View source for Skiing in New South Wales

{{Use Australian English|date=June 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
[[File:Towards Kosciuszko from Kangaroo Ridge in winter.jpg|300px|thumb|The [[Main Range (Snowy Mountains)|Kosciuszko Main Range]]]]

'''Skiing in New South Wales''' takes place in the high country of the [[Snowy Mountains]] of [[New South Wales]] during the [[Southern Hemisphere]] winter.

[[Skiing in Australia]] began at the [[Australian gold rushes|goldrush]] town of [[Kiandra, New South Wales]] around 1861. New South Wales has skiable terrain between elevations of around 1300m to 2200m, with viable winter snows generally found above 1500m: Thredbo, near [[mount Kosciuszko]], has Australia's highest lifted point at 2037m and its base elevation is 1365m. Kiandra, in the Northern Skifields, has an elevation of 1400m.<ref name="KiandraSMH"/><ref>{{Citation
 |authorlink  = Ski.com.au
 |title       = Australia Resorts
 |work        = ski.com.au
 |url         = http://ski.com.au/resorts/index1.html?loc=Australia
 |accessdate  = 2010-05-04
 |url-status     = dead
 |archiveurl  = https://archive.today/20121231021000/http://ski.com.au/resorts/index1.html?loc=Australia
 |archivedate = 31 December 2012
}}</ref><ref name="SelwynSnowfields">{{Cite web
  | title = Our History
  | website = [[Selwyn Snow Resort]]
  | url = http://www.selwynsnow.com.au/templates/sel/page/page_html_standard.php?secID=69
  | accessdate = 4 May 2010
  | archive-date = 1 November 2013
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131101184217/http://www.selwynsnow.com.au/templates/sel/page/page_html_standard.php?secID=69
  | url-status = dead
  }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web
  | title = Ski Clubs of Kiandra
  | website = [[Kiandra Historical Society]]
  | url = http://www.kiandrahistory.net/skiclubs.html
  | accessdate = 4 May 2010
  | archive-date = 23 June 2017
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170623063529/http://www.kiandrahistory.net/skiclubs.html
  | url-status = live
  }}</ref>

New South Wales has well-developed downhill [[ski resort]]s at [[Thredbo]], [[Charlotte Pass]], [[Perisher Ski Resort|Perisher]] and [[Selwyn Snowfields]].<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.visitnsw.com/things-to-do/adventure-and-sport/skiing-and-snowboarding|title=Skiing and snowboarding
|website=VisitNSW
|publisher=[[Destination NSW]]
|accessdate=17 June 2013
|url-status=live
|archive-date=1 August 2024
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240801122906/https://www.visitnsw.com/things-to-do/adventure-and-sport/skiing-and-snowboarding
}}</ref>[[Cross country skiing]] is possible across the [[Kosciuszko National Park]].

== History and major locations ==
[[File:AustAlpsRegionMap.png|thumb|250px|Alpine National Parks of the Australian mainland.]]

[[Jindabyne]] is the main service town for the New South Wales resorts, but most resort centres have on-snow accommodation. Other ski-service towns include [[Cooma]] and [[Adaminaby]]. [[Canberra]] is situated around two hours from the New South Wales ski-fields. Australia's highest town, [[Cabramurra]], [[New South Wales]], has private skiing facilities for residents.

The mainland's highest peak is [[Mount Kosciuszko]] at 2228m.{{NoteTag|As regards regions with skiable terrain, the Australian Government's Geoscience Australia Website records the highest mountains by State and Territory as follows: [[Mount Kosciuszko]], NSW, 2228; [[Mount Bogong]], VIC, 1986m; [[Bimberi Peak]], ACT, 1912m; [[Mount Ossa (Tasmania)|Mount Ossa]], TAS, 1617m (while the highest mountain on Australian Territory is actually [[Mawson Peak]], [[Heard Island]], at 2745m, which despite being snowbound, has no ski industry owing to its extreme isolation).}}

=== New South Wales ===
[[File:Kiandra carnival 1900 Charles Kerry.jpeg|thumb|[[Kiandra]], NSW, where skiing began in Australia in 1861]]

