Industry News
Australia’s planned indoor snow center, Winter Sports World (WSW), has taken a major step forward after signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Sunac-Bonski, the world’s largest operator of indoor snow center’s, to run the AUD 700-million (USD 460-million) facility planned for Penrith in Western Sydney. The agreement, signed on Thursday, December 4, in Guangzhou, China, positions the long-delayed project to become Australia’s only year-round alpine training destination and the Southern Hemisphere’s only Olympic-standard indoor slope.
Under the deal, Sunac-BonSki will provide design consulting, pre-opening support and operational management, applying its significant experience to Australia’s only indoor ski center. Sunac-BonSki runs 11 large-scale indoor snow resorts across major Chinese cities, including Shenzhen BonSki/Huafa Snow, reportedly the largest indoor ski resort in the world. In addition to Huafa, Sunac-BonSki operates Guangzhou Sunac Snow Park, Wuxi BonSki, and Chongqing BonSki, previously named “Snow World.”
WSW managing director Peter Magnisalis said the partnership would give Australian snow sports access to a level of reliability and performance the country has never had. “This partnership gives Australia something it’s never had: consistent, controlled, world-class snow 365 days a year,” he said. “From grassroots kids learning to ski to elite athletes needing high-performance lanes, Winter Sports World will open the door to a new era for Aussie snow sport.”
Set to open in 2028, WSW will feature a 300-meter (984-foot) advanced ski run, a dedicated elite training zone suitable for slalom and giant slalom, a separate beginner slope, and year-round chemical-free snowmaking at a constant –4°C. The slopes have been designed with input from Snow Australia, the NSW Institute of Sport, and the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia. The facility is intended to address a long-identified gap in Australia’s high-performance winter sport infrastructure by allowing athletes to train without traveling overseas, reducing costs and increasing accessibility.
BonSki president Lu Peng said the company was eager to help establish Australia’s only indoor ski center. “Our global experience means Winter Sports World will offer world-class snow quality, athlete-standard terrain and unforgettable experiences for skiers, riders and competitors at every level,” he said.
The Penrith development covers more than two hectares and has received all required planning approvals. The NSW Government has previously estimated that the project could attract more than one million visitors annually and create around 2,700 construction and ongoing jobs. It is now entering a capital-raising phase with construction described as “shovel-ready.”
The MOU was signed following a tour of Guangzhou Sunac Snow Park by Magnisalis and NSW Government representatives. Winter Sports World will be the largest private tourism development in Australia when completed and the biggest single tourism investment in Western Sydney.
Once completed, WSW will be Australia’s only indoor ski center, however, it will not be Australia’s first. Snowdome Adelaide, formerly known as Mt. Thebarton or ‘The Ice Arena’, in Adelaide, South Australia, was Australia’s first indoor ski center. Opened in September 1981, the Snowdome Adelaide was dismantled in the 1990s due to the high running costs with only an ice skating rink remaining at the original site.
