Thredbo

At 1370m, Thredbo has the longest runs and some of the best skiing to be had in this big ol' sunburnt country. The village itself is eye-candy compared with other Australian ski villages, with blue, green and grey tones ensuring chalets and lodges blend with the surrounding snow gums and alpine flora.

It sleeps approximately 4300 people and most of the infrastructure has been built on one side of the valley so that visitors holed up in their lodges on the other can kickback and watch the ski action. And of course Thredbo is an all-season resort, so if you can't afford it in winter, summer has got a lot to offer too. Thredbo is generally cool in summer with average temperatures of between 14 and 21°C. But locals have seen both the mercury soar to 30°C and snow on the ground, so be prepared.