Think of skiing and you probably don't think immediately of Australia -- a massive country of deserts, beaches and bush country. However, Australia has a skiing season in the antipodean winter -- June through October -- and ski resorts in Tasmania, New South Wales and Victoria offer skiing on natural or human-made snow. By packaging your accommodations, lift tickets and ski rental, you can save on the overall cost of an Australian ski trip.
Destinations
Australia does not have a particularly snowy climate, so the skiing destinations available in Australia are at higher elevations. Thredbo Alpine Village is a high-altitude resort on Mount Kosciuszko in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales. Jindabyne is a lakeside ski resort also in the NSW Snowy Mountains. Perisher Ski Resort is also situated in the Snowy Mountains range, and is in the Kosciuszko National Park. Selwyn Snowfields is a resort without slopeside accommodation, located 5-1/2 hours from Sydney and 2-1/2 hours from Wagga Wagga. Falls Creek Ski Resort is in the Victorian Alps region of Australia.
Season
According to the Australian government's Bureau of Meteorology, areas above 1,500 m usually have sufficient snow for the Australian ski industry to be viable. As of January 2011, all the Australian ski resorts have facilities for making snow artificially. The skiing season in Australia typically runs from June to October.
Packages
For many Australian ski resorts, you can purchase a ski package through a consolidator. Typically, such a package will include accommodation and ski lift passes at your chosen resort. Optional extras include ski equipment rental, lessons for beginner skiers, and travel to the resort area. Regulations concerning the maximum number of people allowed to sleep in each accommodation unit are enforced for reasons of fire safety. Some accommodations at the different resorts is self-catering so you can prepare your own food.
Prices
Prices of Australian ski packages vary according to the resort, quality of accommodation and the inclusion of extras. In January 2011, packages to the Perisher resort were on sale from $1,424 per person for a five-night stay. This package includes accommodation, dinners and breakfasts, a lift pass, ski rental and a $35 bar tab. Packages to the Thredbo resort are typically a little cheaper, with a comparable five-night package available from $1,689 for two people in the low season.
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