 Poster: A snowHead
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anywhere good to ski in Australia?
I'm gonna be in Sydney for a a couple of weeks and besides heading up to Cairns, thought I could get some snow in...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Yes
If you are in Sydney your closest skiing is in the Kosciusko national park - about 5.5 hours drive IIRC.... OR you can plane to Canberra and drive 2.5 hours or bus from Canberra to ski fields... (there is a shuttle if you want info ask me)
Resort Skiing - you have a choice of
1)Perisher Blue - which is a larger resort - but actually 3 separate that got merged.... I do not prefer this option as much of the time you are travelling (eg from one of the resorts to another) somewhere so you can ski...
or
2) Thredbo (my home resort - Ok I'm biased)... This is a little smaller but has the most vertical... also has some great tree skiing.... In general the runs are less open at Thredbo than Perisher - but if you can turn this should not be a problem 
Your other choice is out of resort (both resorts have off-piste skiing - anything not actually closed in the resort boundaries is OPEN... so do not stick to the marked runs - if fact Thredbo holds quite a bit larger leasehold than the area with runs)... If you want a guide or rental gear (skins, xc-skis, tele skis etc) then your best bet is Wilderness Sports in Jindabyne... also they are usually quite happy to help you and will sell maps, give weather help , advice on when you should probably not go and where you should avoid... NOTE - if you go out of resort without guide make sure you have the skills - you should be able to navigate well without sighting(eg in dark or whiteout) and build a snowcave...etc etc If you are intending to poo you SHOULD take a poo-tube and know how to use and empty same!!!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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ummm NO
Snowy mountains airport is about 1 hour from the resorts!!!
Canberra is a MUCH better bet
the resort shuttles will collect you from right outside the (very small) canberra airport...
Snowy mountains airport is in middle of NOWHERE.... nothing much there really... so getting onwards without a friend to come and collect could be "ineteresting" or EXPENSIVE
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Oh and you should be able to do Canberra very cheaply with Virgin Blue or Qantas...
I see that rex is now flying SMA - check the price - if you can do it alright then maybe - also check WHERE in sydney the rex flight departs from (some less regluar flights leave from funny locatuions - like airport 1 hour drive from city centre by car)
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GordonFreeman, I love skiing and I love Sydney - the one city in the world I really miss- spent about 18 months there - and think Thredbo is a great little hill. But it is a bit of a hike there, and if this is your only trip to Oz ever, I would do other things which Australia is the best in - and that isn't necessarily ski resorts. If however this is one of many visits you have made/plan to make, and the snow is good there (quite a short season isn't it little tiger, ?) go for it.
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stoatsbrother, agree completely....OZ is big land... and much to see/do.... but much travelling required....
This is a good snow season and skiing in the snowgums is a unique experience...
I suggest most northern hemisphere visitors schedule 4 weeks for a first tourist trip... in that time you can barely scratch the surface...
BTW - I hate Sydney... easily worst capital city in Oz... in fact not any worse cities in Oz I can think of.... it is like the Macdonalds of australia... fast - yep - tasty or healthy - NUP! The best bit about Sydney are the coasts and mountains around it - and you are better staying there than trying to commute from Sydney because that is a disaster!
Perth is stunning, Adelaide quaint, Hobart picturesque, Melbourne has a very european flavour and the best food in the country... Darwin is unique... Canberra has some tourist stuff (shrine, library, art gallery) and is close to mountains...
Highlights:
Great Ocean Road, South west coast, south west karri forests, Augusta jewel Cave, south eastern coast, the red centre, kalbarri for the coast and wildflowers, the great barrier reef, the gorges of the North west, the coast around broome area - avoid the town itslef if possible - now a tourist trap since some english lord "discovered" the place and turned the dunes to a resort, the blue mountains,
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I think it is worth the trip out to Perisher and Thredbo for a couple of days. Its a great experience amongst the snowgums and you may even get to see some roo's and wombats on the mountain. I would stay at Jindabyne and ski both resorts over two days. They are having a great season so there is plenty of snow around.
Bit hard on Sydney LT. Great place for tourists.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Quote: |
I hate Sydney... easily worst capital city in Oz
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So which would you say is their best capital city? How many do they have? 
