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Home , Counting Down the Days, The Remarkables, Turoa

The white stuff P hil Er ickson , Tr eble C one a r ea M iles H olden , N ew Z ealand S ki T o ur ism , , Snowboarding at , New Zealand

Ski and boarding enthusiasts are counting down the days to the official start of the ski season young at heart there’s tubing and tobogganing skiers, you want to know how to jump turn before on the June long weekend. Whether you’re a seasoned professional or starting out for the – or try your hand at 45 kilometres of cross-country you tackle this mountain. ski trails. Don’t despair just yet, there are equal amounts first time, there’s a ski field and resort to suit you, writesRA CHAEL OAKES-ASH. The only of intermediate to practise on and a separate ski Victoria school area with green zoned runs. Then there’s question is, which side of the Tasman? Mt Buller Zirky’s, Hotham Central and the General Store for www.mtbuller.com.au post-ski beverages. The best news is the airport: fly open ego – skiing that’s good for the ego, Melburnians looking for a white weekend head to Mt into Hotham airport and be on the snow within half New South Wales on groomed runs designed to make you feel like a Buller for some snow action each weekend. They’re an hour of touchdown. Thredbo god. The vertical drop is half that of Thredbo but in good company. You may find yourself sipping a www.thredbo.com.au what it lacks on the vertical it makes up with its 1245 cappuccino next to Alissa Camplin or Jacqui Cooper Falls Creek Thredbo is known as the skier’s mountain, with hectares of wide open ego terrain. Combining seven as Mt Buller is the aerialists’ training ground. www.fallscreek.com.au 480 hectares of all-level terrain. Home to Australia’s mountain peaks with more than 50 , Perisher The resort features 180 hectares of terrain Across the range sits Falls Creek. It’s 450 hectares longest ski run, the 5.9-kilometre stretch from the Blue is a hit with the snowboarding crowd with its accessed by high speed chairlifts and centred on of wide, groomed runs all the way, with Cat-skiing highest lifted point of Karel’s T-Bar to Friday Flats, four terrain parks and one almighty super pipe. the infamous ‘Bourke Street’ green run, known for at Mt McKay for those seeking off-piste pleasures. Thredbo has more than 670 metres of vertical terrain The beauty of Perisher Blue is its ski-in, ski-out its peak hour traffic. Sit slope-side and watch the There are bump runs at Exhibition, children’s fun to burn the thigh muscles. There’s a host of on- accommodation. Most of the resort’s lodgings are beginners steer around each other. It’s better than mountain eateries to rest weary legs before hitting the found on-mountain, which means stepping outside watching Funniest Home Videos. Perisher Blue, NSW slopes again and great ‘Prada princess’ viewing from and stepping into snow. Open fire restaurants, grills There’s plenty to do here for après: hang out at La the village square. and bars keep the après crowd entertained Trobe winter campus cinema, chow down at the Black Parents can drop off the bubs at day care and the and September’s annual Spring Carnival means two Cockatoo fine dining restaurant or shoot some pool at kids at ski school at Friday Flat where beginners have weeks of frivolity for all ages. Kooroora pub before it turns into a late-night disco. their own ski area with magic carpet and . Once graduated, beginners hit the green runs of Mt Selwyn Mt Hotham Thredbo before conquering the mountain’s mammoth www.selwynsnow.com.au www.hotham.com.au 67 per cent of intermediate terrain. Black diamond Mt Selwyn is a truly intimate snow sport experience. New South Wales has Thredbo, Victoria has Mt masters have their fair share of bowls, drops, wind This boutique field caters for the beginner crowd, Hotham. An elite mountain playground for those lips and tree runs to play in. which makes it ideal for first-timer toddlers. The ski who love steeps, powder bowls, chutes and gullies. field is 45 hectares of easy gradient with 40 per cent There’s back country snow gum terrain accessed Perisher Blue devoted to the beginner and almost 50 per cent to by Cat mobiles for fresh tracks and the renowned www.perisherblue.com.au the intermediate skier. ensures the field ‘Mary’s Slide’ for the daring. With 37 per cent of the Family-friendly Perisher Blue is favoured for its wide is covered at all times. For the non-skiers and the resort’s 300-plus hectares marked out for advanced P e r ishe B l u

10 Travellers Choice 1300 78 78 58 Discover 11 resort, Cardrona boasts one of the best ski early birds hit the snow before the start New Zealand schools and kids’ programs in New Zealand of business. Snow making is big here, True Blue Prices and 320 hectares of dry snow. There are keeping coverage on the hill throughout the catering choices galore, including a noodle season. There are 280 hectares of terrain bar and mountain pizza café. The terrain split 20 per cent beginners, 45 per cent park is topnotch and although the runs are intermediate and 35 per cent advanced, short, they are wide and groomed. If you with easy transition between each. Freestyle need more of a challenge, ride the chutes expression sessions for those over 10 years at Captain’s chairlift. of age are held throughout the season so Closest town: Midway between you can try your hand at the new style of Queenstown and skiing and boarding in a safe environment. Local tip: Finish the day with a mulled wine Closest town: Queenstown • Melbourne/ from $970 by the outside fire at the Cardrona Hotel at Local tip: Night skiing on a Saturday. • Brisbane from $998 the base of the access road – it’s tradition. • Adelaide from $1118 • Perth from $1190 Includes return airfares, 10 days car rental, The Remarkables Mt Ruapehu 9 nights accommodation, www.nzski.com/remarkables www.mtruapehu.co.nz airline taxes and government charges Known as ‘Remarks’, this resort proves Whakapapa (the ‘wh’ is pronounced as ‘f’), good things come in small packages. With and its sister ski field, , sit on either Canada a mere 220 hectares of developed ski side of the active volcano, Mt Ruapehu, Fly Drive terrain, Remarks’ three bowls provide fun, on New Zealand’s North Island. Both are groomed skiing at the top of the chairlifts good-sized fields with more than 1000