[[New South Wales]] is home to Australia's highest snow country, oldest skifields and largest resorts. Recreational skiing in Australia began around 1861 at [[Kiandra]], New South Wales, when [[Norwegian people|Norwegian]] gold miners introduced the idea to the frozen hills around the town.<ref name="KiandraSMH">{{Cite news
  | title = Kiandra – Culture and History
  | work = [[The Sydney Morning Herald]]
  | url = http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-factsheet/kiandra--culture-and-history-20081121-6df7.html
  | accessdate = 2010-05-04
  | date = 21 November 2008
  | archive-date = 31 October 2010
  | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101031022539/http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-factsheet/kiandra--culture-and-history-20081121-6df7.html
  | url-status = live
  }}</ref> The first and longest surviving ski club in the world, [[The Kiandra Snow Shoe Club]] is believed to have been formed at Kiandra in that year.<ref name="SelwynSnowfields"/><ref name="NormanClarke">{{Cite book
  | last = Clarke
  | first = Norman W.
  | authorlink = Norman W. Clarke
  | title = Kiandra: Gold Fields to Ski Fields 
  | isbn = 0-646-46337-3
  | publisher = Kiandra Pioneer Ski Club (1870) Ltd
  | date = 2006
  }}</ref>

==== Kiandra and the northern skifields ====
[[File:Selwyn Snowfields July 2011.jpg|thumb|[[Selwyn Snowfields]] is the most northerly of Australia's ski resorts.]]
[[File:Cabramurra Ski Club.jpg|thumb|Cabramurra Ski Club. [[Cabramurra]] is Australia's highest town and has a private ski club slope for the use of members.]]

Skiing in Australia began in the northern section of the Snowy Mountains during the [[Kiandra]] goldrush. Kiandra is often isolated by deep snow which made it inaccessible during winter. In 1861, Norwegian miners introduced recreational skiing to the mining settlement by converting fence posts into skis. Ski races were held annually on Township Hill at Kiandra, which led to the founding of the [[Kiandra Snow Shoe Club]]—reportedly becoming the "world's longest continuously running ski club"<ref name="Time">
{{cite news
 | last = Neubauer
 | first = Ian Lloyd
 | title = The Long Run: Australia's Storied Ski Heaven
 | newspaper = [[Time (magazine)|Time]] 
 | date = 25 August 2011
 | url = http://content.time.com/time/travel/article/0,31542,2090310,00.html
 | access-date = 2015-12-27
 | url-status=live
 | archive-date=10 November 2024
 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241110022443/https://time.com/archive/6938677/the-long-run-australias-storied-ski-heaven/
}}</ref> as it evolved into the present-day Kiandra Pioneer Ski Club in [[Perisher Ski Resort|Perisher Valley]], NSW.<ref name="WorldsFirst">{{cite book
 | last = Clarke
 | first = Norman W.
 | title = World's First Alpine Ski Club
 | publisher = Norman W. Clarke
 | date = 2011
 | pages = 22
 | isbn = 978-0-646-56587-3}}</ref> Whether the club is the first of its kind has been subject to debate.<ref name=WorldsFirst/><ref>{{cite book
 | last = Cross
 | first = Wendy
 | title = Australian Skiing—The First 100 Years
 | publisher = Walla Walla Press
 | date = August 2012
 | location = Sydney
 | pages = 270
 | isbn = 978-1-876718-14-5 }}
</ref> <!---and Australia's first ski club founded – the [[Kiandra snow shoe club]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kiandrahistory.net/ |title=Home |website=kiandrahistory.net}}</ref> The Club has been described as the "Oldest Sporting Ski Club in the World".<ref>http://members.ozemail.com.au/~sealark/kiandra.html {{dl|date=June 2024}}{{Bare URL inline|date=September 2022}}</ref> The Club remains the world's first identifiable and ceaseless ski club and has been continuously operating since 1861. Its origins have been recognised internationally by the [[Holmenkollen Ski Museum]], Norway in 2006.<ref>http://members.ozemail.com.au/~sealark/alpine.pdf {{Dead link|date=February 2022}}</ref>--->
 
An Onion Valley Snow Shoe Club was reported in America in 1861.<ref>{{Cite news |date=10 April 1861 |title=Snow Shoeing |pages=3 |work=Daily National Democrat|location=[[Marysville, California]]|url=https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038814/1861-04-10/ed-1/seq-3/ |access-date=25 September 2022 |archive-date=25 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220925024418/https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn84038814/1861-04-10/ed-1/seq-3/ |url-status=live|via= [[Library of Congress]] }}</ref> The "Trysil Skytte- og Skiløberforening" (Shot and Ski Practitioner Association) was also founded in Norway, in 1861. The association held their first competition in January 1862<ref>1861 Trysil newspaper report. Link Label</ref> [[Alpine skiing]], as a sport, commenced over twenty-five years before any ski club can be identified as being formed in Europe.  Alpine ski clubs were first founded in Munich, Germany 1891, Switzerland 1893, Arlberg, Austria 1901, followed by France and Italy. [[Sir Arnold Lunn]] founded the [[Kandahar Ski Club]] of Great Britain in 1924.

