This post was originally published on A Globe Well Travelled in 2019. The content has been revised and updated with fresh information.
With an international reputation as a hot country filled with desert and lined with beaches, it can be a surprise to learn that Australia has an impressive set of snow-covered mountains, too.
There are a handful of places to go skiing in Australia, mostly located in the southeast corner of the country where the Great Dividing Range cuts through the states of Victoria and New South Wales. When Australians decide to take a trip to these parts, we affectionately refer to it as “going to the snow” as this really is the only destination to see white-capped mountains on the Australian mainland.
I’ve now visited three of Australia’s ski resorts: Mt Buller in the state of Victoria, where I learned to ski with my family at the age of 13, and more recently Perisher and Thredbo, where I had much more adult versions of a weekend on the slopes (including the full après ski experience with numerous espresso martinis) with my husband and our friends.
Quick summary:
In this post, I address FAQs for planning a winter getaway to the NSW Snowy Mountains from Sydney, including how to get to Perisher or Thredbo, where to stay, tips for gear rental, and how to buy lift passes.
Where to stay:
🛏️ Cottonwood Motel, Berridale ($) – Budget-friendly motel about 40 minutes from the ski fields.
🏞️ Horizons Lake Jindabyne ($$) – Mid-range option in the main ski town just 20 minutes from Perisher.
🏔️ Man From Snowy River Hotel, Perisher ($$$) – Ski-in, ski-out convenience right on the slopes.
🎿 The River Inn Thredbo ($$) – Ski-in, ski-out hotel with a prime location next to the Gunbarrel chairlift.
Recommended tours:
❄️ 1-Day Perisher Snow Tour from Sydney – Perfect for time-poor travellers, this overnight return tour lets you sleep on the bus and wake up ready to ski.
🎿 1-Day Thredbo Snow Tour from Sydney – Another solid option for a quick snow fix, including return transport and a full day on the slopes.
S – Sydney
C – Canberra
B – Berridale
J – Jindabyne
P – Perisher Valley
T – Thredbo
Perisher vs Thredbo: Which to choose?
Both Perisher and Thredbo are great options for a ski trip, but they offer slightly different vibes.
Perisher is the largest ski resort in the Southern Hemisphere, with more terrain, more lifts, and generally more variety—ideal for intermediate to advanced skiers or those looking to explore. Perisher has that epic “big resort” energy. If you’re planning on spending more than two days at the snow, Perisher might be the way to go.
Thredbo is smaller but more compact, with a proper village atmosphere, great beginner slopes, and Australia’s longest ski run. If it’s your first time on the snow, Thredbo might feel a little more approachable. I’ve spent less time at Thredbo than I have at Perisher, but I wouldn’t say it’s any less enjoyable – it’s just a bit smaller.
Is it possible to visit the snow in a day trip from Sydney?
The short answer is yes, but it takes about five hours to drive to the Snowy Mountains from Sydney, so most travellers will choose to travel down in the afternoon or evening, then stay overnight and hit the slopes the next morning. We often stay for three nights and get a 2-day lift pass to maximise our ski time.
If you’re really strapped for time and only have a day to spare, I’d recommend booking a tour so that you don’t have to manage the 10 hours of driving on your own. Day tours will often depart in the evening and drive down overnight, so you can sleep on the bus and wake up at the ski fields the next morning for a full day on the slopes.
When is the best time to go skiing in Australia?
Australian winter is from June to August, but the ski season at the Snowy Mountains is generally between two New South Wales public holidays – starting on the King’s Birthday long weekend (mid June) and ending on the Labour Day long weekend (early October). The best time to ski in Australia is usually in August, however the conditions do vary year by year.
Altitudes at Perisher range from 1640 metres to 2054 metres. The resort has 12.45 sq kms (1245 ha) of skiable area, 47 lifts from rope tows to high-speed chairlifts, and 240 snow guns that build on the natural snow cover overnight.
Where to stay in the Snowy Mountains?
