Australian Snow Play Rules, Regulations And What Fun Can Be Had

Snow play in Australia for the 2020 season is looking about as lean as the current snow conditions. With some resorts open and running on strips of man-made snow, others wait for good snowmaking conditions. Snow lovers want to know where they can throw a snowball or jump on a toboggan.

In a normal, non-COVID-19 winter there are usually many rules when it comes to snow play within Australian ski resorts. There are usually overcrowded slopes with people learning their chosen sliding craft of skiing or snowboarding so snow play is moved to designated areas.

This year rules have further tightened and vary from resort to resort. 

Rules and snow play options in the Victorian resorts: 

• Mt Hotham has a designated snow play area from July 1 in which people must place bookings. Although Dinner Plain Alpine Village just a 15-minute drive from Hotham Central is offering free tobogganing.
• Falls Creek has suspended tobogganing till July 12, so snow tubing is probably out as well till there is some snow.
• Mt Buller says due to COVID-19 there is no tobogganing in the resort, this will be reviewed after 13 July. But if there is snow you are welcome to have a friendly snowball fight or build a snowman.
• Mt Baw Baw is offering Tobogganing passes for $15.

Snow play rules within in New South Wales are even stricter: 

The NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service have worked with resorts to create regulations for the Kosciuszko National Park. They have outlined, visitors can snow play in a safe and suitable location but no tobogganing. 

• Perisher Resort has banned people from tobogganing or snow-play and if caught they will be required to leave the resort. The resort will not operate Tube Town during the 2020 snow season.
• Thredbo even in ‘normal’ winters prohibits snow play. Tobogganing within its resort is deemed as a dangerous pass time.

“To maximise safety for guests, employees, and resort property, Thredbo prohibits the use of toboggans and other miscellaneous snow sliding equipment that is associated with “Snow Play” within our leasehold area.”

– Thredbo Resort

• Selwyn Snow Resort is completely closed for 2020 due to the bushfire damage sustained earlier in the year.

The good times will slide and fly once again when the snowfalls. There are just a few more rules for the 2020 Australian winter. But hey many did not think there was going to be a season this year.