Australian snow tourists bringing own meals, tents and BBQs to cut cost of ski trips
Thinking of taking a trip to the snow this winter, but the cost of staying in a resort town and hitting the slopes is giving you chills?
You're not alone.
Here's how others have found ways to enjoy holidaying in the Australian Alps on a budget.
High school mates Dylan Oakroot and Alex Marychurch sit under the pull-out awning of their SUV in a free campground and watch the rain pour down.
Every so often, one of the pair stands up to push the growing pool of water off their canvas roof.
There's a pool forming, too, in the corner of the barbecue, where some of the cheapest sausages the boys could buy are slowly cooking in the rain.
It's snow season 2024, and what some might consider a dour situation is one of pure joy for the 23-year-olds from Brisbane.
They knew doing it on the cheap was the only way they were ever going to fulfil their dream of visiting the snow.
"It's our first time seeing snow. We've been dreaming about it for a long time. It's a bucket-list item," Mr Oakroot said.
The boys will miss the 2025 winter season because of life circumstances, but Mr Oakroot said they would "definitely" make the trip again.
"We plan to return next year, and maybe with some more people too," he said.
Snow sports, and even just a day trip to see the snow up close, are becoming too expensive for many people.
Mr Oakshot and Mr Marychurch are staying in a campground near Jindabyne, in the Snowy Mountains, rated one of the least-affordable towns in Australia in the 2023 Rental Affordability Index.
House prices here have risen almost 150 per cent over five years, with locals being priced out of the town they grew up in as homes are transformed into short-term rentals.
The population of around 5,000 quadruples to more than 20,000 during peak snow season as tourists head to the ski fields of Perisher, Thredbo and Charlotte Pass, which are all just a 30-minute drive away.
Every night in winter, Jindabyne is lit up with fluorescent lights, as almost every store selling food or renting snow gear desperately tries to capitalise on the tourist boom.
But most evenings, ravenous crowds descend on the only major supermarket in town, eager to feed themselves as cheaply as possible.
And during the day, when one Instagrammer reported that a hot chocolate on the slopes can cost up to $17, many budget-conscious holiday-makers resort to bringing a packed lunch.
One of the biggest expenses for Mr Oakroot and Mr Marychurch was the cost of fuel to get them from Brisbane to Jindabyne.
But, Mr Oakroot said, some costs were unavoidable.
Day passes to go skiing in Australia start from about $150, with membership deals pushing tourists to spend more on a seasonal pass.
The mates are curbing costs by sleeping in a swag and a rooftop tent, eating a diet of sausages, eggs, cheese, bread and cheap steaks cooked in the drizzle, and relying on lighting a fire or simply rugging up to stay warm.
"You've got more challenges you've got to overcome. You make more memories. It's a lot better."
At another Snowy Mountains campsite, Wollongong's Judy Chang is playing with her young daughter, Skye, outside their teepee tent.
"There's not really any other way to save money. You have to pay for a lift pass, so this is how we're doing it."
Ms Chang was able to keep some costs down by raiding second-hand markets and op-shops, managing to pick up a second-hand ski jacket and snowboard for Skye.
"They grow so quickly, and the second-hand market offers pretty new things," she said.
Ms Chang also recommended purchasing a two-year car pass from National Parks because it was cheaper in the long run than the annual alternative.
Her dream of having a yearly family snow trip was only feasible by cutting costs as much as possible, she said.
"It's hard. Not everyone is into camping, and winter camping is tough, but it is super nice," she said.
But tension is brewing in the town.
Many locals are frustrated by the growing trend of BYO food and accommodation, with local cafes and traders feeling they're missing out on tourism dollars as visitors cut costs.
Comments on the local Facebook noticeboard criticise visitors to the region who don't give back — those who don't buy a ski pass at the resorts, who bring their own lunch, who take up valuable car parks without spending in local shops.
"80 per cent of the non-skiiers [sic] come up with a slow cooker full of rice and don't spend a penny on the resort or other food outlets up there. Sooner or later those businesses are going to go belly up," one comment says.
