Industry News
With opening day locked in for June 6 — timed with the traditional King’s Birthday long weekend — Thredbo Resort, Australia, has switched on a new all-weather snowmaking unit at Friday Flat, aiming to avoid the early-season uncertainty that has plagued some recent winters.
- Related: How Big are Australian Ski Resorts?
The resort confirmed the system is now fully operational after testing it over the past week. “Testing… testing…❄️ last week, we fired up our favourite new toy,” Thredbo wrote, adding that the unit can produce snow in temperatures of up to 20°C (68°F). Days later, the message became more definitive: “It’s happening, hallelujah 💫 We are ON for skiing and snowboarding June 6… see you here.”
The installation is focused on Friday Flat, the resort’s main beginner zone, which sits at approximately 1,365 metres (4,478 feet) above sea level — significantly lower than Thredbo’s upper terrain. That lower elevation makes it particularly vulnerable to warm early-season conditions, and in some years, insufficient natural snow cover has delayed or even prevented opening for the June long weekend altogether. “In response to variable and shortening snow seasons in the Australian Alps and the relatively low elevation of Friday Flat, artificial snowmaking technologies assist in providing both an early season and more reliable snow cover,” the resort management wrote in its development application for the new snowmaking unit.
The unit in question is a Demaclenko Snowpro 210, a containerized system capable of producing up to 210 cubic metres (7,416 cubic feet) of snow per day. That’s roughly the equivalent of four to five backyard swimming pools a day, or about one Olympic-sized pool of snow every 12 days. Unlike conventional snowmaking, which typically requires temperatures around -2°C to -3°C (28°F to 27°F), this technology can operate in far warmer conditions, giving the resort a much wider weather window to build base coverage.
The unit integrates into Thredbo’s existing snowmaking network, allowing operators to move water through underground pipes and above-ground pipes to precisely target key areas. For Friday Flat, where consistent snow is essential for ski school programs and first-time visitors, that level of control is critical.
Built by Italian company Demaclenko, the Snowpro series is part of a growing class of “all-weather” snowmaking systems being deployed globally as resorts contend with shorter and less predictable winters. These plug-and-play units are designed for rapid deployment and can operate independently or alongside traditional snow guns.
For Thredbo, the investment is as much about reliability as it is about optics. Opening weekend is one of the most important dates on the calendar, particularly as it aligns traditionally with the Kings’ Birthday Long Weekend in Australia. With the new system in place, the resort is betting it can deliver those first turns on schedule — regardless of what early June weather brings.
