Thredbo will welcome back skiers from June 22, two weeks later than the traditional start of the snow season over the Queen’s birthday weekend. The popular NSW ski resort in the Snowy Mountains made the announcement just days after Victorian authorities also gave the go-ahead for slopes to reopen.
Travel restrictions across NSW will be lifted on June 1, with journeys for any reason, including for day trips and holidays, once again permitted statewide. It’s good news for the alpine communities in and around Thredbo, who are not only economically reliant on winter tourism, but have also been recovering from the devastating bushfires that tore through much of the area last summer.
Of course, a trip to the slopes this winter won’t be quite the same as previous years. Social distancing measures will be in place and hospitality businesses will be required to abide by strict operating guidelines restricting the number of customers at any given time. Visitors will no longer be able to hire equipment, helmets or clothing and group skiing lessons will also be off the cards. With staggered access and spaced out queuing, long waits for ski-lifts are also to be expected. Skiing enthusiasts will need to be quick to secure their spot on the slopes, as distancing rules may only permit as little as 50 per cent capacity on Thredbo's snowfields this year.