Skiing in Tasmania
Encyclopedia
Skiing in Tasmania takes place in the high country of the state
of Tasmania
, Australia
, during the Southern Hemisphere
winter. Cross country skiing is possible within the Tasmanian Wilderness
and two small downhill ski-fields have been developed at Ben Lomond and Mount Mawson
. Mount Ossa is the highest point on the island at 1614m but Tasmania has eight mountains
exceeding 1500m.
takes place in three States: New South Wales
, Victoria
and Tasmania
; as well as in the Australian Capital Territory
, during the Southern Hemisphere
winter. Skiable terrain stretches through large areas of territory from June to October and a number of well serviced resorts have been developed, including: Thredbo, Perisher and Charlotte Pass in New South Wales; Mount Buller, Falls Creek
and Mount Hotham
in Victoria; as well as the small resorts of Ben Lomond and Mount Mawson
in Tasmania.
The most southerly ski fields in Australia are located in Tasmania
, a mountainous island off the southern coast of Eastern Australia. Much of the State is subject to at least occasional winter snows. Mount Ossa is the highest point on the island at 1614m but Tasmania has eight mountains
exceeding 1500m and 28 above 1,220m. Also notable is the Central Plateau, at an elevation of around 900m. The capital city of Hobart
is built at the base of Mount Wellington
, which at 1270m is snow capped in winter.
operations are located at Ben Lomond
, 60 km from Launceston
. Located in the Ben Lomond National Park
, the village is at 1460m and the top elevation is 1570m. The Northern Tasmanian Alpine Club formed in 1929 and pioneered trips to the mountain - improving and improved the access track. In 1932, a chalet was built at Carr Villa, and construction of a road from Upper Blessington to Carr Villa began soon after. It was finally completed in 1953. In 1950 a Parlimentary Standing Committee recommended that Ben Lomond be developed as a ski resort. The Australian National Championships were held at the site in 1955. In 1963 the access road was extended to the top of the plateau via the steep and scenic "Jacobs Ladder". Subsequent developments have included new ski lifts, visitor facilities, a licenced inn and accommodation, sewerage system, and improved access. The Ben Lomond Skifield Management Authority was formed in 1995 to manage the Skifield Development Area. Today, a number of club lodges provide accommodation and the mountain has fine views which stretch to the ocean. In 2010, the Department of Parks and Wildlife released a plan for the Ben Lomond ski area recommending snow making machines, the enhancement of snow play areas and the development of a possible snow board park.
at Mount Mawson
, which is approximately 89 kilometres north west of Hobart and rises from 1200m to 1320m altitude. Mount Mawson is a small club field, located thirty minutes walk from its carpark. Mawson has three lifts: 2 intermediate rope tows and a third steep incline rope tow accessing steep terrain. A small amount of club accommodation is available and there are some self catering huts in the National Park.
, where cross country skiing can be possible, when conditions allow. Cradle Mountain is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, inscribed by UNESCO
in 1982.Tasmania has 28 mountains above 1,220m and much of the island is subject to at least occasional winter snow.
The Australian High Country is populated by unique flora and fauna including wombats, wallabies
, echidnas, and the Snow Gum. The Alpine regions are subject to environmental protection, which has limited the scope of commercial development of skiiable terrain, however Australia has extensive cross country skiing terrain.
States and territories of Australia
The Commonwealth of Australia is a union of six states and various territories. The Australian mainland is made up of five states and three territories, with the sixth state of Tasmania being made up of islands. In addition there are six island territories, known as external territories, and a...
of Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, during the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
winter. Cross country skiing is possible within the Tasmanian Wilderness
Tasmanian Wilderness
The Tasmanian Wilderness is a term that is used for a range of areas in Tasmania, Australia.The World Heritage Areas in South West, Western and Central are the most well known. However, there are also other areas in Tasmania that have the elements of being known as wilderness areas, the Tarkine...
and two small downhill ski-fields have been developed at Ben Lomond and Mount Mawson
Mount Mawson
Mount Mawson is situated in the Mount Field National Park in Tasmania, Australia. The mountain is located approximately 89 kilometres north west of Hobart and 232 kilometres from Launceston by road...
. Mount Ossa is the highest point on the island at 1614m but Tasmania has eight mountains
Highest mountains of Tasmania
The Australian island state of Tasmania has a diverse range of geography but a prominent feature is the mountains of the island.Overall Tasmania is comparatively low-lying with the highest point at 1614 metres...
exceeding 1500m.