The "Kiandra Snow Shoe Club" held separate ski races for both ladies and children as early as 1885. Barbara Yan was the first identifiable woman documented as to having won a Downhill Skiing Championship. Yan also won the ladies downhill in 1887, the year her siblings won the girls' under-8 section and second in the under-12s.<ref>Manaro Mercury, ''Cooma & Bombala Advertiser'', 10 August 1887.</ref> In 1908 the club held the first ever documented International and Intercontinental Downhill Skiing Carnival. Results – America 1st, Australia 2nd, England 3rd.<ref>''The Melbourne Argus'', 6 July 1908.</ref>

Australia's longest running skiing competition is The [[Balmain Cup]]. By 1933 team racing was open to virtually all competitors from any club or imported talents but Arthur Balmain of [[Cooma]] believed this was unfair to local enthusiasts. He donated a perpetual trophy open only to competitors residing in or about the Southern Districts and only for members who held membership for twelve weeks in the local ski club. Arthur Balmain, whose company transported skiers to all localities, envisaged a competition that would encompass all clubs. He decreed that a team must compete for the Balmain Cup with all members competing in four disciplines: Downhill, Slalom, Jump and Langlauf. In 1946 the competition format for competitors eligibility was changed and the jump section was removed.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://members.ozemail.com.au/~sealark/balmain.html |title=The Balmain Cup – Snow Skiing Competition from 1933 |access-date=1 June 2012 |archive-date=11 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211032228/http://members.ozemail.com.au/~sealark/balmain.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In the wilderness region south of Kiandra, The Alpine Hut, near [[Mount Jagungal]], was built in 1939 to cater for skiers. Access was arduous – via packhorse and ski.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.australianalpineclub.com/pages/H_prt2/heritage_2_01.html|title=Heritage (part 2) 1|publisher=Australian Alpine Club|accessdate=17 June 2013|archive-date=25 February 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120225210253/http://www.australianalpineclub.com/pages/H_prt2/heritage_2_01.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Kiandra Goldrush was short-lived, but the township remained a service centre for recreational and survival skiing for over a century. The Kiandra courthouse closed as a police station in 1937, and was for a time used as a private residence, before becoming the Kiandra Chalet (until 1953) and later the Kiandra Chalet Hotel.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://www.coomaexpress.com.au/news/local/news/general/kiandra-landmark-brought-back-to-life/1463598.aspx
|agency=Cooma Monaro Express
|title=Kiandra landmark brought back to life
|date=19 Mar 2009
|url-status=dead
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101110181331/http://www.coomaexpress.com.au/news/local/news/general/kiandra-landmark-brought-back-to-life/1463598.aspx
|archive-date=10 November 2010}}</ref> Ski lifts were installed, [[Snowy Mountains Scheme]] construction workers frequented the chalet bar and Kiandra's fortunes were briefly revived.

The Snowy Scheme also necessitated the construction nearby of [[Cabramurra]], which, at 1488 m, remains Australia's highest township and has its own private lifted ski run for the use of members of the Cabramurra Ski Club.<ref>{{cite news |url = http://www.smh.com.au/news/New-South-Wales/Cabramurra/2005/02/17/1108500193215.html |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |title=Cabramurra |date=11 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231223202334/https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/cabramurra-20080311-gdkpzf.html|archive-date=23 December 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>

The Kiandra Chalet closed in 1973 and the building became a Roads Depot building.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/New-South-Wales/Kiandra/2005/02/17/1108500196974.html |work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] |title=Kiandra |date=8 February 2004 |access-date=9 August 2011 |archive-date=29 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120829022456/http://www.smh.com.au/news/New-South-Wales/Kiandra/2005/02/17/1108500196974.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The township itself became a [[ghost town]]. Australia's first [[T-bar lift]] had been installed on Township Hill in 1957, but in 1978, Kiandra's ski lift operations re-located permanently to nearby Mount Selwyn ([[Selwyn Snowfields]]).<ref name="SelwynSnowfields"/> Selwyn is the most northerly of Australia's ski resorts with a base elevation of 1492 m and a top elevation of 1614 m. Selwyn is well suited to families and first timers, with 88% of terrain catering to beginners and intermediates, however the steeper gradient of the Racecourse Run provides some more challenging terrain for advanced skiers and boarders.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://selwynsnow.com.au/templates/sel/page/page_html_standard.php?secID=60|website = [[Selwyn Snow Resort]]|title=Mountain Information|access-date=6 June 2011|archive-date=29 August 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070829164948/http://selwynsnow.com.au/templates/sel/page/page_html_standard.php?secID=60|url-status=dead}}</ref> The longest run at Selwyn is the 800m "Long Arm Run".

