Since falling hard for Thredbo on a snow trip more than a decade ago, I’ve become a passionate advocate for Australia’s own winter wonderland.
Regrettably, I was a latecomer to snow holidays and their affiliated joys. While I’d always longed to frolic in water’s crystalline form, circumstance and a northern coastal upbringing kept me away until my mid-twenties.
By then, film-fuelled notions of knitted Fair Isle jumpers, mulled wine sipped by log fires and pine-hemmed gingerbread houses dusted in sugary snow were hard-set in my mind as benchmarks for wintry beauty.
First impressions
So, when in the early bloom of a new relationship, my then-boyfriend (spoiler: now husband) took me to Thredbo, expectations were high.
This must be true love and surely will unlock new levels of romance. There will be cute beanies, mountaintop embraces and I will, of course, be fabulous at snowboarding, impressing with my obvious agility.
I was unprepared for two things. First, a new nemesis in the form of chairlifts (more on that later). Second, the astonishing loveliness of the Australian snowfields, which was not at all the cliché I had in my mind. If you’ve been to Thredbo, you know that winding down into the valley through the Snowy Mountains from Jindabyne is a rush of anticipation that reveals a wildly undersold and, I personally think, under-celebrated landscape.
Light bounces from the snow-cloaked gum trees, glinting and winking with the promise of smooth, white runs beyond. Streams trickle icily between soft alabaster banks, where sturdy, native grasses emerge like an echidna’s spikes. Beyond, chairlifts festoon the mountainside, their passengers dangling their heavy-booted legs as they chat excitedly about their next descent.
As the Snowies rise up behind forests of eucalypts, lit by the unmistakable vibrancy of an antipodean sun, the landscape is oddly foreign yet entirely familiar. We’re unaccustomed to seeing our sunburnt country soothed by a fluffy, white quilt, tucked into the corners of soaring mountain ranges, and so this scene has a wonderfully, almost surreal quality. It’s for that reason that I believe Thredbo is amply worthy of a visit.
Naturally, there are other reasons, too. Not least the fact that this is a snow holiday that many east coasters can reasonably drive to – no passports or planes required. You also needn’t ski or snowboard to enjoy a winter interlude, as there’s so much amenity and activity built into the season’s calendar, from events and tours to gentle gondola rides and dinners at Eagles Nest, the highest restaurant in Australia.
Why Thredbo needs to be on your winter hit list
Since that first trip to Thredbo, when I fell in love with this pocket of NSW (and aforementioned future-husband), I’ve been surprised by how often people opt to travel overseas instead of coming here.
Granted, the season is short and competes with a European summer for the holiday time slot, but here falls snow – in your own backyard. It’s utterly worthy of a mini-break. Yes, it can cost a bit if you’re comparing apples to oranges and looking at lift passes overseas, where the seasons are much longer and more populated. But there are also bird specials and budget-friendly options. And things start to level out when you remember that you’re not paying for an overseas airfare.
Back to those ski lifts, which, while repeatedly defeating me also fast-tracked my new relationship. Not to greater levels of romance, mind you, but rather comfortability, as I never once dismounted with any shred of dignity. All pretence of sporting prowess was swiftly bulldozed and so aching was my body from the effort to remain upright on a snowboard that romance was sidelined in favour of beer at the end of the day. It was a good time.
Memory making adventures
Fourteen years later, the relationship has endured, as have my fond memories of that first Thredbo trip. I didn’t want the resulting humans of that union to miss out on childhood snow times like I did, so we piled into the car and drove to the snow. Because, you know, you can do that in Australia.
As it turns out, my inability to exit a chairlift without skidding into a jumble of limbs has also endured. So, I enlisted the help of an instructor who gallantly persevered with my tuition as I maintained my spotless record of crashing out of the chair and into nearby snow-goers. It didn’t matter to me that my skill level hadn’t changed, what mattered was that Thredbo hadn’t changed. It was still the wonderland I remembered. A playground of otherworldly beauty where the Australian bush is marshmallowed with pillowy snow and the landscape captivates from the flats to white-dipped peaks.
Still, in an effort to bypass any genetic lack of coordination, I enrolled my five-year-old son into Burton Riglets, the fantastic snowboarding school at Thredboland , which is set in the snowy playpen of Friday Flat. To the delight of my snow-sport enthusiast husband, the kid seemed a natural. But what I enjoyed most was watching his little face illuminate with sheer joy as his small hand formed around his first-ever snowball – which he then pegged with alarming accuracy and a questionable level of glee at his two-year-old sister.
Freeze that image there, because if you’re a parent, that’s another reason why you should snow in Oz. Would I take two kids, one of them a toddler, on an international flight lugging snowboard bags and all manner of paraphernalia required to placate the ludicrous demands of children? Nope. But I can throw it all in the car and park directly at the snowfields. Even if you’re unencumbered by dependants, Thredbo is easy, beautiful and utterly magical. There’s nothing like seeing our dusty-green Australian bush softened by shimmering snowflakes. It’s enough to make you fall in love.
Where to stay in Thredbo
THREDBO ALPINE HOTEL
Lean into the ski village vibes at Thredbo Alpine Hotel with its chalet-style wood-panelled walls, easy access to lifts and cosy fireside bar.
THREDBO ALPINE APARTMENTS
Great for groups, these self-contained village abodes make an ideal base for breaks in snow pursuits. Access to the Kosciuszko Express Chairlift is via a pedestrian bridge and you can easily shuttle to Friday Flat.
JINDABYNE
It’s just a 30-minute drive from Jindabyne to Thredbo, making the town a great and affordable place to stay with plenty of accommodation options.
What to do in Thredbo
THREDBOLAND
Thredboland on Friday Flat is where skiing and snowboarding lessons for the young begin. The Snowsports School also caters to adults with private one-on-one or group lessons from beginners to advanced.
ON-MOUNTAIN EXPERIENCES
Each season, Thredbo launches its series of special experiences, from tours to dinners – don’t miss the four-course dinner at Kareela Hutte .
SATURDAY FIREWORKS
Coinciding with the adult flare run every Saturday is the fireworks display , which illuminates the ski fields with kaleidoscopic colour.
Where to eat and drink in Thredbo
MERRITTS MOUNTAIN HOUSE
Take the Merritts gondola for a good time with delicious fare and live music on the deck.
THE DENMAN
Set the mood to romance at The Denman ’s casual but elegant Terrace Restaurant in the village. Stop by the bar first to recount the day’s triumphs before settling in for a well-finessed meal.
Good to know
Get a jump on your holiday and book the early bird specials , which are released ahead of the opening season and offer significant discounts. Be mindful that opening week can be a risky time to go if snowfall hasn’t been abundant, so be prepared to just enjoy the beauty of the Snowies and the village vibe.
