Guide to Thredbo New South Wales Australia

Thredbo is an alpine village on the Thredbo River inside Kosciuszko National Park, 35 km from Jindabyne along the Alpine Way and roughly 500 km from Sydney. The village sits at about 1,365 metres, and its lifts climb the steep southern side of the valley to just over 2,000 metres. In winter it is one of the two biggest ski resorts in New South Wales. In summer the same chairlift carries walkers towards Mount Kosciuszko and riders into the mountain bike park.

Known For

• Australia’s longest ski runs
• The chairlift and walk to Mount Kosciuszko
• Summer mountain biking and the Alpine Coaster

Things To Do in Thredbo

The village is compact and easy to get around on foot. Lodges and apartments are stacked up the northern slope, facing the runs, and footbridges cross the river to the lifts at Valley Terminal. Friday Flat, at the eastern end, is the beginners’ area. Fewer than 500 people live here all year, but there are beds for more than 4,000 visitors.

Skiing and Snowboarding

The season usually runs from the June long weekend to the October long weekend. Thredbo has the longest runs in the country, with more than five kilometres of continuous descent from the top of Karels T-bar, the highest lifted point in Australia at 2,037 metres, down to Friday Flat. The Merritts Gondola serves the gentler Cruiser area, and there are terrain parks for all levels.

Kosciuszko Express and the Summit Walk

The Kosciuszko Express chairlift runs all year to Eagles Nest at 1,937 metres. From the top, a raised walkway leads across the alpine plateau to the summit of Mount Kosciuszko, a 13 km return walk that takes four to five hours. The Kosciuszko Lookout, about 4 km return, is a shorter choice. The weather changes quickly up here in any season, so carry warm and waterproof clothing.

Mountain Biking

The Thredbo Mountain Bike Park opens from late November into autumn, with lift-accessed trails that range from easy flow trails to the Cannonball Downhill. The Thredbo Valley Track is a shared walking and riding trail that follows the river downstream for about 20 km to Lake Crackenback and continues to the Gaden Trout Hatchery near Jindabyne.

Alpine Coaster

The Alpine Coaster opened in June 2024 and runs all year. Sleds on rails follow a 1.5 km track through the snow gums, and riders control their own speed. It replaced the old bobsled.

Walks, River and Leisure Centre

Shorter walks start in the village, including the Merritts Nature Track up the mountain and the riverside track upstream to Dead Horse Gap. The Thredbo River is a well-known trout stream in the fishing season. The Thredbo Leisure Centre has a pool, waterslide and gym for bad-weather days.

Events

The Thredbo Blues Festival has been held each January since 1993, and the Cannonball Mountain Bike Festival follows in February.

Where To Stay

The Thredbo Alpine Hotel, in the middle of the village, is the main hotel. The Denman and Candlelight Lodge are smaller hotels with a long history, and River Inn is beside the lifts. Most other beds are in club lodges and self-contained apartments.

Winter prices peak in July and August, when minimum stays are common; summer is much cheaper. Many visitors stay in Jindabyne or at Crackenback and drive in for the day. The national park campgrounds at Thredbo Diggings and Ngarigo are on the river downstream.

Eat & Drink

Eagles Nest, at the top of the chairlift, is the highest restaurant in Australia. On the mountain there is also Merritts Mountain House and, in winter, Kareela Hutte. In the village, choices include the Candlelight Restaurant, Cascades and the bars at the Thredbo Alpine Hotel, the Apres Bar at The Denman, The Local Pub and Avalanche Cafe. Friday Flat has its own bistro. Opening hours are shorter in spring and autumn.

History

The valley is part of the country of the Ngarigo people, who travelled into the high country in summer. The resort began in the late 1950s, after the Alpine Way was built for the Snowy Mountains Scheme. Tony Sponar, a Czech ski instructor who had worked on the scheme, saw the potential of the slopes, and a syndicate obtained a lease and opened the first lifts.

On 30 July 1997 a landslide destroyed two lodges and killed 18 people. One man, Stuart Diver, was rescued from the rubble after nearly three days. A memorial stands at the site.

Getting to Thredbo

Thredbo is 35 km from Jindabyne on the Alpine Way, about two and a half hours from Canberra and six hours from Sydney. The road continues west over Dead Horse Gap to Khancoban. A national park entry fee applies: at the time of writing it was $29 per vehicle per day in the snow season and $17 at other times. Two-wheel-drive vehicles should carry snow chains in winter. Coaches run from Sydney and Canberra in the snow season. Snowy Mountains Airport, near Cooma, had no scheduled flights when this was written.