What does the future hold for Australia's ski resorts?
The 2026 season marked the hottest winter on record for the Australian Alps, with the highest mean temperatures on record for June to August across much of Victoria, New South Wales, the ACT and Tasmania.
The season is shutting down early across the Australian Alps, with resort closures, businesses up for sale, and a severe lack of snow, the Protect Our Winters team says.
The snow season typically peaks in August and runs through late-September to October, but climate pollution is driving higher temperatures and significant rain events that have greatly reduced snow cover, bringing an unusually early end to the season.
Mt Baw Baw in Victoria and Selwyn Snow Resort in New South Wales both closed for the season last week. Selwyn cited a “challenging winter”, temperature, and rain’s “impact on our remaining snow cover” as the reasons for closure.
Mia Rennie, POW Athlete Alliance, free skier and sports commentator, noted the changes at Selwyn in a media release.
"I grew up skiing at Selwyn snowfields and remember having to dig our front doors out at Cabramurra," Rennie said.
Mt Baw Baw in Victoria and Selwyn Snow Resort in New South Wales both closed for the season last week. Selwyn cited a “challenging winter”, temperature, and rain’s “impact on our remaining snow cover” as the reasons for closure.
Mia Rennie, POW Athlete Alliance, free skier and sports commentator, noted the changes at Selwyn in a media release.
"I grew up skiing at Selwyn snowfields and remember having to dig our front doors out at Cabramurra," Rennie said.
"That’s now a thing of the past. I have seen first hand how quickly our winters are changing and how quickly we need to respond so future generations can continue to experience the magic of winter that I grew up with.”
Australia’s resort economy is worth over $3 billion annually, supporting thousands of jobs.
Australia’s resort economy is worth over $3 billion annually, supporting thousands of jobs.
Thredbo Alpine Resort was recently hit with a valuation drop of over 50% from $292 million to $143 million, POW says.
And coming off the back of Australia’s most successful Winter Olympics, climate change is threatening the future of Australia’s snow sports viability, success, and culture. With diminishing opportunities for training and competition in Australia, athletes are increasingly forced to chase snow opportunities overseas.
Protect Our Winters Australia (POW) is A community-driven, science-backed collective of winter sports enthusiasts, High Country devotees, climate scientists, and regional businesses advocating for systemic climate solutions.
Image: Mount Hotham slalom gully last week. Supplied.
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