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Lizzard,
State capitals as well as national capitals I assume.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| little tiger wrote: |
stoatsbrother, I hate Sydney... easily worst capital city in Oz... in fact not any worse cities in Oz I can think of..........................................................................
Perth is stunning, Adelaide quaint, Hobart picturesque, Melbourne has a very european flavour and the best food in the country... Darwin is unique... Canberra has some tourist stuff (shrine, library, art gallery) and is close to mountains... |
I couldn't disagree more! Sydney is one of the greatest Cities in the world to live in. There are so few places in the World that can give you the lifestyle that Sydney has to offer. As for the other places in Oz.......
Perth - Modern, lacking in character and as dull as ditch water. Adelaide - Quaint does sum it up but I have never considered quaint as a trait I look for in a place I live. It really does feel rather like being in a time warp. Melbourne - Could be great, if it wasn't for the climate. Why live in Oz and put up with that! Plus, for a City that size, why is it so spread out. It's like one big Suburbia (and it doesn't have the best food!). It is more cultured, but regrettably in a rather stuck up way. Darwin is the City most residents want to leave while the only reason to be in Canberra is if you are a politician and even then, they try to get away as much as possible!
Sydney ahs it all. Climate, environment, things to do, lifestyle etc. Where else can you work in the Central Business District and within 15 minutes, be on stunning sandy beaches with some of the best restaurants in the world at your feet. The soprts opportunities are second to none while cluture is less stuck up and more accessable than Melbourne. Lifestyle for children is unserpasssed
Most people don't really have a choice of where they live but my wife and I did. We could have live in London, NY, Hong Kong, Melbourne or Sydney and we have spent a lot of time in all of them. Sydney wins every time. 6 months after moving here (and too mnay trips to Melbourne!) I know we made the right decision.
And the snow is only 5.5 hours away!
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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SimonN, I agree. I like Hobart and Melbourne and Darwin, but love Sydney. It and Vancouver are the only cities I have been to that I would consider living in now.
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And San Francisco. If you could afford it, that is.
Skiing:
Vancouver -- an hour
San Francisco -- 3.5 - 4.5 hours
Sydney -- 5+?
But the beach of vancouver or San Franciso doesn't even come close to Sydney.
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You know it makes sense.
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Good thread 
But no skiing for us in Oz - we are off tomorrow week for 3 weeks - Cairns ( Port Douglas for 9 nights) then Broadbeach ( next to Surfers for a week ) and then Sydney for 5 nights. Maybe the skis should be packed - no!!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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I've been surprised since I've been on this group to find that you can ski in Oz, its not a country with a natural association with the snow is it, but I am now more educated 
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Poster: A snowHead
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You can ski in Iran too it has some great mountains.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Megamum, usually more land area under snow than Switzerland in winter.... So I guess it depends who decides on what is a "natural association with snow"
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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SimonN, you left out the commute time to home for most people living in Sydney.... which is 1-2 hours each way.... Some folks have sufficient funds to live closer - but not within reach of the majority.... and if the "beaches" within 15mins of city centre are 15mins after work in a regular 9-5 type job then you are not getting very far in 15mins or are driving a boat. (My cousins kid actually commuted this way to work - useful when you have parents 2 top eye specialists with house on the beach and a boat).... I have spent 15mins getting about 600m... The nice beaches are Northern beaches and the commute across that damn bridge from there is horrid... Central coast has nicer beaches generally and a fraction of the commute time, as does Newcastle and the south coast - and yes I've lived in all of those locations and the lifestyle if you want to head for a bush walk, surf, rock climb, canyon, etc is far better out of the city.... Bondi sucks to surf at... and the bottle neck to northern beaches is horrid... Pollution if you don't live on the coast in Sydney (most of the population) is terrible... the only other capital I find close to that bad for air is Brisbane with that valley thing going on.... hence why my friends live out of the city there...
By choice I live out of cities.... but close enough to travel when I want a night out...