History and major locations
Skiing in AustraliaSkiing in Australia
Skiing in Australia takes place in the high country of the states of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, as well as in the Australian Capital Territory, during the Southern Hemisphere winter....
takes place in three States: New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
and Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
; as well as in the Australian Capital Territory
Australian Capital Territory
The Australian Capital Territory, often abbreviated ACT, is the capital territory of the Commonwealth of Australia and is the smallest self-governing internal territory...
, during the Southern Hemisphere
Southern Hemisphere
The Southern Hemisphere is the part of Earth that lies south of the equator. The word hemisphere literally means 'half ball' or "half sphere"...
winter. Skiable terrain stretches through large areas of territory from June to October and a number of well serviced resorts have been developed, including: Thredbo, Perisher and Charlotte Pass in New South Wales; Mount Buller, Falls Creek
Falls Creek, Victoria
Falls Creek is a ski-in, ski-out ski resort in north-eastern Victoria, Australia. It is located about 350 kilometres by road from Melbourne in the Alpine National Park, with the nearest town Mount Beauty, approximately 30 kilometres away. The resort lies between an altitude of 1,210 and 1,830...
and Mount Hotham
Mount Hotham
Mount Hotham is a mountain in Victoria, Australia. It is home to Hotham Alpine Resort. The mountain is located approximately north east of Melbourne, from Sydney, and from Adelaide by road. Mt Hotham's summit rises to an altitude of above sea level...
in Victoria; as well as the small resorts of Ben Lomond and Mount Mawson
Mount Mawson
Mount Mawson is situated in the Mount Field National Park in Tasmania, Australia. The mountain is located approximately 89 kilometres north west of Hobart and 232 kilometres from Launceston by road...
in Tasmania.
The most southerly ski fields in Australia are located in Tasmania
Tasmania
Tasmania is an Australian island and state. It is south of the continent, separated by Bass Strait. The state includes the island of Tasmania—the 26th largest island in the world—and the surrounding islands. The state has a population of 507,626 , of whom almost half reside in the greater Hobart...
, a mountainous island off the southern coast of Eastern Australia. Much of the State is subject to at least occasional winter snows. Mount Ossa is the highest point on the island at 1614m but Tasmania has eight mountains
Highest mountains of Tasmania
The Australian island state of Tasmania has a diverse range of geography but a prominent feature is the mountains of the island.Overall Tasmania is comparatively low-lying with the highest point at 1614 metres...
exceeding 1500m and 28 above 1,220m. Also notable is the Central Plateau, at an elevation of around 900m. The capital city of Hobart
Hobart
Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
is built at the base of Mount Wellington
Mount Wellington (Tasmania)
Mount Wellington is a mountain on whose foothills is built much of the city of Hobart, Tasmania, Australia. It is often referred to simply as 'the Mountain' by the residents of Hobart, and it rises to AHD over the city....
, which at 1270m is snow capped in winter.
Ben Lomond
Tasmania's premier Alpine skiingAlpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
operations are located at Ben Lomond
Ben Lomond (Tasmania)
Ben Lomond, 1,570 m AHD , is a mountain in the north of Tasmania. It is east of Launceston in the Ben Lomond National Park...
, 60 km from Launceston
Launceston, Tasmania
Launceston is a city in the north of the state of Tasmania, Australia at the junction of the North Esk and South Esk rivers where they become the Tamar River. Launceston is the second largest city in Tasmania after the state capital Hobart...
. Located in the Ben Lomond National Park
Ben Lomond National Park
The Ben Lomond National Park is located in the northeast of the Australian state of Tasmania, about 50 km east of Launceston. The park has an area of 18,192 ha and was established on 23 July 1947...
, the village is at 1460m and the top elevation is 1570m. The Northern Tasmanian Alpine Club formed in 1929 and pioneered trips to the mountain - improving and improved the access track. In 1932, a chalet was built at Carr Villa, and construction of a road from Upper Blessington to Carr Villa began soon after. It was finally completed in 1953. In 1950 a Parlimentary Standing Committee recommended that Ben Lomond be developed as a ski resort. The Australian National Championships were held at the site in 1955. In 1963 the access road was extended to the top of the plateau via the steep and scenic "Jacobs Ladder". Subsequent developments have included new ski lifts, visitor facilities, a licenced inn and accommodation, sewerage system, and improved access. The Ben Lomond Skifield Management Authority was formed in 1995 to manage the Skifield Development Area. Today, a number of club lodges provide accommodation and the mountain has fine views which stretch to the ocean. In 2010, the Department of Parks and Wildlife released a plan for the Ben Lomond ski area recommending snow making machines, the enhancement of snow play areas and the development of a possible snow board park.