Longer slopes and more reliable snows lie further to the south and in the 20th century, the focus of recreational skiing in New South Wales shifted southward, to the [[Mount Kosciuszko]] region. The history of skiing at Kiandra has been the subject of several studies, including 1959's ''Historic Kiandra'', written by the Kiandra Historical Society<ref name="HistoricKiandra">{{Cite book
  | author1=Moye, D. G.
  | author2=Cooma-Monaro Historical Society.
  | title=Historic Kiandra : a guide to the history of the district
  | year=1959
  | section=x, 74 p., [5] leaves of plates : ill., maps ; 25 cm
  | issue=mc N 1870 MCL HIST 476
  | location=[Cooma]
  | publisher=Cooma-Monaro Historical Society
  | url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-3396799990
  | id=nla.obj-3396799990
  | access-date=10 November 2024
  | via=[[Trove]]
}}</ref> and ''Kiandra Gold fields to Ski fields'' (2006) by Norman W. Clarke.<ref name="NormanClarke"/>

==== The Kosciuszko region ====
[[File:Charlotte Pass 2008.jpg|thumb|[[Charlotte Pass]], a pioneer of the Australian ski industry. Village Elevation at 1760m]]
[[File:Thredbo July 2011.jpg|thumb|[[Thredbo]], NSW, has the largest vertical drop of any Australian ski resort at 672m.]]
[[File:Mount Blue Cow July 2011.jpg|thumb|[[Mount Blue Cow]], part of [[Perisher Ski Resort|Perisher]] ski resort (Australia's largest ski resort).]]

In 1900, a hut was built at [[Bett's Camp]], above the Thredbo Escarpment and came into use for winter skiers. The Hotel Kosciusko was opened by the New South Wales Government in 1909 at what is now Sponars Chalet, near Smiggin Holes.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.kac.org.au/history.html |title=:: Welcome to Kosciusko Alpine Club :: |accessdate=2009-07-24 |url-status=dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20090913173939/http://kac.org.au/history.html |archivedate=13 September 2009 }}</ref>

The first Kosciuszko Chalet was built at [[Charlotte Pass]] in 1930, giving relatively comfortable access to Australia's highest terrain.<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.charlottepass.com.au/chalet.html |title=Charlotte Pass Ski Resort – Kosciuszko Chalet Hotel |accessdate=2013-08-27 |url-status=dead |archiveurl = https://web.archive.org/web/20110310170458/http://www.charlottepass.com.au/chalet.html |archivedate=10 March 2011 }}</ref> In 1964, Australia briefly boasted the "World's Longest [[Chairlift]]", designed to carry skiers from the Thredbo Valley to Charlotte Pass, but technical difficulties soon closed the facility.<ref>{{cite news | url = http://www.smh.com.au/travel/of-ice-and-men-20090121-7mbh.html|url-status=live|archive-date=18 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240418005527/https://www.smh.com.au/traveller/inspiration/of-ice-and-men-20090121-7mbh.html| work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] | title = Of ice and men | date=24 January 2009 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.colongwilderness.org.au/RedIndex/NSW/Jagu99.htm |title=Jagungal |accessdate=2013-12-07 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090912023409/http://www.colongwilderness.org.au/RedIndex/NSW/Jagu99.htm |archivedate=12 September 2009 }}</ref> At 1760m, Charlotte Pass has the highest village base elevation of any Australia ski resort and can only be accessed via over-snow transport in winter.<ref name="50reasons">{{cite news | url=http://www.smh.com.au/travel/50-reasons-to-love-australian-snow-20090603-bv3f.html?page=-1 | work=[[The Sydney Morning Herald]] | title=50 reasons to love Australian snow | first1=Robert | last1=Upe | first2=Jim | last2=Darby | first3=Russell | last3=Holt | first4=Susan | last4=Bredow | date=6 June 2009 | access-date=17 May 2011 | archive-date=11 June 2009 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611111442/http://www.smh.com.au/travel/50-reasons-to-love-australian-snow-20090603-bv3f.html?page=-1 | url-status=live }}</ref> The growing number of ski enthusiasts heading to Charlotte Pass led to the establishment of a cafe at [[Smiggin Holes]] around 1939, where horse-drawn sleighs would deliver skiers to be begin the arduous ski to the Kosciuszko Chalet.<ref name="perisherblue.com.au"/> It was the construction of the vast [[Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme]] from 1949 that really opened up the [[Snowy Mountains]] for large scale development of a ski industry and led to the establishment of [[Thredbo]] and Perisher as leading Australian resorts.<ref name="thredbo.com.au">{{Cite web|url=http://www.thredbo.com.au/about-thredbo/history/|title=Thredbo's History|access-date=17 May 2011|archive-date=24 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130424122717/http://www.thredbo.com.au/about-thredbo/history/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="perisherblue.com.au">{{Cite web|website=[[Perisher Ski Resort]]|url=http://www.perisherblue.com.au/winter/info/history.html|title=The History of Perisher|access-date=17 May 2011|archive-date=23 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100923105757/http://www.perisherblue.com.au/winter/info/history.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Construction of [[Guthega]] Dam brought skiers to the isolated Guthega district and a rope tow was installed there in 1957.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.christianacapital.com/Text/1201316577093-6700/ |title=Christiana Capital : Guthega Ski Resort |access-date=17 May 2011 |archive-date=21 June 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190621125608/http://christianacapital.com/intermediate-only/guthega-ski-resort |url-status=dead }}</ref>