Perisher Valley accommodation
Perisher Valley has a handful of NSW ski resorts that are located on the snow, such as the Marritz Hotel or the Man From Snowy River Hotel. Of course these ski village hotels are generally pretty pricey at around $400-$1000 per night, but they are also super convenient if you don’t want to be commuting between the nearby towns and the ski fields every day.
Thredbo Village accommodation
If you’re planning to ski at Thredbo, staying in the village itself is the most convenient option—everything is walkable and you’ll be right near the lifts, restaurants, and après-ski spots. Accommodation in Thredbo Village tends to be pricey and books out quickly during peak season, so make your reservations well in advance.
If you’re after a budget-friendly stay, YHA Thredbo is a great hostel-style option right in the heart of the village, with private and dorm rooms available. For something central and comfortable, The River Inn Thredbo offers ski-in, ski-out access with easy slope entry near the Gunbarrel chairlift.
Jindabyne accommodation
Most people who are heading to the snow choose to stay in the town of Jindabyne. This is the closest major town to the ski fields (a 20-minute drive) and is a popular spot for the thousands of skiers and snowboarders that come through each winter. The town has loads of accommodation options, and while it’s cheaper to stay here than on the slopes at Perisher Valley, it’s still not entirely budget-friendly.
A few more budget-friendly options would be Vikas Jindabyne or Horizons Lake Jindabyne which have simple hotel-style rooms.
Berridale accommodation
Seeing as Rob and I had a rental car, we decided to stay a little further out in the town of Berridale. It did take some extra effort to drive to the ski fields each day (a 40-minute drive each way) but we did save loads on the accommodation costs for our three night stay. We chose to stay at Cottonwood Motel, which was a simple but nice motel filled almost entirely with fellow skiiers!
How to get to the Snowy Mountains?
The options for getting to the Snowy Mountains from Sydney include driving, hopping on a group tour, getting a bus transfer, or a regional flight + renting a vehicle. We choose to drive as this option gives us the most flexibility, but I’ll give you an overview of all four options.
Driving to the Snowy Mountains
If you’re comfortable with driving in Australia, this option is a great option for getting to the Snowy Mountains. Rob and I usually depart Sydney in the morning then begin the drive, breaking up the journey with stops in Canberra for lunch and Cooma to stretch our legs along the way. If you’re looking to drive for this adventure but don’t have a car available, Redspot car rentals are a great option as you can rent a 4WD vehicle that is perfect for traversing the snowy terrain in alpine areas.
Bus transfers to the Snowy Mountains
If you want to travel independently, you can book a bus transfer and organise your own accommodation. Greyhound Australia has a Snow Express bus service that departs from Sydney Central Station to the Snowy Mountains (via Canberra). This leaves daily at 7AM and takes 6 hours and 45 minutes to get to Jindabyne, or you can take the bus straight to the ski fields. Murrays also offer a similar bus service that will take you from Sydney to the Snowy Mountains.
Flying to the Snowy Mountains
Regional Express Airlines offers flights to Snowy Mountains (Cooma) airport, which is a 50-minute drive from the ski fields. The flight takes 1-hour and costs anywhere between $150-$350 each way. On arrival there are a handful of transport options for onwards travel, including car rental or private bus transfers. This is definitely the most expensive way to get to the Snowy Mountains, so not many people will choose to fly.
How to access the ski fields?
Getting to the ski fields at Perisher and Thredbo might be somewhat confusing for those of you who haven’t done it before. Here are the drive and bus options:
Drive to Perisher Valley or Thredbo
Perisher Valley has an access road which takes around 30 minutes to drive up from Jindabyne. It does require cars to carry snow chains at all times during the winter season. As the ski field is within Kosciuszko National Park, this option also means that you must pay the daily $25 per vehicle fee for entering the national park. The resort itself has limited parking, so this is probably only a good option if you plan to arrive at the resort early in the day, or alternatively late in the day once some people have left after lunch.