Mount Mawson
Limited downhill ski operations also exist in the Mount Field National ParkMount Field National Park
Mount Field National Park is a national park in Tasmania, Australia, 64 km northwest of Hobart. The landscape ranges from eucalyptus temperate rainforest to alpine moorland, rising to 1,434 metres at the summit of Mount Field West....
at Mount Mawson
Mount Mawson
Mount Mawson is situated in the Mount Field National Park in Tasmania, Australia. The mountain is located approximately 89 kilometres north west of Hobart and 232 kilometres from Launceston by road...
, which is approximately 89 kilometres north west of Hobart and rises from 1200m to 1320m altitude. Mount Mawson is a small club field, located thirty minutes walk from its carpark. Mawson has three lifts: 2 intermediate rope tows and a third steep incline rope tow accessing steep terrain. A small amount of club accommodation is available and there are some self catering huts in the National Park.
Cross country and back country skiing
When conditions allow, Australia's rugged island State of Tasmania also offers cross country skiers some scenic terrain. One of Australia's most scenic alpine locations is located in Tasmania at Cradle MountainCradle Mountain
Cradle Mountain is a mountain in the Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, Tasmania, Australia. Rising to 1,545 metres above sea level it is one of the principal tourist sites in Tasmania, owing to its natural beauty...
, where cross country skiing can be possible, when conditions allow. Cradle Mountain is part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area, inscribed by UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
in 1982.Tasmania has 28 mountains above 1,220m and much of the island is subject to at least occasional winter snow.
The Australian High Country is populated by unique flora and fauna including wombats, wallabies
Wallaby
A wallaby is any of about thirty species of macropod . It is an informal designation generally used for any macropod that is smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo that has not been given some other name.-Overview:...
, echidnas, and the Snow Gum. The Alpine regions are subject to environmental protection, which has limited the scope of commercial development of skiiable terrain, however Australia has extensive cross country skiing terrain.
List of cross country and backcountry locations
-
- Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National ParkCradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National ParkCradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park is located in the Central Highlands area of Tasmania , 165 km northwest of Hobart. The park contains many walking trails, and is where hikes along the well-known Overland Track usually begins...
- Ben Lomond National ParkBen Lomond National ParkThe Ben Lomond National Park is located in the northeast of the Australian state of Tasmania, about 50 km east of Launceston. The park has an area of 18,192 ha and was established on 23 July 1947...
- Mount Field National ParkMount Field National ParkMount Field National Park is a national park in Tasmania, Australia, 64 km northwest of Hobart. The landscape ranges from eucalyptus temperate rainforest to alpine moorland, rising to 1,434 metres at the summit of Mount Field West....
- Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park
See also
- Highest Mountains of TasmaniaHighest mountains of TasmaniaThe Australian island state of Tasmania has a diverse range of geography but a prominent feature is the mountains of the island.Overall Tasmania is comparatively low-lying with the highest point at 1614 metres...
- Skiing in AustraliaSkiing in AustraliaSkiing in Australia takes place in the high country of the states of New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania, as well as in the Australian Capital Territory, during the Southern Hemisphere winter....
- Skiing in Victoria, AustraliaSkiing in Victoria, AustraliaSkiing in Victoria, Australia takes place in the Australian Alps located in the State of Victoria during the southern hemisphere winter. Victoria is the State with the greatest number of ski resorts in Australia. The highest peak in Victoria is Mount Bogong at 1986m. The first ski tow was...
- Skiing in New South WalesSkiing in New South WalesSkiing in New South Wales takes place in the high country of the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales during the Southern Hemisphere winter.Skiing began in Australia at the goldrush town of Kiandra, New South Wales around 1861...
- Skiing in the Australian Capital TerritorySkiing in the Australian Capital TerritorySkiing in the Australian Capital Territory refers to snow skiing in the Australian Capital Territory . Cross country skiing can be possible in the Brindabella Ranges which rise to the west of Canberra, in the A.C.T, and include the Namadgi National Park and Bimberi Nature Reserve. Mount Franklin...
- List of ski areas and resorts in Australia
- Winter sport in AustraliaWinter sport in AustraliaWinter Sports in Australia encompasses a great variety of activities across the continent of Australia, including winter sports played in snow and ice. Climate varies considerably from the tropical North to temperate South in Australia, and sporting practices vary accordingly...
External links
- ski.com.au
- Australian Alps National Parks
- Bureau of Meteorology Climate Education
- Australia at the Winter Olympics
- Ski & Snowboard Australia
- Cross Country Skiing Australia
- Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area
- 50 Reasons to Love Australian Snow, Sydney Morning Herald, 6 June 2009.
- 78 Years Skiing Tasmania
- Australian Ski Lift Directory. Details of all of the 400 ski lifts that have been built in Australia.