Snow holiday in Australia

[Shaun]

Hello everyone,

I'm Shaun and are new to your forum. I'm seeking some advice on where my girlfriend and I can go this winter to experience some snow. We aren't looking to go skiing or snow boarding. We are just hoping to be able to go for a day walk and enjoy a the snow as neither of us have ever been able to experience it before. I'm hoping people might be able to give advice on what region would be most reliable ( NSW, Vic or Tassie ) and how we can enjoy it without having to pay for ski lifts and being in the way of the skiing community.

We live in Queensland and can drive our own 4wd drive to areas such as Mt Kosciuszko or Mt Buller but I'm worried that these areas would be dominated by skiers and the price of accommodation in the neighbouring towns is out of my price range for any length of time. Would we be better off flying to Tasmania and hiring a camper for a few weeks? If so what areas would be best?

I work a fly in/out roster and can have time off in June, is it likely there would be snow this early or would I be better planning a shorter visit in August?

Thanks in advance!
Shaun

[slparker]

Victoria is reliable. If you want to avoid skiers I would go up to Dinner Plain and walk around the village or snowshoe on the edge of the x-country tracks. The beauty of dinner plain is that there is also some decent cafe and pubs and it's easy to park with no entry fees, it's pretty quiet, generally, and has dog sled rides on weekends. The road up there from the west goes up Mt Hotham and is one of Australia's great drives, on a good day, or a frightening whiteout on a bad day.

You would be best off, imho, to go to DP and hire some snowshoes, go for a walk on the tracks amongst the snow gums and partake in the beauty and quietness of the snow and the bush with little outlay and hassle, plus the village atmosphere at the end of the walk. If the snow is thin on the ground you could walk around the tracks at DP without snowshoes.. If you just want to see snow and walk around the village it's a nice place to be and is generally warmer and more sheltered than Mt Hotham or falls creek. If it's a 'once in a lifetime' type thing you can stay overnight for a squillion bucks-it's pretty nice sitting in Rundles pub with a bottle of wine watching the snow fall, very much like being in Europe. At the prices of accommodation you could just about go to Europe. The other option is to stay in Bright for a long weekend and pick the sunniest day to drive up and enjoy the snow.

Mt buffalo is also pretty good but much less reliable.

Falls creek will be full of skiers, unless you go to the x-country tracks which will be full of x-country skiers..

Be aware that you can't easily walk in (deep) snow without snowshoes and x-country skiers take it pretty personally if you walk in the middle of their nice groomed tracks.

[north-north-west]

The quieter parts of the Australian Alps are the best bet. You can still camp at some spots either free or for a low charge, and walk in. The Baw Baw has year-round access, for instance and the walk up to the snowline from either St Gwinnear or Mt Erica Rds is short and easy. Bogong High Plains are another good option, or drive in to Kiandra (road is usually kept clear of snow for access to the Mt Selwyn snowfields). Plenty of options for accommodation from basic to lush in nearby areas.

[Xplora]

Forget about June and make it August but if you can go on short notice then stay in touch and I can tell you exactly what the conditions are. The trouble with June is picking when it will snow and if it is not cold enough or there is too much rain the snow does not form a base. The ground is still a bit warm for good snow. A bit of driving to see white mud but if camping is not on the agenda then Dinner Plain as suggested is a good option and reasonable accommodation can be found in Omeo but there still will be lots of people around. Omeo is about 40 min from Dinner Plain. The caravan park has a number of nice cabins. Another option would be to stay at the Glen Wills retreat and you can walk up Mt. Wills which is only 20 min away. It is 1750m high and should have snow cover in August. Access is via the Omeo Hwy through Mitta Mitta and it is 2 hrs south of Albury. The guest house has rooms with private facilities and a shared lounge/dining/kitchen. Very good rates and usually very quiet. Mt. Wills will be very quiet as well. Buy an Aldi toboggan. Still if you want the laid back, slightly quieter resort feel with good food it would be hard to beat Dinner Plain. The Dinner Plain hotel offers good value and good food. You can hire all the snow gear at Dinner Plain as well. Apart from that you can hire gear in Wodonga at Snow Trek and Travel. I agree that snow shoes would be a must if you want to do some walking. Bogong High Plains is nice but access to it is via Falls Creek resort and you will have to pay for parking and stay in Mt. Beauty. Still busy and not cheap.

[Shaun]

Thank you very much for taking the time to reply everyone. This is exactly the kind of local knowledge I have been looking for.

I had never heard of Dinner Plains or Baw Baw regions before this and will definitely research it further as it sounds exactly like what I'm looking for.

Thanks again
Shaun

[Lophophaps]

One aspect that you may not be aware of is clothing. There may be a thread on this, so I'll just outline the basics. Have several thin layers rather than one or two thick layers. Thin layers allows you to more easily vary the temperature and, at the end of the day, dry wet items. Gaiters are essential for keeping snow out of the boots. Zips should have tags so that they can be opened and closed with gloves on. Good sunnies that wrap the sides are essential. If you get cold, shiver faster.

Take high-energy food; chocolate is a food group. Let someone know in writing where you are going and when you are returning. Don't count on mobile phone reception.

[Moondog55]

Although it can thaw and rain at any time; August is more reliable.
The comment about white mud is apt, especially around camping areas and the roads, while you may have appropriate clothing or can borrow such most people from more sunny climes tend to forget about good footwear, good water resistant boots sized to fit 2 pair of thick woollen socks is a good idea
Staying in accommodation above the snowline is very expensive, in the villages below the snowline not much cheaper in August so budget accordingly