
Thredbo is a village and
ski resort
A ski resort is a resort developed for skiing, snowboarding, and other winter sports. In Europe, most ski resorts are towns or villages in or adjacent to a ski area–a mountainous area with pistes (ski trails) and a ski lift system. In North Am ...
in the
Snowy Mountains
The Snowy Mountains, known informally as "The Snowies", is an IBRA subregion in southern New South Wales, Australia, and is the tallest mountain range in mainland Australia, being part of the continent's Great Dividing Range, a cordillera syste ...
of
New South Wales
New South Wales (commonly abbreviated as NSW) is a States and territories of Australia, state on the Eastern states of Australia, east coast of :Australia. It borders Queensland to the north, Victoria (state), Victoria to the south, and South ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
. It is approximately south of
Sydney
Sydney is the capital city of the States and territories of Australia, state of New South Wales and the List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city in Australia. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Syd ...
, accessible by the
Alpine Way
Alpine Way is a rural road located in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia. The road connects in the east to the New South Wales- Victorian border in the west, crossing the Murray River near Bringenbrong and Upper Towong.
...
via
Cooma
Cooma is a town in the south of New South Wales, Australia. It is located south of the national capital, Canberra, via the Monaro Highway. It is also on the Snowy Mountains Highway, connecting Bega, New South Wales, Bega with the Riverina.
...
,
Berridale and
Jindabyne
Jindabyne () is a town in south-east New South Wales, Australia that overlooks Lake Jindabyne near the Snowy Mountains, in Snowy Monaro Regional Council. It is a popular holiday destination year round, especially in winter. This is due to its p ...
. The village is built in the valley of the
Thredbo River
The Thredbo River, a perennial river of the Snowy River catchment, is located in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia.
Course and features
The Thredbo River rises below South Rams Head, near Mount Leo within the Kosciuszko ...
, also known as the Crackenback River, at the foot of the
Ramshead Range.
The town has approximately 4,150 beds, but a permanent population of only approximately 477 people.
When the mountain is fully covered by snow, Thredbo has the longest ski runs in Australia, attracting approximately 700,000 winter visitors annually. In summer, Thredbo is a
hiking
A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time.
"Hi ...
and summer sport destination, offering
rock climbing
Rock climbing is a climbing sports discipline that involves ascending climbing routes, routes consisting of natural rock in an outdoor environment, or on artificial resin climbing walls in a mostly indoor environment. Routes are documented in c ...
and
abseiling
Abseiling ( ; ), also known as rappelling ( ; ), is the controlled descent of a steep slope, such as a rock face, by moving down a rope. When abseiling, the person descending controls their own movement down a static or fixed rope, in cont ...
, fishing,
cross-country cycling
Cross-country (XC) cycling is a discipline of mountain biking. Cross-country cycling became an Olympic sport in 1996 and is the only form of mountain biking practiced at the Olympics.
Terrain
Cross-country cycling is defined by the terrain on w ...
and downhill MTB riding and hosts a
blues
Blues is a music genre and musical form that originated among African Americans in the Deep South of the United States around the 1860s. Blues has incorporated spiritual (music), spirituals, work songs, field hollers, Ring shout, shouts, cha ...
music festival
A music festival is a festival, community event with music, performances of singing and instrument playing that is often presented with a theme such as musical genre (e.g., rock music, rock, blues, folk music, folk, jazz, classical music), nation ...
, with approximately 300,000 summer visitors (figures are ).
Thredbo resort was developed by a syndicate of people who were at the time working on the
Snowy Mountains Scheme
The Snowy Mountains Scheme, also known as the Snowy Hydro or the Snowy scheme, is a hydroelectricity and irrigation in Australia, irrigation complex in south-east Australia. Near the border of New South Wales and Victoria (Australia), Victoria, ...
. In 1957, the syndicate was granted a head-lease over the area that Thredbo now occupies. Development occurred in the following years under
Lendlease
Lendlease is an Australian multinational construction and real estate company, headquartered in Barangaroo, Sydney, New South Wales.
History Founding
The company was established as Lendlease by Dick Dusseldorp in 1958 to provide finance fo ...
. In January 1987,
Amalgamated Holdings Limited
EVT Limited (stylised as EVT) (an acronym of the words 'Entertainment, Ventures, Travel') is an Australian company which operates cinemas, hotels, restaurants and resorts in Australia, New Zealand and Germany.
