Snowy Mountains
Ski and snowboard at Perisher ski resort, which has 47 lifts and the Skitube Alpine Railway. Tube Town has grooved runs for inflated tubes. There’s a restaurant and cosy bars at the Man from Snowy Mountains Hotel in Perisher. Thredbo has Australia’s longest ski runs, while Charlotte Pass is Australia’s highest village.
The region also produces fresh food and cool-climate wines, including award-winning sparkling wines at Courabyra vineyard. Jindabyne is a popular spot to stay where you’ll find nightlife and shopping. On the scenic Alpine Way, halfway between Thredbo and Jindabyne, call at Wildbrumby Schnapps Distillery, which also has a café.
Mount Kosciuszko - Australia's highest mountain
Australia’s highest peaks are in the Snowy Mountains, where there’s thrilling downhill skiing and snowboarding during the snow season. Lively towns and resorts in this alpine region in southwest NSW are also popular destinations in warmer months for hiking, horseriding, kayaking and fishing.
The alpine region is the backdrop for Australian poet Banjo Paterson’s epic The Man from Snowy River. There are four resorts in the Kosciuszko National Park, which is named after Australia’s highest peak.
Perisher is the Southern Hemisphere’s biggest resort and part of the Epic International ski pass organisation. The other resorts are Thredbo, Charlotte Pass and Selwyn, and there are accommodation options at each to suit a range of budgets. Skiing trips depart Sydney in the snow season, which runs from June to October, with July and August the most popular.
There’s ski school for children and adult beginners, and exhilarating runs for advanced skiers and snowboarders. You can rent skis, snowboards, boots and all other equipment.
The Snowy Mountains are a great destination out of the ski season with trails to suit walkers of all abilities. There’s trout fishing in beautiful mountain lakes and rivers, or you can go horseriding along mountains tracks with operators such as Snowy River Horseback Adventure.
The Snowy Valleys Way is a popular driving route in the region. Travel from Sydney by car or bus to the Snowy Mountains. You can also fly from Sydney to Canberra, where you a rent a car or board a bus.