Mt Hutt, South Island, New Zealand M iles H olden , N ew Z ealand S ki T o ur ism – or take a 10-minute hike and hit the hectares between them. Natural lava flows wide, ungroomed home run or the more have created beautiful half pipes and wide, Sit slope-side and watch the beginners steer around each other. challenging narrow finger chutes. There’s open rolling territory for boarders and skiers a magic carpet beginners area, a cute alike at Whakapapa where the beginners’ It’s better than watching Funniest Home Videos. kids’ terrain park and some fantastic super area is separated from the main mountain pipes for boarders and freestylers to play to prevent any panic in those finding runs through the magic trees, superpipes and terrain allocated as ‘blue’ and the advanced can tackle on. The terrain is evenly spaced beginner, their ski feet. Turoa features the country’s parks and 28 bars for an après-ski drink. Add ski- the Rakaia Saddle Chutes. If conditions are good, intermediate and advanced. longest ski run at four kilometres and some • Sydney from $2034 in, ski-out lodging, a funky basement cinema, live drop off down the North Peak and be picked up Closest town: Queenstown awesome purpose-built super and half • Melbourne/Brisbane from $2114 bands at The Man and an alpine spa called Endota, by helicopter and dropped back at the car park for Local tip: Factor 30 protection under pipes. Green, blue or black, it’s all here. • Adelaide from $2472 and you have an all-inclusive winter playground. around NZ$150. the sun. Closest towns: Whakapapa and • Perth from $2482 Includes return airfares, 7 days car rental, Closest town: Methven Local tip: The Powder Keg for post- airline taxes and government charges NEW ZEALAND Local tip: Both Burton and Salomon offer board and piste beers. Whether its heli-skiing, powder bowls or snow ski starter packs including equipment, lessons and lift www.nzski.com/coronet Fiji - Stay 5/Pay 4 ploughing the baby slopes at Cardrona, New Zealand pass for bargain prices. Enquire at the ski school. This is the local’s mountain. A mere Call your local Travellers Choice consultant Sonaisali Island has it all. But do note when booking a ski holiday in 30-minute drive from Queenstown, on 1300 78 78 58 for more information. Resort New Zealand that on-mountain accommodation only Treble Cone exists at Cardrona ski field. The rest are anything from www.treblecone.co.nz Ski like a girl 15 minutes to an hour’s drive from your place of stay. Some would call Treble Cone New Zealand’s answer This is easily fixed with daily transfers – or hire a 4WD to Thredbo and Hotham while others say it’s the other Check out resort websites for women’s ski programs that offer a week of female ski instructors for true mobility. way round. Treble Cone has 550 hectares of skiable teaching women in a supportive environment, complete with spa treatments and social terrain and access to New Zealand’s finest back program. Thredbo, Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham in Australia run them, as does Mt South Island country runs if you’re prepared to trek. This is the Ruapehu and Treble Cone in New Zealand. Mt Hutt favoured spot for the Austrian ski team to train in their www.nzski.com/mthutt off season and it’s well worth an early rise to watch Mt Hutt is considered the gateway to the Southern them race. • Sydney from $1241 Alps. The ski field features 365 hectares of terrain Snow making ensures consistent snow conditions • Melbourne from $1304 • Brisbane from $1196 with a six-seater high-speed-chair for more time across the 660 metres of vertical drop. Views from • Perth from $1401 on snow. Beginners’ facilities are first-rate, with a Treble Cone are the best from any ski field and while Includes return airfares, airline taxes & dedicated ski school area with a 1.2 kilometre run there’s only one on-mountain catering option at the government charges, 5 nights accommodation, daily buffet breakfast, welcome cocktail, to practise on. Intermediates have half the mountain base of the mountain, it has an exceptional range of jungle cruise, plus BONUS $200 fresh tasty treats and good coffee. Resort Credit per room. This special valid for sale to Best of the best Closest town: Wanaka 30 May 2006 and travel from Local tip: Treble Cone is affectionately referred to 1 November 2006 - 31 March 2007 Largest skiable terrain: Perisher, 1245 hectares as TC. Most vertical rise: Treble Cone (705 metres) Phone Travellers Choice now! Longest run: Thredbo, 5.9 kilometres 1300 78 78 58 Cardrona All prices are per person twin share. Best après-ski: Queenstown, 120 licensed establishments in one square kilometer www.cardrona.co.nz Conditions apply. Boasting rights: Mary’s Slide at Mt Hotham If you want to feel like a snow king or queen you Lic No. 9TA 00583 Best alpine spa: Endota, Falls Creek GONEWZEALAND

come to Cardrona to play. A seriously schmick c r eek C ha r lie Br own , falls

12 Travellers Choice 1300 78 78 58 Discover 13