Falls creek is so incredibly pretty. From the moment you arrive, you’re treated to a scene out of a winter wonderland fairytale. One of my favourite views is at the base of Drovers Dream – a stunning lake with mountains in the background, you almost expect to see the Von Trapp family singing and dancing their way across the alps!
Driving into the resort, you are greeted by snow capped trees, winding roads and stunning fresh, white powder. It’s like all of a sudden you’ve swapped from a full colour movie into an old black and white matinee as your eyes adjust to seeing the stark white against the black tarmac on the roads and the snow gums. It really does take your breath away.
Having a first time skier on-board – young Daisy (4 years), made the anticipation even more exciting and we all ‘oohed’ and ‘ahhhed’ our way up the spur stopping for photographs along the way. The arrival experience is so smooth at Falls, they have their customer service down pat. Let’s face it, there is a lot to think about when visiting the snow – there’s the crazy amount of winter gear, the packing list, the snow chains, the carpark navigation…yet, the staff there help to make the journey carefree and fun and almost hold your hand though each step until you are actually on the slopes flying down the mountain.
We were greeted at the Resort Entry with a friendly smile and provided with directions, a map and tailored info to suit our stay; then we made our way up the mountain and parked and organised our hire gear. The staff here were incredibly knowledgeable, friendly and patient as they found boots, ski pants, helmet etc for a 4 year old then sorted out Matt with his boarding gear in a matter of minutes. They laughed with us and told us how much they enjoyed working up there and how good it was socially. I used to be a lifty at Mount Buller so I enjoyed sharing tales of the adventures and social shenanigans of a typical working day on the slopes!
Then off we went..just like that! Matt and I are both keen snow bunnies and have explored many of the Victorian alps over the years as well as Canada and NZ, but there is something about Falls Creek that makes everything seem incredibly easy and familiar.
There are some terrific ski runs too – easy to intermediate with Australia’s longest beginner run (Wombat’s Ramble) as well as the infamous black runs : Castle Rail and St Elmo’s Slide, which, will give any expert or thrill-seeking snowboarder or skier a run for their money.
For the young kids and first time skiers, Falls Creek is definitely the way to go. The Renault Ski Club (3 to 5 year olds) allows you to drop your kid off for a day of fun where the friendly staff teach them how to ski for the first time and provide them with lunch, hot chocolates, read them books in between sessions for some down time and most importantly allow them to try skiing in a safe and nurturing environment. More importantly, it allows you to strap on the skis and hit the slopes yourself – win, win!
We dropped Daisy off on our first day at 10am and picked her up at 2:30pm and there she was standing on her skis like a natural, flying down the slope! It was incredible as the conditions that particular day weren’t the best with poor visibility and high winds, yet there she was rugged up like a mini ‘michelin man’ with her arms out for balance. We turned into those crazy soccer parents cheering from the sidelines and bursting with pride. Our little girl had given it a crack and had nailed the art of skiing in a few hours! She was so proud and chuffed and it really is a moment I’ll always remember.
We celebrated the day by making snowmen and going for a toboggan ride then sat by the fire at Diana Lodge with a spiced rum, good company and ugg boots. Suffice to say, our little Daisy slept the best she has ever slept that night and was ready to hit the slopes again the following day.
For information on lift passes, resort entry and ski hire visit http://www.fallscreek.com.au
Want to go there in Jan.need a price .