Skifields up by Kosciuszko's side were also established during this period, though their existence is now little realised. [[Australian Alpine Club|The Australian Alpine Club]] was founded in 1950 by [[Charles Anton]] with a view to establishing a chain of lodges for ski touring across the Australian Alps. Huts were constructed in the "Back Country" close to Mount Kosciuszko, including [[Kunama Hut]], which opened for the 1953 season. A rope tow was installed on [[Mount Northcote]] at the site and opened in 1954. The site proved excellent for speed skiing, but the hut was destroyed in an [[avalanche]], which also killed one person, in 1956.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.australianalpineclub.com/index.html |title=History of the Australian Alpine Club |access-date=17 May 2011 |archive-date=11 December 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131211171009/http://www.australianalpineclub.com/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Anton also recognised the potential of the Thredbo Valley for construction of a major resort and village, with good vertical terrain. Construction began in 1957.<ref name="thredbo.com.au" /> Today, Thredbo has 14 ski-lifts and possesses Australia's longest ski resort run, the 5.9&nbsp;km from Karel's T-Bar to [[Friday Flat]]; Australia's greatest vertical drop of 672m; and the highest lifted point in Australia at 2037m<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thredbo.com.au/about-thredbo/resort-information/facts-and-figures/winter-2009.asp |title=Winter &#124; Facts and Figures &#124; Thredbo Mt Kosciuszko NSW Snowy Mountains |access-date=17 May 2011 |archive-date=16 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716153437/http://www.thredbo.com.au/about-thredbo/resort-information/facts-and-figures/winter-2009.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.openroad.com.au/travel_holidayideas_snowbusiness.asp |title=The Snowy Mountains leave NSW skiers spoilt for choice |access-date=17 May 2011 |archive-date=27 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101127074850/http://openroad.com.au/travel_holidayideas_snowbusiness.asp |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The last establishment of a major skifield in NSW came with the development of [[Blue Cow, New South Wales|Mount Blue Cow]] in the 1980s. In 1987 the Swiss designed [[Skitube Alpine Railway]] opened to deliver skiers from [[Bullocks Flat, New South Wales|Bullocks Flat]], on the [[Alpine Way]], to Perisher Valley and to Blue Cow, which also opened in 1987.<ref name="perisherblue.com.au"/> The operators of Blue Cow purchased Guthega in 1991, and the new combined resort later merged with Perisher-Smiggins to become the largest ski resort in the [[Southern Hemisphere]].<ref name="perisherblue.com.au"/> In 2009 Perisher had 48 lifts covering 1,245 hectares and four village base areas: Perisher Valley, Blue Cow, Smiggin Holes and Guthega.<ref>{{Cite web|website= [[Perisher Ski Resort]]|url=http://www.perisher.com.au/winter/info/stats.html|title=Resort Information|access-date=17 May 2011|archive-date=24 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100324145158/http://www.perisher.com.au/winter/info/stats.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Competitive skiing==
[[File:The start of girls' snowshoe race, Kiandra.jpg|thumb|left|The Start of the Girls' Snowshoe Race, [[Kiandra]] c. 1900]]

Australia was a pioneer nation in the sport of ski racing, with annual ski races being conducted at [[Kiandra]] during the 19th Century. The [[Kiandra snow shoe club]] is easily one of the oldest ski clubs in the world.<ref name="KiandraSMH"/> The club was formed around 1861 by three Norwegians, Elias Gottaas, Soren Torp and Carl Bjerknes on the Kiandra Gold Fields, NSW. This original Kiandra ski club is now recognised as the first snow ski club in the world, it also carries the distinction of being the longest continuously operating club. In 2006, the [[Holmenkollen Ski Museum]] confirmed that the first two ski clubs in the world were formed by Norwegians in 1861, "both in Australia and Norway".