It owns Event Cinemas, BCC Cinema ...
(AHL) purchased the
head lease
A lease is a contractual arrangement calling for the user (referred to as the ''lessee'') to pay the owner (referred to as the ''lessor'') for the use of an asset. Property, buildings and vehicles are common assets that are leased. Industrial ...
from Lendlease. EVT Limited operates Thredbo village's services, real estate, and lease arrangements as a public company; however, a range of private businesses operate around the year providing activities, shopping, restaurants, accommodation, tours and nightlife.
History
The origin of the name “Thredbo” has been attributed to the
Aboriginal inhabitants of the Snowy Mountains.
Thredbo hosted the first race of the Men's
1989 FIS Alpine Ski World Cup.
Ski resort

Thredbo is an Australian ski resort set within
Kosciuszko National Park
The Kosciuszko National Park ( ) is a national park and contains mainland Australia's highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko, for which it is named, and Cabramurra, New South Wales, Cabramurra, the highest town in Australia. Its borders contain a mix o ...
in NSW and was modelled on a European skiing town, reflecting the heritage of workers on the
Snowy Mountains Scheme
The Snowy Mountains Scheme, also known as the Snowy Hydro or the Snowy scheme, is a hydroelectricity and irrigation in Australia, irrigation complex in south-east Australia. Near the border of New South Wales and Victoria (Australia), Victoria, ...
such as Tony Sponar, who is credited with having established the location as a ski field.
Contrasting with the primarily lodge-based
Perisher, Thredbo is a town with lodges, shopping and nightlife. Thredbo has 14 lifts: an 8-person
gondola
The gondola (, ; , ) is a traditional, flat-bottomed Venetian rowing boat, well suited to the conditions of the Venetian lagoon. It is typically propelled by a gondolier, who uses a rowing oar, which is not fastened to the hull, in a scul ...
, 3 hi-speed quads, 1 quad, 5 t-bars, 1 double chair (following the removal of Merritts Chairlift in 2020, and the Ramshead Chairlift in 2010), and 3 snow runners.
Thredbo has the steepest overall terrain of any ski resort in mainland Australia, and also the highest lifted point (
AHD). From this highest access point at Karel's T-Bar, the lease-holder
Kosciuszko Thredbo and private adventure companies have access for backcountry ski tours to Mt. Kosciuszko and multiple other locations on the Main Range. Thredbo Village sits at the base of the Crackenback Valley, and due to its low altitude () the ski resort does not always retain snow on the lower half of the mountain as a result of higher temperatures, although
temperature inversions at night and below zero temperatures enable snow making. Because of this, Thredbo has invested almost $6 million in the largest snowmaking system in the Southern Hemisphere, covering some 65 hectares of trail and using a three-stage automated process. The system is operated mainly at night to top up the lower half of the mountain and any other high traffic areas. The automated areas include the Supertrail, Friday Flat, High Noon, The Cruiser area's Walkabout and Ballroom, Sundowner, Lovers Leap bypass, World Cup, and Lower True Blue.
Thredbo has over 50 ski runs and employs a standard 3-colour grade system; green for beginners, blue intermediate and black diamond advanced. The longest continual run is from the top of Karel's T-Bar to Friday Flat and is 5.9 km long; however, this is composed of several trails. The longest single run is the ''Crackenback Supertrail'', which is the longest run in Australia.
During the
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War (1 November 1955 – 30 April 1975) was an armed conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia fought between North Vietnam (Democratic Republic of Vietnam) and South Vietnam (Republic of Vietnam) and their allies. North Vietnam w ...
, Australia was one of the destinations soldiers could pick for a week-long R & R. At
Sydney Airport
Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport — colloquially Kingsford Smith Airport, Sydney Airport or Mascot Airport — is an international airport serving Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, south of the Sydney central business district, in the subu ...
the USO had different activities that could be chosen if the soldier wished. One option was skiing at Thredbo at a reduced rate. The package included round trip transportation (part by air, part bus), lodging, breakfast and dinner, equipment, a group lesson, and a lift ticket. Also included were gloves, ski pants, and a warm jacket; soldiers in Vietnam didn't have any of these items, and so needed them to be furnished.
At the end of the season, mats were placed on the lower slopes, enabling one to ski to the bottom.
