With 14 lifts providing access to 92 runs, Falls Creek is Victoria’s largest ski resort. But aside from its ski fields, the resort is also known for its ski-in/ski-out village, featuring more than a dozen restaurants, cafés and bars and no less than three day spas. After a day on the slopes, visit one of them to indulge or be pampered. Or simply curl up with a warm beverage in front of a communal lobby or your own fire. In summer, when the snow melts, the resort’s other activities begin and the park is taken over by mountain bikers, hikers and trail runners eager to take advantage of the area’s crowd-free, hilly terrain. Because while the skiing and snowboarding in Falls Creek are fabulous, the resort and its surroundings truly do offer so much more.
The closest airport to Falls Creek is Albury Airport, which runs flights daily from Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra. From the airport, it’s a two-hour drive to Falls Creek. From Sydney, it’s a 7.5-hour drive. From Melbourne, 4.5 hours. And from Canberra, five hours. Note that snow chains are a legal requirement for all vehicles – even 4WDs – entering the resort area during the snow season.
Rather not drive yourself? Falls Bus organises buses and trains from Albury Airport, Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide. Falls Creek Coach Services has regular buses to Falls Creek from Melbourne, Tullamarine Airport, Albury, Mt Beauty and Albury Airport.
The official snow season at Falls Creek runs from the Queen’s Birthday weekend in June through to the start of October. The peak season (July and August) is when the area receives the most snowfall with it easing up in the mid-season (early September) and low season (late September). Check the official Falls Creek Snow Report for snow conditions. Summers here are warm with highs of 19 degrees Celsius.
Falls Creek is a haven for snow-sport lovers with 450 hectares of skiable terrain. Book your lift tickets to be loaded onto your Snow Pass Card ahead of time online. And while you can rent equipment separately from stores including Yogi’s Ski & Snowboard Hire, Rays Ski Shop and Snowrider Rentals, you’ll save when bundling the hire – and lessons from the Snowsports School, if needed – into a ski package. Book seven or more days in advance and you’ll save even more. An Epic Australia Pass also includes access to Hotham and Perisher.
Falls Creek is well-known for its cross-country skiing with 65 kilometres of groomed trails. Here you can learn to skate on snow, telemark ski (a cross between nordic and alpine skiing) or hike in snowshoes. Whatever your cross-country style or level, Falls Creek has a track to suit. Check the Daily XC Report online for conditions.
With Falls Creek Mountain Bike Park home to 21 trails and convenient shuttles to help you to get to them, it’s easy to see why the area is so attractive to mountain bikers. Bring your own bike or hire one from Blue Dirt Mountain Bike Hire who also provide mountain bike lessons. Check the MTB Trails Report for trail conditions beforehand.
Road cycling, hiking and trail running, and watersports like kayaking, sailing and fishing are also activity options in summer. Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing is a 37-kilometre-long, three-day hike through the Alpine National Park from Falls Creek to ski resort Mt Hotham.
The Aqueduct Trail, a flat trail, is the starting point for many of the area’s hikes. It can easily be accessed from the village, following Ory’s Trail opposite Milch Café. For water views, hike Rocky Valley Lake, Falls Creek Falls and Wishing Well. More information on walks in Falls Creeks here. Ropers Lookout, Wallaces Heritage Trail and Mt Cope are also worth doing.
For kids aged three to five, Falls Creeks’ Snowclub aims to get your toddler comfortable on the snow early on so that they can then go on to become more confident skiers and snowboarders. Be sure to dress them in warm layers, ski socks and waterproof mittens or gloves, as well as all their correctly-fitted ski gear. The resort’s Junior Workshop, for kids aged six to 14, includes lessons, lunch and a lift pass.
Like at any other ski resort, accommodation rates in Falls Creek vary greatly depending on whether or not you’re travelling within the snow season. With that in mind, if you’re looking to visit outside of the snow season and don’t want to spend big, it’s still worth looking into luxury accommodation as it could be priced at a fraction of the usual rate.
QT Falls Creek is a quirky boutique hotel with apartments of one bedroom to three. Elk at Falls boasts apartments and suites, including a three-bedroom penthouse and four-bedroom sub-penthouse, both with a kitchen and dining area. And Astra Falls Creek has a ski and boot room, conveniently equipped with a heated changing room and a direct lift to your room. For a private, sumptuous stay, slip into one of the two apartments or the penthouse at Konayuki, all with hydronic underfloor heating, dark oak floorboards and marble and dolomite throughout.
For on-snow accommodation, book a self-contained village-inspired chalet or apartment at Frueauf Village, many with their own hot tub and sauna. Falls Creek Country Club has 68 apartments, ranging from standard to suites and penthouses. And Diana Alpine Lodge features a communal lounge and fireplace, a hydrotherapy spa overlooking the snow and an infrared sauna. Lakeside Falls Creek, Pretty Valley Alpine Lodge, Falls Creek Hotel and Cedarwood Apartments are also all in convenient ski in/ski out locations.
Off-mountain, you’ll find plenty of hotels, apartments and holiday homes in nearby towns Bright, Mount Beauty and Tawonga.
Dispersed camping is allowed in most areas of the Alpine National Park, though there are several dedicated campgrounds with facilities. Pretty Valley Horse Yards, Hut and Camping Area overlooks picturesque Pretty Valley and has roughly 20 tent spaces and a handful of caravan spots. Edmondson Hut Camping Area, Raspberry Hill Picnic & Camping Area and Tawonga Huts Camping Area are also within the park. Use the Parks Victoria site to find your ideal campsite.
As far as ski resorts in Australia go, Falls Creek has a surprising amount of restaurants. In the heart of the village is Bob Sugar at Elk Falls Creek with a cosy fireplace and Asian-fusion food theme. Also in the village, Someplace Else Bar also does Asian-fusion, alongside small and big dishes of seafood. And Cloud 9 serves pizzas, wood-fired roasts and hearty, comfort foods.
Huski has similar chic interiors to the rental apartments above it. Feathertop Restaurant + Bar has a menu that’s modern Australian with dishes cooked from scratch and made with fresh, local produce. Other popular eateries are Milch Café Bar, Frying Pan Inn, The Last Hoot, The Chophouse and Attunga Bar & Restaurant. In Falls Creek, there really is no reason to ever be hungry.
For a real treat, book a scenic, lunch or winery hop flight with Alpine Helicopters. Leaving from Albury Airport or Mount Beauty, the trip will see you taking in stunning aerial views. The Heli-Hop flights let you ski or board two mountains in one day.
Prefer to stay grounded? Explore the backcountry of Falls Creek and take in views of Mt McKay, The Summit, Frying Pan Spur and Ruined Castle with Snowmobile Tours. Or hop on an e-bike to see the area’s hidden valley with Falls Creek Guides.
In summer, Diana Alpine Lodge organises retreats and experiences such as a women-only bike workshop, a ‘bikes bed beer’ weekender and an alpine wellness weekend, designed to give you the time and tools to re-connect with your body.
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