"They need to stop all [visitors] taking a packed lunch up there in a full van taking a parking spot away from skiers whilst contributing nothing but park entry to the economy. Ban snow play and toboggans," another said.
However, Jindabyne Chamber of Commerce president Olivier Kapetanakos said tourists trying to visit the snow cheaply was nothing new and was often a way for people to try out the snow before committing to a more expensive visit in the future.
He said many such tourists returned in future years or even moved to the area long term.
"Tourism is what it is," he said.
"We have to take them as they are.
Mr Kapetanakos said local businesses had learnt that three-or-so months of tourism could not sustain a year-round income and many had pivoted to new markets, such as hiking and mountain-biking.
For Matt Boggas from the Sunshine Coast, a trip to the snow looks like snowboarding during the day, then sleeping in his car at night, cooking his own food, waking himself up with a swim in Jindabyne Lake, and trying not to drink too much.
And if he didn't sleep in his car?
"It would be ridiculous. It would be a lot of money – definitely unaffordable for most people our age [25]," he said.
The local brewery sells 300mL beers from $9, while many choose to purchase alcohol to be consumed at home.
BWS Jindabyne is the liquor store chain's top-performing store nationally during the winter months.
When he's not on the slopes, Mr Boggas is dropping in at the local skate-bowl, just off the main street, which becomes a magnet for would-be snowboarders after the lifts have closed for the day, or in bad weather.
As young people carve around on scooters and skateboards with music pumping, Mr Boggas says these people — many friends of his from the Sunshine Coast who make the pilgrimage to the snow annually — contribute something to the snow experience.
It's what he comes back for each year.
"The cost makes it super inaccessible. It sucks," he said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
News.com.au
an hour ago
- News.com.au
Unusual way of flying to Europe in business that's often cheaper and quicker than well-worn routes
When travelling to Europe, Australians typically choose from a limited range of options when it comes to airlines and stopover points. It's Qantas via Singapore, or increasingly direct from Perth to London, or one of the major Middle Eastern carriers – Qatar, Emirates and Etihad – via their homebases in Doha, Dubai or Abu Dhabi. But there's another option that has flown under the radar, pardon the pun, which is strange given it's often quicker and cheaper. Thai Airways has a growing presence in Australia and its convenient daily services to Bangkok offer a host of options for getting to popular destinations in Europe. The airline is renowned for its exceptional on-board service and high-end, restaurant-quality cuisine, so the time and cost savings only make it more of an appealing consideration. And those wanting to splash out and fly at the pointy end of the plane in business class can also nab more affordable fares than those travelling via the Middle East on larger carriers. The time and cost comparison is clear when measuring Thai Airways with popular carriers. crunched the numbers looking at a flight to the two most popular destinations for Australians – London and Paris – in early autumn, on the shoulder of peak season. Flying from Sydney to London on Qatar involves 25 hours and 30 minutes of travel, including a 95-minute stopover in Doha, at a cost of $9508 roundtrip in business class. Qantas can deliver you fastest, with a total flying time of 23 hours and 55 minutes, inclusive of a brief 90-minute transit in Perth, but it'll set you back $10,298 return. By comparison, flying Thai Airways to London requires 25 hours and 25 minutes, including the 3 hours and 20 minutes transit time in Bangkok, for $9464 return at the pointy end of the plane. Those heading to the French capital can secure even bigger savings. Flying business class on Etihad to Paris via Abu Dhabi will take 24 hours and 20 minutes, including a 140-minute stopover, and cost $10,536. Qantas can get you there in 24 hours and 35 minutes, with a two-and-half hour stopover in Perth, for $11,344, while a ticket on Qatar sets you back $9288 and takes 25 hours and 40 minutes, with an almost four-hour stop in Doha. But flying Thai Airways from Sydney to Paris takes 24 hours and 20 minutes, with an almost three-hour stop in Bangkok, for $9188. There are periods throughout the year where the cost difference for a business class ticket between Thai Airways and the major carriers is even greater. For example, in August, in the midst of peak season, return business fares to London are $1600 cheaper on Thai Airways, while a trip to Paris in the same period is about $1500 cheaper. The airline has invested heavily in expanding its international services over recent years, adding dozens of new routes, with several in Europe. In addition to London and Paris, Australians transiting via Bangkok can now fly directly onto Copenhagen, Milan, Brussels, Oslo, Stockholm, Zurich, Munich, Frankfurt and Istanbul. A stack of new aircraft are on the way in coming years. It also recently announced plans to roll out a new business class and premium economy offering across its entire long-haul fleet of Airbus A350s, Boeing 787s and Boeing 777s. In particular, the 'state-of-the-art' business suites are set to impress, with privacy doors and a host of tech features, like huge screens, Bluetooth audio and wireless battery charging. It has also bolstered its presence in Australia, now offering twice-daily flights from Sydney and Melbourne to Bangkok, as well as recently relaunching its direct service from Perth to the Thai capital. Thai Airways operates twice-daily services from Sydney and Melbourne to Bangkok, and once a day from Perth to Bangkok.
ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
Viking longship set to burn on winter solstice at inland Cape Clear
More than 100 kilometres from the ocean, tiny Victorian town Cape Clear has a lighthouse and a "Viking longship". The latter, dubbed Erika the Red and measuring 15 metres from dragon head to stern, has been hand-built by the very community members who plan to set it alight on June 21 to mark the winter solstice. It's all part of the Cape Clear Winter Solstice Bonfire, an increasingly popular event in the inland town, population about 150, about 150 kilometres west of Melbourne. Cape Clear resident Evelyn Cannon said the Viking vessel's seaworthiness was questionable at best — it's missing its starboard side — but that wasn't the point. "Our little Winter Solstice festival has been going eight years now," Ms Cannon said. Ms Cannon said the event was becoming quite popular. "There were probably 30 to 50 people the first year. Last year it was 180," she said. "Who knows how many will come this year to watch us burn a Viking ship?" Erika was built and designed by Cape Clear woodworker Terry Kelly, with help from locals, using materials collected from across the district. "The shields on the side of the ship were made from packing material from a wind farm and they were painted by children from the Cape Clear Primary School," Ms Cannon said. "Our story is based on Erik the Red who was a famous Viking who came to America. "We are an inland town with a lighthouse, so we kind of felt his imaginary sister Erika the Red may have visited a place like this." While Mr Kelly admitted he was no shipwright, he mused shipbuilding might be in his blood, via Norwegian ancestors. "I don't think they made Viking boats but, in the 19th century, they were building fishing boats or other boats along the coast there," he said. "We spent at least a dozen hours on the design and I made the head and the tail at home. "The design of the dragon head was inspired by a ship in the Viking museum in Oslo." Erika the Red is the second ship to be burned as part of Cape Clear's annual Winter Solstice Bonfire. The township torched the Lightning last year, which was loosely modelled on a clipper that sank off the Geelong coast in 1869 after catching fire with a cargo of wool on its way back to England. Cape Clear was named after an island off the Irish coast by Irish immigrants who settled in the western district. Its most famous landmark is a 13-metre-high functioning lighthouse, built in 2008 by members of the local Hocking family who felt every good cape deserved its own beacon. Sunset is technically at 5:13pm but Erika the Red will be set alight at nautical twilight (when the centre of the winter sun dips several degrees below the horizon) near the Cape Clear Hall at 6:15pm.
