When you think of holiday In Australia, you might immediately conjure up ideas of white sand beaches, surfing the waves, and swimming over tropical reefs. However, that doesn’t always have to be your holiday choice locale, especially in the winter time. There are many winter getaways with cooler temperatures that offer white powder skiing instead of white sand beaches, skiing snowy slopes rather than surfing the waves, and swimming in warm hot tubs instead of tropical oceans. We are exploring the top 10 ski resorts in Australia. In part one, we covered the first five resorts on our list: Thredbo, Mt. Buller, Mt. Hotham, Mt. Perisher, and Falls Creek. Now we will be covering the Selwyn Snowfields, Charlotte Pass, Mt. Baw Baw, Mt. Buffalo, and Cradle Mountain ski resorts in this second part.
Australian Ski Resort Map Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Kosciuszko Main Range photo credit: Wikipedia
Hiring a Car for Your Ski Trip in Australia
Alpine National Park Car Hire Map Photo Credit: Budget.com.au
Kosciuszko National Park Car Hire Map Photo Credit: Budget.com.au
Convenient car hire locations are available no matter which Australian ski resort you decide to make your holiday destination. The ski resorts on our top 10 list are in Victoria, New South Wales, and Canberra in Australian Capital Territory, with one location in Tasmania. We will highlight specific car hire locations near each location so that you can make your plans accordingly. Always remember to discuss your route and destination with your car rental agent so that he or she can supply you with accurate maps, safety driving tips, and any safety regulations that apply. Many car hire locations restrict driving in snow, or when mountain weather conditions pose safety risks, so pay attention to those directives and stay safe! The main hubs for hiring a car to get you to ski resort locations include Sydney, Melbourne, and Canberra. We previously wrote about Jindabyne and the Snowy Mountains, which contains some specific details and information on some of the ski resorts we will also be covering in this blog post. Also see Kosciuszko National Park, Alpine National Park, and the Australian Alps National Park.
Selwyn Snowfields Resort – Kosciuszko National Park
Kosciuszko National Park Map from Melbourne Photo Credit: Google Maps
Kosciuszko National Park Map from Sydney Photo Credit: Google Maps
Selwyn Snowfields photo credit: Wikipedia
Selwyn Snowfields Photo Credit: SelwynSnow.com.au
Selwyn Snowfields Resort is located in Kosciuszko National Park, home to quite a few of the best ski resorts on our list. Kosciuszko National Park is located in in Kosciuszko National Park. It is in New South Wales and lies in between Sydney and Melbourne. For nearby car hire locations, you could choose Sydney or Melbourne, but if you are coming from the west or flying into nearby smaller airports, you can hire a car at the Albury Airport or hire a car at the Wagga Wagga Airport. It is also only a two hour drive from Canberra. In addition to some great skiing, you can go tobogganing, snow tubing, or learn to ski in the terrain park. Cross country skiers love the 45 km stretch of snow here. The highest elevation is at 1,614 metres.
Charlotte Pass – Alpine National Park
Alpine National Park from Melbourne Photo Credit: Google Maps
Charlotte Pass: Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Charlotte Pass is a smaller resort that is great for families. It has the most consistent natural snowfall in Australia so it is completely covered in snow during the winter and usually has snow all year long. For nearby car hire locations, you could choose Sydney or Melbourne, but if you are coming from the west or flying into nearby smaller airports, you can hire a car at the Albury Airport or hire a car at the Wagga Wagga Airport. It is also only close to Canberra. The ski resort and village is located at the base of Kangaroo Ridge, which is the highest permanent settlement in Australia. It is the oldest ski resort in Australia and is also the coldest location in all of Australia. The elevation at Charlotte Pass is 1,760 metres high. The skiing is great with all the fresh powder and cold conditions. The variety of accommodations at the resort include boutique Kosciuszko Chalet hotel or club lodges.
Mt. Baw Baw – Baw Baw National Park
Mt. Baw Baw National Park Map Photo Credit: Google Maps
Skiing at Mt. Baw Baw Photo Credit: MountBawBaw.com.au
View of Gippsland from Mt. Baw Baw peak photo credit: Wikipedia
Mt. Baw Baw is the closest ski resort to Melbourne, so it is a popular excursion for locals or tourists on holiday that want to experience the city as well as the mountains. It is in Victoria and only 120 km away. You can hire a car in Melbourne; and there are other nearby car hire locations including Bairnsdale, Sale, Traralgon, or Warragul. Mt. Baw Baw is located in Mt. Baw Baw National Park and features 10 kilometres of cross-country ski trails; plus small flat boxes, combo boxes, rails, and jibs. The resort is very family friendly, their ski packages include special pricing for kids and families and the terrain is ideal for a variety of sports in addition to downhill and cross country skiing. Popular activities include snowboarding, tobogganing, terrain parks, biking, and bushwalking.
Mt. Buffalo – Mount Buffalo National Park
Mount Buffalo National Park from Melbourne Photo Credit: Google Maps
Mount Buffalo National Park from Sydney Photo Credit: Google Maps
Mount Buffalo Plateau photo credit: Wikipedia
Mount Buffalo National Park photo credit: TheAustralianAlps.wordpress.com
Mt. Buffalo National Park is located in Victoria and is one of the oldest national parks in the state. It situated near Mt. Hotham and Falls Creek, which make it a great destination for excursions from some of the larger resorts nearby. Mt. Buffalo’s ski resorts offer a great place for families and beginners to learn or get some practice. Mt. Buffalo is part of the Australian Alps and in addition to skiing, there are so many things to do while visiting this national park including snow shoe tours, camping, rafting, biking, bushwalking, rock climbing, abseiling, and four-wheel drive tours. For nearby car hire locations, you could choose Sydney or Melbourne, but if you are coming from the west or flying into nearby smaller airports, you can hire a car at the Albury Airport or hire a car at the Wagga Wagga Airport. It is also close to Canberra.
Cradle Mountain – Cradle Mountain – Lake St. Clair National Park
Cradle Mountain view from Dove Lake Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Cradle Mountain Summit Photo Credit: Wikipedia
Tasmania Car Hire Map Photo Credit: Budget.com.au
Cradle Mountain is located in Tasmania and is the highest peak in Cradle Mountain – Lake St. Clair National Park. When it comes to skiing, you may not think of Tasmania, but this peak made the list because it is a ski adventurer’s dream. This “ski resort” is one for the nature enthusiast because nature is exactly where you will be staying. Accommodations include bush camping. This is definitely not for beginners and there are no ski facilities or lifts here. Cradle Mountain is marked with rugged terrain and is off the beaten track. You must take the 45 minute hike to the summit in order to access the bowl in the back. Once there, it is just you and the natural surroundings. Getting to Cradle Mountain is part of the adventure in itself. For more tips on spending an adventurous holiday in Cradle Mountain – Lake St. Clair National Park, check out our previous blog post all about travelling and hiking through this amazing and mostly uncharted territory. There are two nearby car hire locations in Tasmania. Davenport is the city where you can hire a car at the Davenport Airport or rent a car at the Davenport Ferry location, which is where the ferry comes in from the mainland. Alternatively, you can hire a car in the city of Launceston and there is also a car hire location at the Launceston Airport.