The village offers a free shuttle bus service during winter that links the Valley Terminal, Friday Flat, and the majority of the ski lodges throughout the village.
Lifts
son Gondola)
Terrain parks
Thredbo has several terrain parks;
*Wombat World— a terrain park for younger children, featuring bumps, fun boxes and arches. Located on Friday Flat.
*Merritts Park— A terrain park for beginners to intermediates, featuring jumps and boxes. It is located at the base of the Cruiser chairlift, and can be accessed from the Merritts Mountain House Restaurant. A T-bar runs from the base for exit from this park.
*Cruiser Park — This park features rails, boxes, big jumps and a picnic table. The layout is regularly changed. Located just below the top of "The Cruiser" chair.
*Antons Park— A terrain park for experienced freestyle skiers and boarders with large jumps, rails and a wall ride. Located on Antons.
*Ridercross— Changes location from year to year.
Gunbarrel Express chairlift
The Gunbarrel Express is a
detachable quad chairlift in Thredbo. It runs from the Friday Flat beginners area to a point on The Traverse trail roughly halfway between the Central Spur and the Merritts Spur. The lift was constructed in 1988 as part of a thirty million (Australian) dollar investment in the mountain by its new owners, Amalgamated Holdings Limited. It is unique in Thredbo in that it crosses over other lifts, namely the Easy Does It
fixed-grip quad and the Merritts fixed-grip double. This chairlift provides good access to a variety of runs and is convenient to the Woodridge and Friday Flat lodges, as well as major carparks.
Two runs, The Glades and Pegasus, run underneath the higher part of the Gunbarrel Express, with the former running into the latter. The lower half is significantly steeper, with many concealed obstacles, including a creek. Pegasus often suffers from only partial snow cover and is out-of-bounds for most of the season, only opening after significant snowfall.

Statistics:
*Base elevation:
*Base location: Friday Flat
*Terminal elevation:
*Terminal location: The Traverse, approx. halfway between Cruiser terminal and Antons base.
*Length:
*Vertical Rise:
*Average gradient: 1 in 3.9
Merritts Gondola
Merritts Gondola, built by
Doppelmayr, opened in 2020 and is Australia's first purpose-built Gondola. It replaced the previous Merritts Chairlift while quadrupling its capacity, lifting approximately 2,000 people per hour.
1997 Thredbo landslide
Eighteen people died when the Bimbadeen and Carinya
lodges collapsed at Thredbo Alpine Village at 11:30 pm on 30 July 1997. John Cameron, a member of Brindabella Ski Club, and 17 residents of Bimbadeen Ski Lodge lost their lives when Carinya (owned by the Brindabella Ski Club) and Bimbadeen Lodges collapsed when the slope above Carinya Lodge slipped downhill, destroying Carinya. Bimbadeen Staff Lodge was then hit, and it too collapsed. Witnesses reported hearing "a whoosh of air, a crack and a sound like a freight train rushing the hill". The sole survivor,
Stuart Diver
Stuart Diver (born 14 January 1970 in New South Wales, Australia) is a ski instructor and was the sole survivor of the 1997 Thredbo landslide.
Thredbo landslide
At 11.35pm, on 30 July 1997, 3,500 tonnes of rock and mud slid down the side of ...
, was pulled from the wreckage after lying trapped for three days. Stuart was confined to a small space between two concrete slabs where his wife, Sally, drowned beside him in a torrent of water, which Stuart was able to keep his face above.
The landslide was caused by a water leak from a ruptured water pipe that ran alongside the Alpine Road situated above the two lodges. The leaking water pipe caused the ground to become lubricated, allowing the top layer to slip away from the lower part.
Brindabella Ski Club opened its new lodge on 5 June 2004.
Climate
Climate data for the area are taken from a station in the village at the bottom of the ski resort and another station at the top of the mountain—some higher.
The climate of the area is typical of the Snowy Mountains; cold, snowy winters and cool to mild summers (summer snow is not uncommon in Thredbo). Temperatures have ranged from . In the
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
climate classification Thredbo Village would fit the criteria of having a cold
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...
(''Cfb''). The village receives an average of 34.9 snowy days annually.