Ski races were conducted from the 1860s onward and in 1908 the club held the world's first documented "International Ski Carnival". In addition to the International Downhill Race, events included races for boys under eight, ten, eleven and fourteen; boys and girls Open Championships were also conducted. The events concluded with a "New Chum" event and toboggan race.<ref>{{harvtxt|Clarke|2006|p=187}}</ref>

The [[Federation Internationale de Ski]] calendar lists various alpine and cross country skiing, as well as snowboarding and moguls competitions in Australia during the month of August.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/disciplines/fiscalendar.html?place_search=&seasoncode_search=2009&sector_search=&date_search=&gender_search=&category_search=ANC&codex_search=&nation_search=&disciplinecode_search=&search=Search&limit=20&date_from=today|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120118055930/http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/disciplines/fiscalendar.html?place_search=&seasoncode_search=2009&sector_search=&date_search=&gender_search=&category_search=ANC&codex_search=&nation_search=&disciplinecode_search=&search=Search&limit=20&date_from=today |archivedate=18 January 2012|website=[[International Ski and Snowboard Federation]]|title=International Ski Federation Listed Events in Australia|url-status=dead|date=2008}}</ref>

Australian skiers competed in the [[Winter Olympics]] for the first time in [[1952 Winter Olympics|Oslo]], 1952. Australian skiers have competed in all subsequent Winter Olympic Games and won medals at every Games since 1998.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://corporate.olympics.com.au/australian-team/aus-at-the-winter-olympics |title=Australian Olympic Committee: Olympics |access-date=17 May 2011 |archive-date=10 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110810224618/http://corporate.olympics.com.au/australian-team/aus-at-the-winter-olympics |url-status=dead }}</ref>{{Better source needed|reason=The current source is insufficiently reliable ([[WP:NOTRS]]).|date=November 2024}}

The sport of [[snowboarding]] is also popular in the Australian skifields and Australia has been represented at the Olympics in this sport ever since it debuted at [[1998 Winter Olympics|Nagano]] in 1998.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Snowboard |url=http://www.olympics.com.au/sports/snowboard |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100212070230/http://www.olympics.com.au/sports/snowboard |archive-date=12 February 2010 |access-date=17 May 2011 |website=[[Australian Olympic Committee]]}}</ref> [[Torah Bright]], of the [[Snowy Mountains]] town of [[Cooma]], New South Wales, won gold for Australia at the Vancouver Olympics in 2010 in the women's [[snowboard halfpipe]] event.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.olympics.com.au/news/bright-lands-golden-run|last=Wheeler|first=Alice|location=[[Cypress Mountain]]|year=2008|title=Bright lands golden run|website=[[Australian Olympic Committee]]|access-date=17 May 2011|archive-date=22 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100222021046/http://www.olympics.com.au/news/bright-lands-golden-run|url-status=live}}</ref> Bright's gold medal – combined with the gold and silver skiing event medals – made 2010 Australia's most successful winter Olympic Games.<ref>{{Cite web|website=[[Australian Olympic Committee]]|url=http://www.olympics.com.au/news/australia-records-best-ever-winter-games|title=Australia records best ever Winter Games|access-date=17 May 2011|archive-date=5 March 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100305063312/http://www.olympics.com.au/news/australia-records-best-ever-winter-games|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Baka |first=Richard |date=2014-02-06 |title=Better late than never: Australia's Winter Olympic medallists |url=https://theconversation.com/better-late-than-never-australias-winter-olympic-medallists-22884 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221127025826/https://theconversation.com/better-late-than-never-australias-winter-olympic-medallists-22884 |archive-date=2022-11-27 |access-date=2024-11-10 |work=[[The Conversation (website)|The Conversation]]}}</ref> The Australian team was the only Southern Hemisphere team to secure medals and was ranked 13th in the overall medal tally. Australia's two gold medals equalled the gold medal haul of former Winter Olympic host nation France and surpassed those of former host nations Italy, Japan and Croatia (in the Former Yugoslavia).<ref>{{Cite web |website=[[Australian Olympic Committee]]|url=http://www.olympics.com.au/countryTally |title=Vancouver 2010 Medal Tally|access-date=17 May 2011 |archive-date=26 February 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100226064345/http://www.olympics.com.au/countryTally |url-status=dead }}</ref> A parodical bid for Australia to host the Olympic Games at [[Smiggin Holes]] was launched by satirical sports commentators [[Roy and HG]] during the [[Salt Lake City]] Olympics: see [[Smiggin Holes 2010 Winter Olympic bid]].


