A Week in the Snow: Our Perisher Valley Stay at Corroboree Lodge
Perisher
Let's start with the honest part: the 2026 Australian snow season had a shaky beginning. Spencers Creek — the benchmark snowpack measurement point in the Snowy Mountains — recorded zero centimetres entering July, matching the second-worst start in 72 years of records. Bare slopes. Brown mountains. Not exactly the stuff of snow holiday dreams.
And then — right on cue — the mountains delivered.
A strong early July storm cycle brought around 37 centimetres of snow in just 48 hours: 25 centimetres from Thursday into Friday the 2nd and 3rd of July, followed by another 12 centimetres from Friday into Saturday. It was reportedly the latest opening of the Village 8 chairlift in living memory — but none of that mattered to us, because we arrived on Sunday the 6th of July for six nights, and the mountain was absolutely ready for us.
The Drive: Sydney to Perisher
We drove from Sydney's Northern Beaches — about 5.5 hours door to door. It's a long drive, no question, but an easy and scenic one once you clear the city. The road winds through the Southern Tablelands and eventually into Kosciuszko National Park, with the landscape shifting gradually from dry bush to snow gum forest. Pack snacks, a good playlist, and make sure you have your chains sorted before you hit the alpine zone. Dogs are not allowed in the national park, so Amy had to sit this one out — but she had her own adventure (more on that at the back of the album!).
Skitube: Easier Than You'd Think
We used the Skitube from Bullocks Flat to get up to the resort — and honestly, it couldn't be simpler. You park at the terminal, jump on the train, and you're delivered straight into Perisher Valley without touching a steering wheel on a snowy road. For families especially, it takes so much stress out of the day.
The Snow: Late but Perfect
Here's the thing about the 2026 season — yes, it started late. The early July snowfall brought Perisher 20 centimetres overnight, burying what had been bare, grassy slopes just days before. But for us, arriving on Sunday the 6th of July — right at the start of the NSW winter school holidays — the timing was simply perfect. Fresh snow, open lifts, and a resort buzzing with the energy of a season finally, properly underway. SnowStash
Perisher sits at over 1,700 metres above sea level and covers 1,245 hectares of skiable terrain across four resort areas — Perisher Valley, Smiggin Holes, Blue Cow Mountain, and Guthega — with 47 lifts and 105 trails. It's a big mountain, and even in a slow-starting season, it delivers.
Corroboree Lodge: Our Home on the Mountain
We stayed at Corroboree Ski Lodge for six nights, and it genuinely exceeded every expectation. The location alone is extraordinary — you are right there, steps from the slopes, with the mountain practically on your doorstep. No shuttle, no faff. Just boots on and go.
But what made Corroboree really special was the people. The staff were warm, welcoming, and brilliant with the children from the very first moment. The lodge has that rare quality of feeling both comfortable and social — the kind of place where you actually talk to the other guests over dinner, share stories from the slopes, and feel like part of a little mountain community for the week. Meals were generous and delicious, and after a full day in the cold there is nothing better than coming back to a cosy, well-run lodge where everything is taken care of.
Two of our evenings were made even more magical as the dinner was adjusted to the slopes being open in the evening. We cannot recommend Corroboree Lodge highly enough. For families especially, it's a 10 out of 10.
Corroboree Lodge
Would We Go Back?
Without hesitation. Perisher is an incredible destination, Corroboree Lodge is the perfect base, and the school holidays are the perfect time to go. If you're considering a family snow trip — start planning now.
p.s. I did miss après-ski.. at least there was glühwein.
