On Monday September 18, Thredbo Resort officially closed to skiers and snowboarders two weeks earlier than expected.
Thredbo General Manager, Stuart Diver said that winter 2023 was a testament to the success of Thredbo’s premium business model.
“Despite variable snow conditions, we consistently delivered a world-class customer experience for guests through our unique on-mountain experiences, our biggest-ever calendar of events and of course, access to Australia’s best skiing and snowboarding. From the many guests who visited our beautiful mountain to all of our amazing staff, we thank everyone who helped make this winter so special,” said Mr Diver.
A World-Class Winter Experience
While the snow arrived a little later than usual, the good times kicked off from the get-go! The 2023 Winter Opening Weekend proved that Thredbo’s massive winter events calendar ensures that the guest experience remains high no matter the weather. Despite not being able to ski or snowboard from day one, the atmosphere was incredible as guests enjoyed non-stop celebrations throughout the village and across the mountain. Mother Nature joined the party soon after with snowfall that allowed skiing and snowboarding to kick off in full force from June 20.
On-Snow Action
There was lots of fun to be had on the mountain this winter with multiple powder days, immaculately groomed runs, and lots of bluebird days.
This season, Thredbo officially launched Australia’s newest ski lift, Freddie’s Snowsports Snowrunner. Dedicated to the resort’s new Kids Learning Area, Freddie’s Snowrunner was a game changer for kids who are learning how to ski or snowboard. Freddie’s Snowrunner is one of Australia’s longest snow runners at 98 metres long, travelling through a tunnel that protects children from the elements while they’re enjoying the snow.
Thredbo’s terrain parks offered professional-level facilities for guests to enjoy with a 65-foot jump, Australia’s Only Halfpipe and three terrain park set-ups with a huge range of rails, jumps, picnic benches and boxes. This winter, Thredbo teamed up with world-renowned parks builder Charles Beckinsale to bring the Stomping Grounds Project to the Southern Hemisphere for the first time. Charles built a 65-foot jump for the elite training sessions, drawing in a huge number of the world’s best riders to Thredbo including Mark McMorris, Anna Gasser and Clemens Millauer as well as the national teams from the United States, Canada, Austria, Japan, China and Australia.
Over 160 Events In 16 Weeks
Thredbo hosted over 160 events within fourteen weeks this season, achieving record-breaking numbers and receiving incredible feedback from guests about their experiences.
On the mountain, highlights included unveiling the brand-new Thredbo Triple Crown series, hosting over 50 of the world’s best snowboarders at the 2nd Annual Monster Energy Bush Doof, selling out of registrations for the Transfer Banked Slalom weeks in advance, and providing kids with an incredible opportunity to shred with their heroes at the inspiring Project Shred event.
Boasting Australia’s biggest après calendar, Thredbo took its live music and entertainment events to another level this winter. With eight of Thredbo’s famous festival-style après events taking over Alpine Bar almost every Saturday night, we hosted a massive lineup of Australian headline acts including Sneaky Sound System, L D R U, Anne Lunoe, the Poof Doof DJs, Wongo and Kinder. After a multiple-year hiatus, the return of Rainbow Mountain was an experience that had to be seen to be believed. With three non-stop days of sparkly events celebrating love, community and diversity, the atmosphere was incredible as the whole resort got involved with the celebrations from start to finish. In between the headline après events, guests were able to experience the iconic flare run and fireworks spectacular show every week, get involved with the Kids Snow Festivals during school holidays, and enjoy daily après on the mountain at Black Sallees and Merritts Mountain House, and in the village at Lounge Bar, Schuss Bar, the Keller Bar and more.
In August, Thredbo and Land Rover Australia’s strong corporate partnership continued to grow, joining forces to unveil a new snow-covered Range Rover House in the heart of the resort. While Range Rover House experiences have occurred at numerous destinations around the world including Park City in Utah, Courmayeur in the Italian Alps and Pebble Beach in California, Thredbo is proud to be the latest host and first alpine setting of Range Rover House in Australia. From August 10 – 20, Thredbo’s luxurious Rockpool Lodge was transformed into an exclusive alpine sanctuary that echoed the design philosophy of Range Rover.
To meet previous demand, we boosted the number of bookings available for our extensive range of Unique On-Mountain Experiences this winter. However, they proved to be as popular as ever, with the Sunrise Sessions, Kareela Hutte Dining Experiences and Merritts Mountain House Feasts all continuing to sell out in advance.
Now that winter is finished, construction will be ramping up for Thredbo’s Alpine Coaster. The coaster will diversify Thredbo’s recreational offerings through the provision of a year-round all weather rail-guided toboggan ride. The coaster is approximately 1.5 km in length with a mix of uphill and downhill tracks, a tunnel, bridges and circles that traverse through the alpine environment. Passengers are able to control their speed of up to 40 km/hr. Planned to be in operation for Winter 2024.
A Big Summer Ahead
Looking forward, Thredbo is gearing up for a massive 23/24 summer season of mountain biking and hiking that kicks off on November 18. Season passes, day passes, lessons, rentals and more are going on sale in early October.
