6 Things to do in Melbourne’s Snowfields

Where to travel during the middle of the year during the school holiday and the Hari Raya holiday? Most countries are having summer which includes most countries in Asia, Europe and North America. How about going for some fun in Melbourne’s snowfields for winter? Winter in Melbourne is from June to September (depending on weather).

The first time we visited the snowfields in Melbourne was in 2002 and we revisited last year. It is one of the most memorable trips in our lives and that’s the reason why you should visit Melbourne’s snowfields once in your lifetime.

The best part of traveling to Melbourne is there are plenty of direct flights from Malaysia and you can choose to fly either with AirAsia X or Malaysia Airlines. If you want to transit for one stop, you can choose Malindo Air, Emirates, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Royal Brunei or Scoot.

The beauty of Melbourne is the city is diversified with multi culture and multi-racial. You can find many Asians and their Asians food in the city. There are a number of Malaysian / Singapore restaurants in the city too. We are sure that you have either friends or relatives staying in Melbourne too.

For winter in Melbourne, there are a number of popular snowfields  near the city. We visited two of them and they are Mount Buller) and Falls Creek. There is another highly recommended snowfield called Mount Hotham.

Getting the Chill

The best part of visiting the snowfields is getting the chill. If you never been to a snowfield then you will enjoy your first time having the chill. It is very cold and you must be properly dressed for it. You can always rent the winter clothing instead of buying one.

You need proper snow boots to walk too. That’s why going to Melbourne’s snowfields is an eye opener and is a must for everyone especially for families.

Skiing

To be honest we are not huge fans of skiing. We tried a few times but it is not our thing. However, if you know how to roller blade or ice skating, this is something you should try.

There is skiing school and ski lessons for beginners which include the rental of skis and gears. The ski lessons takes around two hours and above and you will learn all the basic and necessity tips to ski well.

Snowboarding

If skiing is not your thing, then you should try snowboarding. It is not as complicating as skiing and its fun. You are on the snowfield, let’s get some fun! Like skiing, there is beginner lessons for snowboarding including equipment and gear rentals.

Sledding

For those who are not into skiing or snowboarding, then you should love this like we do. It is called sledding. Basically, this is for kids but we loved this too. Just hop on the sled and slide all the way down slope. Take the sled up the slope again and repeat until you give up. Trust us, you will have lots of fun especially with your friends, families or your kids. This is a must do for everyone!

Huskies Sledding Tour

When you talk about Huskies Sledding Tour, most people think it is only available in North America, Canada or Northern Europe countries. You don’t need to travel so far for Huskies Sledding Tour. You can find it in Melbourne too!

You can book Huskies Dog Sledding Tour in Mount Buller. It is one of my bucket list and this is really fun.

Two things you will do here. First, sit in the sled and pulled by the pack of Huskies. Then, you will be taught to control the sled and lead the Huskies. Both are fun and memorable.

For more info, visit http://www.visitmelbourne.com/Things-to-do/Outdoor-activities/Skiing/Dog-sledding

Ski lifts

You probably seen the ski lifts in the TV series or movies. The ski lifts function to transport you from one location to another. For those who never experienced a snowfield, it is really hard to walk on the snow. It is like walking on a beach with soft sand. With ski lifts, it is easier for you to go to places especially if you plan to ski. It can transport you to the top of the mountain rather than walking all the way up with your snow boots.

The fun thing of ski lifts is it acts like a ‘mini’ chair lifts and you can have the top view of the snowy landscape and mountains. You get the best view of the sceneries when you are on the ski lifts.

You have to buy the daily pass for unlimited access for the ski lifts though. It is usually part of the hotel packages or ski packages in Melbourne’s snowfields.

Get out of your usual comfort zone and travel to new places like Melbourne’s snowfields. You won’t be regretting it and that’s for sure. Time to do something cool for a change and visit the snowfields in Melbourne!

Wilson Ng