Australia — Last ski season was memorable for Australia. Above-average snowfall and cold weather led some ski resorts to stay open later than usual. Australia’s ski industry is hoping for a repeat of that winter this time around, although some of the early signs aren’t great.
Last weekend, various ski resorts in Australia opened up for the 2026 ski season. This includes Falls Creek, Hotham, Mt. Buller, Perisher, and Thredbo. Other ski resorts, like Charlotte Pass, Mount Baw Baw, and Selwyn, plan to open later this month. While it’s not always easy to pull off, they try to open during the King’s Birthday Weekend, which is a vacation period for Aussies. Cold weather and recent snowfall led to an on-schedule opening day, along with terrain expansions during the weekend.
The weekend saw ski resorts with terrain buildouts at the open resorts, including Buller, Hotham, and Perisher. This included the Summit Quad at Hotham, V8 at Perisher, and Bourke Street at Mt. Buller.
The openings come as winter forecasts leave lots to be desired. Australia saw a warm fall, which delayed ski resorts. An El Niño is developing, which tends to bring above-average temperatures. According to 9 News Australia, meteorologists say it’s too early to make bold predictions about how this winter will play out.
A successful winter is what Vail Resorts will be hoping for. The owner of three ski resorts in the country came off a brutal 2025-26 season in North America, and getting good metrics would help cool investors’ worries.
Image/Video Credits: 9 News Australia, Perisher, Hotham Alpine Resort
