Skiing in Australia ?

,First a bit of history. You all know about kangaroos and Sydney Opera House, koalas and Ayers Rock, Kakadu and the Great Barrier Reef but you might not be aware of the fact that Australia was a pioneer nation in the sport of ski racing, with annual ski races being conducted at Kiandra during the 19th Century.

The Kiandra Snow Shoe Club was formed in 1861 by three Norwegians, Elias Gottaas, Soren Torp and Carl Bjerknes on the Kiandra Gold Fields in New South Wales. This original ski club is recognised as the first snow ski club in the world and also carries the distinction of being the longest continously operating club. Later in 1861 the second oldest ski club was formed in Norway.

In 1898 Messrs. C A Falstadt (Consul General for Norway and Sweden), and Andrew (Banjo) Paterson were elected as Vice Presidents. Banjo Paterson wrote Waltzing Matilda, Australia’s unofficial national anthem.

When the first snowstorm of the year hits, the freenzy that is the ski season begins. Overnight the various ski fields across NSW and Victoria are transformed into a winter wonderland. Australian Traveller, Australia’s best selling travel magazine has an update of all ski resorts for 2010 and for further details visit AT’s website here.

Falls Creek
The big news for Falls Creek in 2010 is the unveiling of more sections of the palatial Quay West Resort & Spa. Part of a massive $65m development, the five star resort has a day spa, gym and a supermarket onsite – and since it’s so new, of course there’s a winter savings package to kick things off. Called “White Space”, it’s valid from June 12-25 and you get to stay in one of the 23 apartments in the just-completed West Wing for five nights from just $2400. Since they’re two-bedroom apartments, that’s pretty good split four ways. The resort has also introduced valet parking, which includes having your car dug out of the snow for you if required,

Falls Creek has also bolstered its snowmaking arsenal this year with an additional 28snow guns, ensuring a better base throughout the 2010 season. More importantly, this has meant they can finally introduce a night skiing program on their famous Wombat’s Ramble, at 2.2km the longest beginners’ run in the country. Wednesdays and Saturdays are the only nights running for now, so time your visits carefully – and try skiing into Tom, Dick and Harry’s – ski bar and café at the Quay West for a hot toddy before zooming back onto the slopes.

And lastly, legendary Australian skier and three-time Winter Olympian Steven Lee has been given the green light in 2010 to conduct special backcountry tours of Falls Creek.

Mt Hotham
Not wishing to be outgunned by Falls Creek, steep and deep Hotham has also upped its snowmaking capabilities, with 22 new guns blasting out over Heavenly Valley. And believe us when we say, any technology that allows Heavenly Valley to open earlier and close later in the season is very good news indeed.

It’s also never been easier to reach Hotham’s 320 hectares of terrain, with QantasLink flying four times a week direct from Sydney to the only Australian alpine resort with an airport. Hotham also remains the only ski field in Australia to offer dog sledding, so strap yourself in and enjoy the ride.

Mt Buller
Only three hours northeast of Melbourne, Buller has a much younger feel – probably because it’s the only resort to extend its “kids pricing” tickets all the way through to Year 12 (a great move that should really be taken on by the other big players), and at just $54 for a kid’s day pass and $99 adults, that’s insanely good value.

A lot of its accommodation packages also contain that all-important “Kids Stay Free” rider, which helps the hip pocket enormously. So with that, plus the largest lifting system in Victoria, more on-mountain beds than any other Victorian resort and a tonne of eating and drinking options, Mt Buller is very hard to beat for an all-round great on-snow experience.


Mt Baw Baw
Mt Baw Baw is just 150km east of Melbourne, so for city slickers this is what skiing in other snow-blessed countries must be like: hop in the car for a leisurely drive to the ski fields; stay or drive home the very same day.

The emphasis here is on “accessible and affordable”, so be sure to make good use of the inexpensive lodges and apartments clustered around the small village centre (the solitary hotel houses a backpackers dorm and weekly Foozball comps).


Perisher
The largest ski resort in the southern hemisphere, and the adopted training ground of golden girl Torah Bright, Perisher is a playground for all ages and all types of snow sports, allowing you to ski, board, tube, snowshoe or skidoo across seven mountain peaks, the highest reaching 2054m. And this year things might get very interesting at Front Valley on Australia’s only Superpipe: the best three-minute video of jumps, tricks and twists filmed on the pipe and PlayStation Slopestyle course will win $5000 in Coca-Cola’s annual “Tube My Ride” comp.

And we simply cannot write about Perisher without recommending perennial AT favourite Moonbah Hut (www.moonbahhut.com), nestled on the edge of a lake near Jindabyne, as a place to stay. For a completely different way to experience a trip to the snowfields, you simply must check it out.


Thredbo
The rivalry between Thredbo and Perisher has traditionally been fierce, primarily due to proximity, since the resorts offer such different on-mountain experiences. Thredbo sits lower than Perisher but still has 480 hectares of good riding, and while Perisher village might be whirling in snow, Thredbo can often be a wind-free haven. They’ve also reached into the coffers to completely overall their hire equipment, which means shiny new skis, boards and boots for all ages and skill levels.