With winter solstice now behind those in the Southern Hemisphere, it appears that winter is finally beginning to hit the Australian Alps, with Perisher, Thredbo, Hotham, and Falls Creek all reporting overnight temperature drops, early natural flurries, and full-scale snowmaking operations as resorts prepare for the season ahead.At Perisher in New South Wales, temperatures dipped to around -3°C overnight, allowing snowmaking teams to fire up guns across the resort. “It was a glorious sight to see the snow guns pumping as the sun rose across the valley this morning,” the resort said in a morning update. “That overnight chill was just what our snowmaking team have been waiting for.” A light dusting of natural snow also fell overnight, complementing the man-made base being built across key beginner areas. Snow guns began firing as early as 8 p.m. and continued through the morning, with cold conditions forecast to persist over the coming days.
Perisher brand and experience manager Emily Smith said the conditions are exactly what the resort has been waiting for. “A light dusting fell overnight and the snow guns have been firing since around 8pm and are still going strong,” Smith said. “With consistently cold nights on the horizon, the team will make the most of every snowmaking opportunity and we’re excited to open more terrain as soon as possible.”
While the resort is still in early-season mode, key beginner infrastructure is already operating, including the Front Valley Conveyor, Harry’s & Herman’s Conveyor, and the Hike Park, giving early-season skiers and riders access to limited terrain while snow production continues. Beyond the slopes, Perisher is also building momentum off the snow, with its “The Station” events series set to bring acts including The Jungle Giants, Brad Cox, and The Terrys to Jindabyne throughout winter.
Further south in Victoria, Falls Creek also recorded a light overnight dusting alongside sub-zero temperatures, with snowmaking operations ramping up across the resort. Temperatures dropped to around -2.8°C, allowing snow guns to fire across key beginner and intermediate terrain. “Our snowmaking team will be making snow at every opportunity, and we’ll be keeping a close eye on conditions to open for skiing and boarding as soon as we are able to,” said Betony Pitcher, Brand + Experience Manager at Falls Creek.
Snowmaking efforts are focused on key beginner corridors and heavily trafficked runs such as Wombat’s Ramble, Drovers Dream, Main Street, Nastar, Broadway, Scott’s and Ruined Castle — all areas supported by an expanded and modernised snowmaking network. A resort update highlighted ongoing investments in automated Techno Alpin systems, which allow crews to maximise short cold-weather windows and improve early-season reliability. “Snowmaking is one of the most important tools in helping create a consistent and reliable snow experience across the resort,” the resort said in its latest operations update. “These upgrades allow our teams to respond quickly to favourable conditions and efficiently build and maintain key terrain throughout the season.”
Off-slope, Falls Creek is also leaning into winter experience offerings, with live music, family programming, and dining additions including a new ramen restaurant in the Village Bowl, Wabi Sabi.
With both resorts reporting sub-zero overnight lows and early snowmaking windows, the Australian ski season is beginning to take shape in classic early-winter fashion: stop-start natural snowfall, aggressive snowmaking pushes, and incremental terrain openings as conditions allow. While coverage remains limited for now, the combination of colder nights and early season dustings is giving Perisher and Falls Creek a timely boost as they look to expand terrain in the coming days and weeks.
For now, it’s a waiting game — but winter has clearly arrived in the Australian Alps.
PHOTOS