I guess we just like different lifestyles.... Many of my friends grew up in Sydney and escaped for the reasons I listed above... if the traffic snarl to reach the Blue Mountains or coast on Friday nights was less hassle... or the time taken to get off for a surf not in sewerage was less... I'd just think Sydney Ok... but for me it was one of the worst places to live... no seasons, poor air, ridiculous travel times, poor access to natural assets...
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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little tiger, Well if you look at the country stereo-types, Oz comes out as hot, sultry, barbecues on the beach, suncream, diving on the great barrier reef. Switzerland comes out as cold, mountains, skiing, cheese foundue, raclette, and skating on the lakes. At least until you know better
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Megamum,
1) I grew up on the beach and the firebans for summer have had real BBQ's(wood) banned from beach for many years now (no fires in open during summer months)... Gas jobs generally have a better chance.... but again they are naked flame and you need to think and check what is allowed when ... (yes they employ helicopters that look for smoke in summer months) I don't remember having a proper beach BBQ since I was around 10-12 ish and I'm pushing 50....
2) hot, sultry.... ummmm well I lived in Canberra and had plenty mornings around -10C in winter... and in Central Australia my breath has frozen to inside of tent overnight every time I've been there..(It is a desert FFS... it is not hot overnight). The hot can depend on what you think is hot too though.... I am still wearing long sleeved tops when the irish population are expiring from the heat....
3) Suncream - I'll pay that all my friends with kids have a large pump in bathroom that is applied first thing in morning
4) Diving on Great barrier Reef.... Do you have any idea how far GBR is from folks on west coast for example? or even Tasmania.... This is like suggesting folks in London all drink Vodka because you have seen films of russians doing so.... The snow is closer to the much of population than the reef is... although reef is there all year around....
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| SimonN wrote: |
| Melbourne - Could be great, if it wasn't for the climate. Why live in Oz and put up with that! Plus, for a City that size, why is it so spread out. It's like one big Suburbia ... |
Size
Sydney is one of the largest cities in its land size. It reaches across 1580 square kilometres. This is the same as London and more than double New York's 780 square kilometres. Amsterdam is 167 square kilometres, and Paris is a mere 105 square kilometres. There are 1, 426, 266 dwellings in Sydney.
Sydney
Population:4,284,379 (2006 estimate) (1st)
• Density:
345.7/km²
Area: 12,144.6 km²
Melbourne
Population:3,744,373 (2006 estimate) (2nd)
• Density:
479.6/km²
Area: 7,694 km²
Yeah... Melbourne really suffers from sprawl and Sydney is compact 
Melbourne has great food - even my Sydney loving relatives admit is is way better... you just need to know where to go eat... and you won't find the best food in the fancy places... I have had amazing food in places where you cannot order in english if you want the food we are eating - all for only a few dollars a head....
My cousins girlfriend spent years hating Melbourne... moved there a few years back and now has to sheepishly admit her lifestyle is so much better than when she lived and worked in Sydney.... It just is a place to hang out and be with friends... when she would go visit for a weekend or a few days from work she did not get to do that stuff... it requires living there
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If you like views with your meals then Sydney would win hands down (you will also pay for that privilege). Melbourne is well known as being the food capital of oz. I have travelled to Melbourne a number of times and my friends there have introduced me to some of the best the world has to offer. Sydneysiders will tell you otherwise. Sydney is a fantastic place to visit as a tourist but if I had to choose I would live in Melbourne. Also only 3 hours to the snow.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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What about the ferry (for commuting)?
I took it all over the bay and some of the places the ferry went to were rather sleepy... Wouldn't those places be good "bedroom community" with reasonable commute?
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Sage, yeah it is OK as a tourist.... because you do not have to fight the peak traffic to get to work.... I quite enjoy holidays there visiting family etc.... I hated living there with a vengeance...
abc, check the house prices in those "sleepy" places.... I know what my cousin paid for the house they pulled down to build the current dwelling.... and they had the incomes of two top specialists and associated borrowing power... the boat commute is pretty good.... we use it to go shopping when I am there as it is much quicker than driving in Sydney even on the weekend..boat maintenance is the drawback...
