Australia — It’s starting to look like the Australian ski season is coming to a prompt conclusion. Due to warm weather and lots of rain, several ski resorts in the land down under have called it quits for the 2024 season.
Selwyn Snow Resort closed on August 25th but hoped to reopen if they received enough new snow. However, it was announced this past weekend that Selwyn was officially done for the season. While Selwyn did have some highlights this season, like opening its advanced terrain for the first time in five years, they had another shortened winter.
On September 1st, Mt. Baw Baw threw in the towel for the 2024 season. They offered refunds to guests who preordered tickets for September 2nd – 8th.
Mt. Buller announced on Friday that it would shut down on September 5th. While it did receive some snow over the past few days, it’s not enough to salvage the season.
In response to the closure, Mt. Buller wrote a song about it. I can’t lie; it’s kinda catchy.
On Sunday, Hotham Alpine Resort became the latest to announce its closure. Warm temperatures and rain have led Hotham to decide that its closing date will be September 4th.
After these closures, only a handful of ski resorts remain open. While Charlotte Pass, Falls Creek, Perisher, and Thredbo remain open and are making snow, their snowpack has been diminished. While Perisher has been trying to keep guests stoked with snowy posts, 4cm (around 1.6 inches) doesn’t help them stay open for much longer.
It was generally a down year for Australia. A warm start delayed opening, but cold weather in July for snowmaking and some natural snowfall, provided some decent conditions for a bit. However, a warm and rainy stretch in late August derailed the season at numerous mountains.
Scientists are also calling into question the Australian ski industry’s future. A research study by the Australian National University (ANU) and Protect Our Winters Australia predicted that the ski season days would drop by over 50% in the worst-case carbon emissions scenario.
Ultimately, it’s a sad state of affairs for the Australian ski industry. Hopefully, they will begin to focus on becoming four-season destinations because it seems like they can’t rely on winter to show up.
Image/Video Credits: Selwyn Snow Resort, Mt. Baw Baw, Mt. Buller, Hotham Alpine Resort, Perisher Resort, Falls Creek