Thredbo Top Station (AWS)
The Thredbo Top Station (AWS) is significantly colder than the village and includes some of the lowest temperatures recorded in Australia, including a daily maximum of on 9 July 1978. Of mainland Australian sites only the Victorian peak of
Mount Hotham
Mount Hotham is a mountain located in the Victorian Alps of the Great Dividing Range, in the Australian state of Victoria. The mountain is located approximately north east of Melbourne, from Sydney, and from Adelaide by road. The nearest ...
is colder, which is lower in elevation but more exposed than Thredbo. On average, the Top Station receives 56.9 snowy days annually, falling in any month of the year.
According to Köppen, Thredbo Top Station would fit the criteria of having a
Subpolar oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of continents, generally featuring co ...
(''Cfc''); one with short, cool summers and long, cold winters. It is bordering on a
Subarctic climate
The subarctic climate (also called subpolar climate, or boreal climate) is a continental climate with long, cold (often very cold) winters, and short, warm to cool summers. It is found on large landmasses, often away from the moderating effects of ...
(''Dfc''), as the mean temperature in its coolest month approaches .
On 3 February 2023, Thredbo Top Station reached a maximum of just — its coldest on record for the height of summer. The coldest maximum temperature for any summer month was on 2 December 2019. Temperature records commenced in 1966 at Thredbo AWS.
Other sporting activities
Thredbo Leisure Centre
The Thredbo Leisure Centre, opened in 1996, houses a and indoor swimming pool, wading pool with a waterslide, an inflatable obstacle course (known as the "Mission Inflatable"), two full-size basketball courts, a gymnasium, squash courts, a
physiotherapist
Physical therapy (PT), also known as physiotherapy, is a healthcare profession, as well as the care provided by physical therapists who promote, maintain, or restore health through patient education, physical intervention, disease preventio ...
and a traverse climbing wall. It has been used by the many high-profile athletes, including the
Australian Institute of Sport
The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) is a high performance sports training institution in Australia. The institute's headquarters were opened in 1981 and are situated in the northern suburb of Bruce, Canberra. The AIS is a division of the ...
for high-altitude training in the lead up to the 2008 Olympic Games in
Beijing
Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...
.
Mountain biking
Since the early 1990s, Thredbo has been popular during the summertime for recreational and competitive
mountain biking
Mountain biking (MTB) is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability ...
, attracting serious racers from across Australia and overseas. There are kilometres of cross country singletrack and firetrail around Thredbo Village, the Thredbo golf course, and other trails connecting Thredbo to its neighbouring villages. Two local businesses operate cross-country mountain bike tours from Thredbo and across the Snowy Mountains region.
Thredbo is host to the world-renowned downhill track,
the Cannonball Run
''The Cannonball Run'' is a 1981 action-comedy film directed by Hal Needham, produced by Hong Kong firm Golden Harvest, and distributed by 20th Century-Fox. Filmed in Panavision, it features an all-star ensemble cast, including Burt Reynolds ...
, which is accessed by taking the Kosciusko Express Quad-Chairlift up to Eagles Nest. From Eagles Nest, the course runs back to the bottom of the chairlift, below. With approximately of fast singletrack, rock gardens, a wall-ride, tight switchbacks and many drops and jumps, the Cannonball Run is one of Australia's longest downhill courses. The Cannonball Run is host to many races through the summer months, including national rounds, state rounds, the National Interschools Mountain Biking Competition. Track engineering has made a significant difference to the sustainability of downhill mountain biking in a sensitive alpine environment.
The Thredbo Mountain Bike Park is currently the only lift-accessed gravity park in Australia. It includes approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) of gravity-focused trails, as well as several pump tracks and skills parks located in the valley. The park is primarily divided into two parks, accessed by the main Kosciuszko chairlift and a combination of the Gunbarrel chairlift, Merritts Gondala and Cruiser chairlift leaving from the Valley Terminal and Friday Flats. These trails range from beginner flow trails to intermediate and advanced flow and technical trails, and are open from November until May due to inaccessibility during winter months and lift closures. At the far (right) end of the village is the National Parks and Wildlife Service installed Thredbo Valley Track, which follows the course of the Thredbo River from Thredbo Village through Ranger Station, Ngarigo Campgrounds and the Diggings Campgrounds to terminate at Lake Crackenback Resort.
