Australian Snow Conditions

The Australian ski industry is very defensive of our snow conditions, particularly when Europeans claim that we do not get great powder snow because our mountains aren't high enough and our weather isn't cold enough. To a large extent, this is true although there will be occasions when we do get good powder snow. On a hiking holiday in Scotland I actually looked forward to snow because it was at least dry (and this was in early summer). Victorian snow by comparison is relatively wet.

Here in Victoria, the ski season opens on the Queen's Birthday long weekend (second weekend of June) and continues into September and October as long as the snow lasts. Since the weather is one of the most commonly requested pieces of information from international tourists, I was somewhat dissapointed to find that most of the people that were contacting me had booked their skiing holidays well in advance for June. Sure it may be cheap but there could be a reason why it's easier to book for this period. For these people I have but one warning.

The amount of snow at the start of the season is very unpredictable. While many people consider our winter to be June, July and August, the snow depth on most mountains does not build up until late July and is thickest in mid - late September. Planning a skiing holiday for June well in advance could be considered as something of a risk. Below is a graph showing the average snow depth at various mountains in Victoria. You can make up your own mind...

Compiled from Ski-Touring, Victoria and New South Wales, Ray Pearce (1993)

Still not convinced..... Have a look at two of my Queen's Birthday weekend hikes....

• Moroka Gorge, 1994. Moroka Gorge is below the normal snow line.
• Mt Howitt, 1997. Mt Howitt is the highest peak in the Moroka-Wonangatta region. If there's any snow it will be here.
• 1999, good snow falls on the weekend with everyone deserting Mt Howitt early for fear of getting stuck.
• 2000,  "so much snow" they closed the road 2 weeks early, pissing off a lot of people planning to drive up the mountain. No food dump this year, but a very peaceful snow hike to Guy's Hut without the usual 'crowds'.

And other snow hikes....

• 1998, the year that wasn't... planned to go snow camping in early October but there was bugger all snow.
• 1999, another snow season that wasn't. This time I went ahead with the hike regardless in the first week of September. Carried the snow shoes 60km, wore them for 2km.