Snowy Mountains , New South wales, Australia

Snowy Mountains Overview

The Snowy Mountains is the 'winter playground' of New South Wales and is located approximately midway between Sydney and Melbourne, just south of Canberra.

Although it often surprise overseas visitors, it does snow in parts of Australia and there is a healthy and respectable ski season.

The Snowy Mountains or 'the snow' as Australians fondly call the region, includes the Kosciusko National Park and is home to the NSW winter ski resorts of Perisher Blue, Thredbo, Smiggin Holes, Blue Cow, Selwyn Snowfields and Charlottes Pass.

To the north east lies Mt Selwyn which offers good family orientated skiingWeather permitting, the ski season usually lasts from June to August and often extends well into September and early October.

When the snow melts and skiing is adjourned until the season resumes, the Snowy Mountains offer so much more - bush walking, cycling, horse riding and water sports. For lovers of the great outdoors, the "snowies" will not disappoint, whatever the season .

The Kosciusko National Park was brought to life when the Snowy Mountain Hydro Electric Scheme, or 'Snowy River Scheme', was established as new roads made a once impassable terrain accessible.

The reserve (an area of approx 1,2450 sq. miles) is rich in rare plants and animals and offers a variety of landscapes and vegetation.

Thredbo Alpine Village

The Snowy Mountains prettiest and most stylish village and ski resort is Thredbo (which is also a great place to stay during the rest of the year).

Thredbo really does have an almost European Alpine village ambience complete with picturesque chalets perched on the mountainside, a pleasant mostly car free village centre and many hotels, restaurants, bars, boutiques, heated pool and gymnasium.

A toboggan ride is a fun addition to the activities in Thredbo and is located just along from the chairlift station.

The village, which is regarded as perhaps the more chic and luxurious of the Snowy Mountains resorts, offers excellent skiing with the longest ski runs in Australia

Thredbo has 50% more vertical skiing than any other Australian ski resort .

Thredbo has some dramatic, fast and steep runs and is probably for the more experienced skier although it does have a good selection of nursery and lower level slopes-Fridays Flat for example.

Chair and draglifts ascend from the ski centre including an exhilarating chairlift ride up towards Mt Kosciusko and the Eagles Nest Mountain Hut, Australia's highest restaurant at 1940m.

Mt Kosciusko stands at 2,228 metres and was named after a Polish patriot by the mountains’ discoverer.

The Ski Tube

The Snowy Mountains Ski Tube is an 8.5Km railway with over 6km of tunnel literally weaving its way through the mountain side to connect Alpine Way at Bullocks Flat near Thredbo to the Perisher Valley.

The Ski Tube was constructed primarily to improve access to the resorts of Perisher Blue etc in the Perisher Valley.

There are occasions where the Perisher Valley access road is impassable from Jindabyne and the only way to the resorts is to drive up Alpine Way to the Ski Tube station at Bullocks Flat.

It also allows visitors staying in Thredbo to ski in the Perisher Valley resorts and vice versa.