==Cross country and back country skiing==
[[File:Jagungal.jpg|thumb|Sunrise over [[Mount Jagungal]]]]

The [[Main Range (Snowy Mountains)|Kosciuszko Main Range]] in the [[Snowy Mountains]] of New South Wales offer some of the most challenging cross-country and back-country skiing in Australia, notably [[Watsons Crags]] and [[Mount Twynam]] on the steep Western Face of the Range.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ozbc.net/nsw_crags.htm |title=OzBC.net – NSW Backcountry – Watson's Crags |access-date=17 May 2011 |archive-date=27 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127105141/http://www.ozbc.net/nsw_crags.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ozbc.net/nsw_twynamwest.htm |title=OzBC.net – NSW Backcountry – Twynam West Spur / Tenison Woods Knoll |access-date=17 May 2011 |archive-date=27 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131127110738/http://www.ozbc.net/nsw_twynamwest.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Mount Jagungal]] wilderness area provides some of the most isolated back-country ski terrain. High country huts, often a legacy of the era of cattle grazing in the mountains, provide emergency shelter in these regions.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kosciuszkohuts.org.au/thehuts.html |date= 22 September 2004|title=The Huts|website=
[[Kosciuszko Huts Association]]|access-date=17 May 2011 |archive-date=17 June 2005 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20050617024653/http://www.kosciuszkohuts.org.au/thehuts.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Seaman's Hut]], near Kosciuszko, was built as a refuge in 1929 to commemorate Laurie Seaman, who was separated from his party and died in a 1928 blizzard while attempting to cross-country ski to Mount Kosciuszko.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.snowymountains.com.au/High_Country_Huts.html |title=High Country Huts |accessdate=2009-07-21 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090603125923/http://www.snowymountains.com.au/High_Country_Huts.html |archivedate=3 June 2009 }}</ref>

The Australian High Country is populated by unique flora and fauna including [[wombats]], [[Wallaby|wallabies]], [[echidnas]], and the [[Snow Gum]].<ref name="50reasons"/> The Alpine regions are subject to environmental protection, which has limited the scope of commercial development of skiiable terrain,<ref>See "Kosciuszko National Park: Contemporary Management". New South Wales Department of Education and Training, Riverina Environmental Education Centre.</ref> however Australia has extensive [[cross country skiing]] terrain.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.hoppet.com.au/xc/|title=XC – the Australian cross country skiing site|access-date=17 May 2011|archive-date=16 August 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816230527/http://www.hoppet.com.au/xc/|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.australia.com/destinations/icons/alps.aspx |title=Australian Alps – Tourism Australia |accessdate=2013-10-05 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120221222217/http://www.australia.com/destinations/icons/alps.aspx |archivedate=21 February 2012 }}</ref>

A landmark expedition in early Australian cross country skiing was conducted in 1927, when William Hughes, of the [[Kiandra snow shoe club|Kiandra Snow Shoe Club]], together with four members of the Ski Club of Australia made the first historic ski traverse from Kiandra to the Hotel Kosciusko (now [[Sponars Chalet]]). Their eventful journey, via the [[Mount Jagungal]] Wilderness and across freezing rivers, is retold in Klaus Hueneke's book "Kiandra to Kosciusko" and was commemorated by 150 ski tourers in 1977 in an event organised by the [[Kosciuszko Huts Association]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://nordicskiclub.org.au/kag_arch/kiandra_to_kosciusko.shtml |title=NSW Nordic Ski Club – Kiandra to Kosciusko |accessdate=2009-07-21 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121114509/http://nordicskiclub.org.au/kag_arch/kiandra_to_kosciusko.shtml |archivedate=21 November 2008 }}</ref>

==Snow conditions==
[[File:Spencers Creek Average Depths.png|left|thumb|Spencers Creek average snow depth chart from [[Snowy Hydro]]]]
[[File:Snow making machine.jpg|thumb|[[Snowmaking|Snowmaking machine]] at [[Smiggin Holes]], New South Wales]]

According to the Australian Government's "Bureau of Meteorology", in most years snow is sufficient above about 1500 metres to sustain a "viable ski industry". However, snow falls can vary greatly from year to year. In 1973 temperatures remained too warm, while in 1982 it was too dry for much of a snow season. However, some other years have abundant snow – the Bureau cites 1981 as an example. The unpredictability of Australian snow conditions was highlighted in 2006 when severe drought and a poor snow season gave way to a "White Christmas" and abundant snow falls in the alpine regions of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania and even a low altitude snow fall on 25 December in the [[Dandenong Ranges]] on [[Melbourne]]'s north-eastern fringe.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/inside/services_policy/public/sigwxsum/sigw1206.shtml|title=Significant Weather|website=[[Bureau of Meteorology]]|via=[[Trove]]|date=December 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924043252/http://www.bom.gov.au/inside/services_policy/public/sigwxsum/sigw1206.shtml |archive-date=24 September 2015|url-status=dead }}</ref> Snow-making equipment at ski resorts has reduced uncertainty in recent times.<ref>{{Cite web
|url=http://www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/c20thc/temp.html
|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20090330051442/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/96122/20090317-1643/www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/c20thc/temp.html
|archive-date=30 March 2009
|url-status=dead
|via=[[Trove]]
|title=Temperature
|series=Climate Education
|website=[[Bureau of Meteorology]]
}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref> In New South Wales, a heavy natural snow season can see a base of up to 3.6 meters in August, at an elevation of 1830m at Spencer's Creek, (near [[Charlotte Pass]]) – see below chart. Typically, depths will be lower than this.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Abundant snow seasons |url=http://www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/c20thc/temp5.html|via=[[Trove]]|series=Climate Education|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20090330051442/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/96122/20090317-1643/www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/c20thc/temp5.html |archive-date=30 March 2009 |website=[[Bureau of Meteorology]]}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