Japow, Yep... I grew up in Melbourne but left it years ago to live overseas and I prefer living in the country.... I prefer not to live in the city... but if I had to chose between living in Sydney or living in Melbourne then Melbourne wins hands down... and as you say - snow commute is far shorter.... and much quicker to exit city on Friday evening in my recent experiences
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Sage, everything is relative. From the prospective of American, Oz is comparable in size, same with distance of things. Apart from the too hot part, I could see myself living there.
Housing price too, if you compare Sydney with London and New York, it's not particularly out of line. It's of course a lot more than the "countryside". But then, so is any city. And don't even tried Tokyo or Hond Kong. 
It really depends on prospective.
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abc,
huge difference in population density though
USA 31/sq km
Oz 2.6/sq km
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You know it makes sense.
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little tiger, how does Oz compare to Canada?
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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canada 3.2/sq km....
oz is very sparsely populated.... especially away from eastern seaboard....
Canada and Australia have similar distance challenges... although different climactic situations
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Poster: A snowHead
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Sorry to have started a war! Just to give the non Aussie crowd a heads up to the background...............
Melbourne people hate Sydney and Sydney people hate Melbourne. The rivalry is old and deep routed. It was so bad that when they needed to choose a capital city, the only option was to create a purpose built capital city half way between the 2, which is why we have Canberra, which, like all compromises, is totally compromised.
I actually don't mind Melbourne, but couldn't live there. And I also have to disagree that you don't have restaurants with views. The Bathers Pavilion at Brighton isn't at all bad for a sunset dinner. Not as good as the Bathers Pavilion at Balmoral, Sydney (my local!), but acceptable!
I guess I should also add a snow report for last weekenmd in Perisher. Bottom line is that Sunday was as good as it gets in Oz. 30 cm of light new snow had fallen overnight which, coupled by windblow stuff produced great skiing. It was sunny and -3 without too much wind. Overall, the pistes were very good and only the ridges were stripped of soft snow by overnight wind leaving a few icy patches. Mount Perisher was the destination of the day made better with the opening of the Olympic T mid morning, off which there was some really great skiing.
As a side note, yes, you did read it correctly. They not only still have T bars, but most of the resort seems to be serviced by them. If you have a hatred of t's, Australia isn't the place for you!
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Sage wrote: |
... OZ is good for a holiday but I couldn't live there... there are not enough mountains
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just for you
highest mountain of the British Isles, in the Highland council area, Scotland. Its summit, reaching an elevation of 4,406 feet (1,343 metres), is a plateau of about 100 acres (40 hectares), with a slight slope to the south and a sheer face to the northeast.
Australia's highest peak, at 7,310 feet (2,228 m). It lies in the Snowy Mountains of the Australian Alps, in southeastern New South Wales, 240 miles (390 km) southwest of Sydney. The mountain is situated in Kosciusko National Park (2,498 square miles [6,469 square km]) and is near Mounts Townsend, Twynam, North Ramshead, and Carruthers (all exceeding 7,000 feet),
you were saying?
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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OTOH, I live in a village about 300m above the summit of Ben Nevis. 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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easiski, 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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I thought NZ is only a short flight away, not?
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| Sage wrote: |
little tiger,
Are you an enclopedia on Australia?
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No but I have travelled quite a bit around it (much more so than the average australian).... Including 14 weeks as a kid still in school - when my father (who is very close to a working encyclopedia on anywhere he has been or is interested in) made us write a daily diary including where we had been distances travelled, local landmarks and history.... It is interesting how much lurks in the back of your brain....and google is my friend
Having had many postcards sent home by my father(and knowing I was likely to be quizzed on his return) I was well aware that your highest "mountains" are lower than our so called flat lumps
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| abc wrote: |
| I thought NZ is only a short flight away, not? |
yep Melbourne - Christchurch is about 3-4 hours IIRC...
So if we are doing short flights.... 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aoraki/Mount_Cook my brother climbed all faces before his death...
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| little tiger wrote: |
| abc wrote: |
| I thought NZ is only a short flight away, not? |
yep Melbourne - Christchurch is about 3-4 hours IIRC... |
About the same as London - Moscow.
Perth - Auckland is about 8 hours.
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FAQ
