snowtime
Left, and below:
Mt Baw Baw is
great for practising
tricks; Coora Valley
Chalet is located
in the centre of the
village, surrounded
by snow gums.
Easy access: Mt Baw Baw
Ah, Mt Baw Baw. Overlooked and underestimated
but certainly not underdelivering. A two-and-a-halfhour drive from Melbourne (about a tank of petrol),
Mt Baw Baw is the closest ski resort to a capital city,
but that's not its only drawcard.
Mt Baw Baw has seven lifts, including T-bars and
Pomas, and a magic carpet (perfect for beginners).
A real surprise is the 700 on-site beds, so you can
stay where you play. Another surprise is the giant
airbag for practising tricks. Launch off a kicker and
have your fall broken by the equivalent of a high air
mattress. Neat.
If you've been to Mt Baw Baw before and you
remember the long queues at the gate as each
car paid entry, that's history. Pre-purchase resort
entry online ($43 on weekends) and the Alpine
Easy Access system reads numberplates and
corresponding passes. It might sound small, but
it's exciting nonetheless.
Mt Baw Baw has 35 hectares of groomed runs
and 10 kilometres of groomed cross-country ski
trails. The five-day midweek lift pass
(Monday to Friday) is just $150. Still
the cheapest lift tickets in Victoria!
Round-up
Get there
Choose South Face Road over the Icy Creek route.
It's 15 kilometres longer but 10 minutes faster with
less bends.
Stay
Choose from hotels, lodges, cabins and
apartments on the mountain. Woollybutt Cabin
is a fully self-contained two-bedroom cabin
located close to the Maltese Cross ski run; Coora
Valley Chalet sleeps up to six; and Frosti Lodge
is a spacious family lodge that sleeps up to 20.
Eat & drink
The eye fillet steak at The Village Restaurant
is a local favourite, or pick up a pizza from
The Alpine Bistro to take away.
Explore
Take a sunset dog sled ride to Mt Baw Baw's
summit (www.howlinghuskys.com.au) or hire a
toboggan from The General Store (flat rental fee
of $10).
More info
www.mtbawbaw.com.au
28
