snow is good, busy on weekends, is kinda low so suffers in a bad season like we had last year www.mtbuller.com.au Falls Creek, approx 5 hours drive (9 hours from Sydney), 15 lifts highest lifted point 1780m, I learnt to ski here but haven't been back for a long time but plenty of fun terrain www.fallscreek.com.au Hotham, close to Falls Creek also approx 5 hours from Melbourne, 13 lifts, highest lifted point 1845m 395m of vertical and 40% advenced terrain and some of the steepest left accessed terrain in Australia www.mthotham.com.au My favourites are Thredbo and Mt Hotham Link to post Share on other sites
indosnm 0 Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Go there to appreciate how spoilt we are here! Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Bring plenty of money!!!! Link to post Share on other sites
kaiser soce 0 Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Yep.....what Mantas said. Link to post Share on other sites
keba 0 Posted March 14, 2007 Share Posted March 14, 2007 Lift passes at Hotham $86/day pass this year, I heard. No value for money, compared with Y4500 for day pass at Happo. But the Andes are so far away. Better to go to NZ (bit cheaper, and more choice for resorts). From here on the Gold Coast, it's easier to get there than the Aussie resorts too. Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Quote: Originally posted by keba: Lift passes at Hotham $86/day pass this year, I heard. No value for money, compared with Y4500 for day pass at Happo. You go diddled Keba Y3500 for me. Sad isn't it. We have some half decent skiing in this country at times but man is it expensive. Thredbo is $97 this year. Thats roughly Y8000. Plus park entry fees. Add $15 for a hot dog and coke. Your kidding! I haven't been for three years now. Link to post Share on other sites
soubriquet 0 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Plus the cost of flights from Perth and the possibility of no snow. From WA, Japan is a no-brainer. Link to post Share on other sites
kappa 0 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 I prefer Perisher, found that less families go there, but be careful when you go school holiday season in NSW is 02 July 07- 13 July 07. Go after and maybe August, offpeak. But it is bloody expensive there anyway.Best, cheapest place I stayed at was www.snowline.com.au It's better if you go with mates, otherwise if you are on your own and on a budget, then try www.ozsnowadventures.com.au I used them, they were ok, nothing special, but if you just want a place to crash, and hit the slopes and stuff, they are very reasonably priced, and you get to meet other travellers. They may have improved alot by now, that was 3 years ago I went with them? Link to post Share on other sites
keba 0 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 I agree Soub, but even Oz has better snow than Japan in August... Link to post Share on other sites
js 0 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 July eh? Well the best time to ensure there are decent conditions is mid/late August. If you wanna experience the best conditions, suggest you go to either Perisher Blue or preferably Mt. Hotham. Perisher is a big area with more choices of terrain, but for steeps and a 'riders resort' go to Hotham. Falls Creek is nice for families and partying, whereas Hotham is for riding. A helio links the two - check website for cost = okay if you stay in one and just do a day trip to the other. NZ - although we've been lucky when we went, you really take a big chance on the weather. Late August or early September is preferred as the weather settles a bit. Queenstown Rocks! (Lift tickets in Oz are a complete f-ing rip-off.) Link to post Share on other sites
kaiser soce 0 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Thredbo and Hotham are my picks for OZ resorts. I have never clicked with perisher.....I just don't dig the place. Link to post Share on other sites
Mantas 3 Posted March 15, 2007 Share Posted March 15, 2007 Don't let us put you off going Nagoid. Skiing in Australia can be fun there's just a few IF's involved. IF you luck out and get there after a decent fall and IF it's midweek or not in holidays then skiing can be great. It's a beautiful part of Australia with little development (compared to Japan). One bonus is that the weather can be sensational. T shirt stuff somedays. If you compare it to N America, Japan, Europe then you are going to be dissapointed. But It doesn't suck either. Go and enjoy it for what its is. I've had some of the best times of my life down there. Link to post Share on other sites
nagoid 4 Posted March 16, 2007 Author Share Posted March 16, 2007 Thanks folks appreciate the info. The snow isn't the major part of this trip, it was just a potential fun thing to do while I'm out there. I'll look into it more though. Thanks Link to post Share on other sites
SirJibAlot 0 Posted March 16, 2007 Share Posted March 16, 2007 NZ is your best bet. I had a great time at Remarkables and Coronet Peak 2 seasons ago... Link to post Share on other sites
kaiser soce 0 Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 I agree with Mantis. It CAN be great, we have just had two really bad seasons with last year being the worst on record so we here are all a little down on it. Here is a pic of the NSW main range behind thredbo! If the snow was good????? Link to post Share on other sites
boardbaka 3 Posted March 17, 2007 Share Posted March 17, 2007 yes I agree with sir jib and others- I would choose NZ Link to post Share on other sites
muikabochi 208 Posted March 18, 2007 Share Posted March 18, 2007 NZ looks awesome any time of the year. Link to post Share on other sites
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