Driving to Thredbo is actually a lot easier. It’s about 30 minutes along Alpine Way from Jindabyne to Thredbo, and while the road can get icy in the winter, does not go to high altitudes like the one to Perisher Valley so it’s less likely to be covered in snow. There are multiple large parking lots at Thredbo with a free and frequent shuttle buses that will take you (and your gear) from your parking lot to the resort entrance.
Drive to Bullocks Flat for the Skitube to Perisher
The alternative way to access Perisher (and this is by far the most popular option) is taking the Skitube alpine railway from Bullocks Flat. There is loads of free parking here where you can leave your car for the day. Once you find a spot, you’ll just need to carry your ski gear to the terminal then catch the train directly to the ski resort.
The Skitube is quite an adventure in itself – the train is a rack-railway that takes you through a long tunnel under the mountain and drops you off at the base of the ski field. When you get off at Perisher Valley terminal, it’s only a short walk to the chairlifts where you can hop on to your skis and hit the slopes.
Tickets for the Skitube can be purchased with Perisher lift passes. It’s not particularly cheap, but there’s no denying that it’s convenient. The ticket price also includes the national park fee, so you don’t have to pay for your vehicle to enter the park.
Get a bus transfer from Jindabyne to Perisher Valley or Thredbo
There are daily bus transfers from accommodation in Jindabyne to the ski fields. Snowy Mountains Shuttles, Cooma Coaches, and Alpine Charters all offer shuttle services.
I tried the relatively new Snowy Mountains Bus Service with Cooma Coaches for the first time during the winter 2024 season, and I have to say, I thought it was great! They have departures from the Tourist Information Centre in Jindabyne approximately every half hour throughout the morning, with a similar frequency coming back throughout the afternoon. It was so much cheaper than the Skitube and it dropped me off right outside the Skitube terminal at Perisher Valley.
Where to hire ski gear?
We chose to go with Jindy Snow in East Jindabyne to rent our skis, boots, and poles. The store was easy to access on our way to the slopes, their service was great, and there was a nice cafe next door where we could grab our essential morning coffees. We paid $64 each for our 3-day hire – make sure you book online as you’ll get a 20% discount on your rates!
If you’d prefer to collect ski gear from Jindabyne, there are loads of options – just do a Google Maps search for ski hire in Jindabyne and you can compare a range of outlets.
There is also the option of hiring your gear from Bullocks Flat or Perisher Valley, which can be added on to your lift pass purchase. These options are obviously more expensive at around twice the price of the Jindabyne outlets, but the location is convenient and you might also be able to avoid lugging your ski gear to and from the slopes each day.
Where to purchase ski gear?
Seeing as Rob and I have made a habit of making this an annual ski trip from Sydney, we decided to purchase our own gear so that we don’t have to keep hiring. There are tons of places in Jindabyne or even at the ski resorts to purchase gear, however, you’ll probably end up paying a premium at these popular locations.
We both ended up purchasing our skis/snowboard from Rhythm Snowsports in Cooma, which is about 45 minutes drive out of Jindabyne on the way from Canberra. We had really good experiences with this shop and they have knowledgable staff who are happy to help you get exactly the right gear for your needs. They also give you a free board/ski wax every year on your way to the slopes! Highly recommend this place.
How to buy ski lift passes?
You can buy Perisher lift passes on their website. If you purchase them in advance, the tickets are discounted. If you buy the lift passes on-site, expect to pay up to 30% more. The passes can be collected from a counter at Bullocks Flat terminal or at Perisher Valley.
It’s important to consider whether you will be using the Skitube when booking your Perisher lift passes. The tickets are added on as an extra when you proceed through the checkout.
You will also be prompted to add on a Perisher Card through the checkout process. This card is for first timers to Perisher who have not purchased a lift pass previously. If this is you, then you will have to pay the $5 for a Perisher Card.
The process for buying Thredbo lift passes is much the same as it is for Perisher.
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