ABC News
3 hours ago
- ABC News
British and Irish Lions lose 28-24 to Argentina in Dublin ahead of Australia tour
The British and Irish Lions of 2025 have had an inauspicious start to their tour of Australia, losing 28-24 to Argentina at a raucous Aviva stadium in Dublin. It is the first time that the Lions have lost an opening tour match since 1971 and 20 years since Argentina drew with the Lions in Cardiff. First-half tries to Ignacio Mendy and player of the match Tomás Albornoz gave Argentina a 21-10 lead at half-time, local favourite Bundee Aki crossing for the Lions in a sloppy defensive display. But after that disappointing first half the contest developed into a thrilling game in which both teams threw the ball around with the apparent abandon of a post-season friendly. The Lions hit back early in the second half through a penalty try and a Tadhg Beirne score to give the hosts the lead. But a trilling score by Santiago Cordero saw the Lions fall to a deflating defeat as the Pumas celebrated in style on the pitch and reminded the Lions hierarchy that perhaps South America too would one day be a worthy tour destination. The Lions rarely play matches on home soil and, in the bright sunshine of a summer Friday night in Dublin, there was a degree of frivolity in the sold-out stands far from the pressure cooker of a Test match — albeit one where the Lions were not handing out official Test caps. Any suggestion that this was a fun kickabout in the Dublin sun was dispelled by the stern words that veteran tourists Maro Itoje and Elliot Daly imparted in the post-match huddle. No doubt those conversations will continue on the plane Down Under, with the squad departing for Australia on Saturday morning. "I think there are a few learnings. I think we showed glimmers of what this team can be about," Itoje said post-match. "I think there were a few teething issues, [it was] our first run out. "We'll take our lessons … we'll learn from our mistakes and move forward." Many of those teething issues came at the lineout, where the Lions were awful, and in defence, where Argentina's pacing attack tore the line to shreds. This is not the first-choice Lions team that will likely suit up in Brisbane on July 19 — just three Irish players made the starting XV due to the Leinster contingent's participation in the United Rugby Championship final last weekend. But it was still an all-star-packed side that will have been chastened by the enthusiasm and skill of the Argentina side, who were missing plenty of players themselves, in front of them. "We're building a team," Itoje added. "We were nowhere near as consistent or accurate. "We'll learn, we'll get better." Despite the defeat, that improvement was evident as the game went on. The Lions offered a glimpse of how Farrell wants his side to play and, against a ready and willing Argentine side that have claimed the scalps of all three southern hemisphere giants in the past 12 months, they showed glimmers of real class. The scrum was utterly dominant — even with Irish pair Andrew Porter and Tadhg Furlong not involved — as Ellis Genge showed all his power. It also indicated some combinations that Farrell may be interested in using, including a power-packed centre partnership of Aki and Sione Tuipulotu. Fin Smith started at 10 but Marcus Smith, playing 15, popped up at first receiver with abandon in the latter stages of the match, flashing his fast feet and poking his nose through the line with increasing regularity. That being said, both were overshadowed by the superb play of Benneton flyhalf Albornoz. The polish may not have been there from the Lions, but the speed at which they attempted to play was indicative of the assault the Wallabies line will be under whenever they are without the ball — this Lions team will be coming to entertain as well as win. Winger Tommy Freeman in particular was supreme in the air, a warning to avoid kicking in his direction should he make the cut for the test team. But the pack, admittedly shorn of many of its key personnel, will need to step up — particularly in the lineout, which was desperately poor. The Lions will have precious little time to regroup, with post-match briefings perhaps taking place on the long flight Down Under this weekend. The nine-match tour, with three Tests and six tour matches, kicks off in Perth on Saturday, June 28 against the Western Force, where the Lions will no doubt be desperate to kick off their tour proper with a win. British and Irish Lions: Marcus Smith; Tommy Freeman, Sione Tuipulotu, Bundee Aki, Duhan van der Merwe; Fin Smith, Alex Mitchell; Ellis Genge, Luke Cowan-Dickie, Finlay Bealham, Maro Itoje (c), Tadhg Beirne, Tom Curry, Jac Morgan, Ben Earl. Replacements: Ronan Kelleher, Pierre Schoeman, Tadhg Furlong, Scott Cummings, Henry Pollock, Tomos Williams, Elliot Daly, Mack Hansen. Argentina: Santiago Carreras; Rodrigo Isgró, Lucio Cinti, Justo Piccardo, Ignacio Mendy; Tomás Albornoz, Gonzalo Garcia; Mayco Vivas, Julián Montoya (c), Joel Sclavi, Franco Molina, Pedro Rubiolo, Pablo Matera, Juan Martin González, Joaquín Oviedo, Replacements: Bautista Bernasconi, Boris Wenger, Francisco Coria Marchetti, Santiago Grondona, Joaquín Moro, Simon Benitez Cruz, Matías Moroni, Santiago Cordero.