Low altitude and often heavy rain; as well as seasonal (early spring) dust storms in the Simpson Desert depositing red dust on the ranges (causing less UV reflection and therefore faster melting) keep the snow season relatively short (June-Oct). Heavy snow can fall however, at any time between April and December in the Australian High Country (see chart from [[Snowy Hydro]]). The official opening of the ski season for most resorts coincides with the [[King's Official Birthday|King's Birthday Long Weekend]] on the second Monday in June.

==List of downhill ski resorts==
[[Image:Perisher Olympic Ski Trail.JPG|250px|thumb|Olympic Ski Trail, leading to [[Perisher Valley]] from Back Perisher Mountain. Perisher is Australia's largest ski resort.]]
[[Alpine skiing]]:
* [[New South Wales]]
**[[Thredbo, New South Wales|Thredbo]]
**[[Perisher Ski Resort|Perisher]]
***[[Perisher Valley]]
***[[Blue Cow, New South Wales|Mount Blue Cow]]
***[[Guthega]]
***[[Smiggin Holes]]
**[[Selwyn Snowfields]]
**[[Charlotte Pass, New South Wales|Charlotte Pass]]

==List of cross country ski resorts and backcountry locations==

*New South Wales:
**[[Kosciuszko National Park]]
***[[Mount Jagungal|Jagungal Wilderness]]
***[[Kiandra]]
***[[Main Range (Snowy Mountains)|Kosciuszko Main Range]]
**[[Bimberi Nature Reserve]]

==Gallery==
<gallery>
Image:perisher_valley_snow_fields.jpg | [[Perisher Ski Resort|Perisher]]
File:Perisher from Mount Perisher.jpg|[[Perisher Valley]] from Mount Perisher
Image:SnowMobileSnowys.jpg| A Snowmobile at [[Perisher Ski Resort|Perisher]]
Image:Smiggin_holes.jpg|[[Smiggin Holes, New South Wales|Smiggin Holes]], Perisher
File:Guthega ski resort.jpg|[[Guthega]], Perisher
File:Mount Blue Cow Ski Resort.jpg|Looking to [[Blue Cow, New South Wales|Blue Cow]] Terminal, Perisher
File:Charlotte Pass Village in August.jpg|[[Charlotte Pass]] Village in August
File:Thredbo ski resort.jpg|Friday Flat, [[Thredbo]]  
File:SkiingThredbo2008.jpg|The Kosciuszko Express Chairlift, Thredbo
File:Racecourse, Selwyn Snowfields.jpg|The Racecourse Run, [[Selwyn Snowfields]]
File:Cabramurra July 2011.jpg|[[Cabramurra]] in July
File:Perisherbluecowskiing.JPG|Perisher
</gallery>

==See also==
*[[Skiing in Australia]]
*[[Skiing in Victoria, Australia]]
*[[Skiing in Tasmania]]
*[[Skiing in the Australian Capital Territory]]
*[[List of ski areas and resorts in Australia]]
*[[Winter sport in Australia]]

== Notes ==
{{NoteFoot}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.australianalps.environment.gov.au/index.html Australian Alps National Parks]
*[https://webarchive.nla.gov.au/awa/20090317054300/http://pandora.nla.gov.au/pan/96122/20090317-1643/www.bom.gov.au/lam/climate/levelthree/c20thc/temp.html Bureau of Meteorology Climate Education]{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
* Information on all ski lifts to have operated in NSW in the [http://www.australianmountains.com/australianskilifts/ Australian Ski Lift Directory]

{{Skifields of Australia}}
{{Oceania topic|List of ski areas and resorts in}}
{{Australian sport}}
{{Australia topics}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Skiing in New South Wales}}
[[Category:Ski areas and resorts in Australia|New South Wales]]
[[Category:Skiing in Australia|New South Wales]]
[[Category:Adaminaby]]