The Thredbo
Mountain-cross
Four-cross (4X), also called mountain-cross, not to be confused with fourcross, is a relatively new style of mountain bike racing where four bikers race downhill on a prepared, BMX-like track, simply trying to get down first. These bikes are gen ...
track, designed by Glen Jacobs, an Australian trail expert, opened in 2005. It is situated on Friday Flat and comprises a start gate, multiple doubles, rollers, berms, moguls, gaps, step-downs and step-ups. The track has hosted numerous races since its opening including national rounds, state rounds and the National Interschools Mountain Biking Competition.
Alpine Coaster
Due to open in the winter of 2024, the Alpine (Roller) Coaster is a 1.5km (0.93 mi) track through the Resort. Available year-round and reaching speeds of up to 40km (24.85 mi).
Thredbo's Sustainability Initiatives
Certification
Thredbo has achieved
EarthCheck Sustainable Destinations Gold certification, aligning with its commitment to environmental responsibility and climate sustainability. This achievement is part of Thredbo's broader strategy to reduce
energy consumption
Energy consumption is the amount of energy used.
Biology
In the body, energy consumption is part of energy homeostasis. It derived from food energy. Energy consumption in the body is a product of the basal metabolic rate and the physical acti ...
and
emissions
Emission may refer to:
Chemical products
* Emission of air pollutants, notably:
** Flue gas, gas exiting to the atmosphere via a flue
** Exhaust gas, flue gas generated by fuel combustion
** Emission of greenhouse gases, which absorb and emit rad ...
, furthering its environmental conservation efforts.
Waste Reduction Efforts
The resort is actively working to diminish its
waste
Waste are unwanted or unusable materials. Waste is any substance discarded after primary use, or is worthless, defective and of no use. A by-product, by contrast is a joint product of relatively minor Value (economics), economic value. A wast ...
generation impacts on the
Snowy Mountains
The Snowy Mountains, known informally as "The Snowies", is an IBRA subregion in southern New South Wales, Australia, and is the tallest mountain range in mainland Australia, being part of the continent's Great Dividing Range, a cordillera syste ...
region. Recognising the limitations and environmental drawbacks of landfill waste, Thredbo has set targets to minimise
waste-to-landfill by promoting waste avoidance, reuse, and recycling as viable alternatives.
Water Management
Thredbo's location within the
Australian Alps
The Australian Alps are a mountain range in southeast Australia. The range comprises an Interim Biogeographic Regionalisation for Australia, interim Australian bioregion, places it within the catchment areas of significant rivers like the
Snowy and
Murray River
The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray; Ngarrindjeri language, Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta language, Yorta Yorta: ''Dhungala'' or ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is List of rivers of Australia, Aust ...
s. The resort acknowledges the importance of these water bodies in
Australia's
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
freshwater system and is committed to responsible water usage. The
Thredbo River
The Thredbo River, a perennial river of the Snowy River catchment, is located in the Snowy Mountains region of New South Wales, Australia.
Course and features
The Thredbo River rises below South Rams Head, near Mount Leo within the Kosciuszko ...
, a crucial source for the resort's water supply for drinking, washing, and swimming, is a key focus of their water conservation efforts.
Measuring Impact: "Person Year" Metric
To effectively measure and manage its waste-to-landfill and water usage, Thredbo employs the "Person Year"
metric
Metric or metrical may refer to:
Measuring
* Metric system, an internationally adopted decimal system of measurement
* An adjective indicating relation to measurement in general, or a noun describing a specific type of measurement
Mathematics
...
. This metric accounts for the amount of time an individual spends in Thredbo, allowing for a consistent annual comparison that takes into account the
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperat ...
al nature of
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure, and the Commerce, commercial activity of providing and supporting such travel. World Tourism Organization, UN Tourism defines tourism more generally, in terms which go "beyond the common perception of tourism as ...
in the area. This approach is designed to encourage all residents, staff, and visitors of Thredbo to contribute to waste reduction and efficient water use.
See also
*
Skiing in Australia
Skiing in Australia takes place in the Australian Alps in the states of New South Wales, Victoria and the Australian Capital Territory as well as in the mountains of the island state Tasmania, during the Southern Hemisphere winter.
Skiing ...
References
External links
Thredbo official siteThredboevents, accommodation and things to do on VisitNSW.com, official NSW Tourism Website.
* Details of every ski lift to run at Thredbo in th
Australian Ski Lift Directory
{{Authority control
Ski areas and resorts in New South Wales
Towns in New South Wales
Year of establishment missing
Snowy Monaro Regional Council