Wombat Hill restaurant, Mark Chew/Tourism Victoria
Do you want to snow down and embrace the winter season? Here are the best towns in Australia for a winter holiday – and in some of these towns it even snows!
Katoomba, Blue Mountains, New South Wales
High in the hills above Sydney is sleepy Katoomba, an enchanting village that feels like it is straight out of an Enid Blyton novel, complete with tea rooms, tartan-wearing locals and air of mystery. Oh, and occasional snow! It snows here a couple of times a year, although the coating of white frost every morning might trick you into thinking it snows more than it really does.
With only light snow, you’re not going to be skiing down the streets or building snowmen. Katoomba’s winter is the sort you embrace by curling up in front of a fire, tea-room hopping or by attempting one of the many walks starting at Echo Point. To really get the blood pumping, we suggest the Giant Staircase, which has 800 steps down to the valley floor. You’ll really deserve your scone with jam and cream after attempting this walk.
Daylesford, Spa Country, Victoria
This is spa country, where the waters are thermal and the antiquing is hot. While there are 72 thermal springs around the area, you’ll want to visit a bathhouse where they heat up the water for you, although the alleged healing benefits are free.
You can have a good time in Daylesford even if you don’t want to take your clothes off. Only a short drive from Melbourne, it’s one of the most popular holiday towns in the state. Eat at one of the great restaurants, meander around the shops or wake up and smell the roses at the local botanic gardens. You won’t even notice that there’s no snow.
Hahndorf, Adelaide Hills, South Australia
The hills are alive with the sounds, smells and buildings of Europe – or at least they are in the Adelaide Hills. Only 30 minutes from Adelaide, the hills have a few towns with various European influences. There’s Strathalbyn, which is a wee bit Scottish, and then there’s Germanic Hahndorf. And if there’s anyone who knows how to do winter, it’s the Germans. We’re talking mulled wine, log fires and delicious bread.
While it might not snow in Hahndorf proper (snow is more likely on nearby Mt Lofty), the town does get chilly, so you’ll need to rug up. While there you should explore the town’s historic buildings, including the residence of artist Hans Heysen.
Thredbo, Kosciusko National Park, New South Wales
Snow way you can do better than Thredbo when it comes to facilities and access to ski fields. It’s the most famous winter town in the country, and should be top of your list if you want a proper winter vacation. The closest town to Mt Kosciuszko, Thredbo has the longest ski runs in the country, as well as slopes for beginners. More than that, the town has a charming village feel, so if sitting in front of a log fire with hot chocolate is more your scene than hitting the slopes, Thredbo has you covered.
Stanthorpe, Granite Belt, Queensland
Forget everything you’ve heard about following the winter sun into Queensland – you can also follow the winter snow up into Stanthorpe. The main town in the booming Granite Belt, only a couple of hours south-west of Brisbane, Stanthorpe has been known to get snow on occasion. But even when you don’t get flurries, you’ll still be feeling the chill; the town is settled into the mountains that range along the border between Stanthorpe and New South Wales’s New England region, and is thought to have the coldest weather in Queensland.
The Granite Belt region is famous for its produce, and that’s the main appeal of this heritage town – eating and drinking, with plenty of wineries to choose from. Of course, if you get sick of cellar doors after a while, the town has art galleries, historic buildings and access to adventure activities in the mountains.
Evandale is a heritage-listed Georgian town 20 minutes from Launceston and 40 minutes from Ben Lomond National Park (which has the best ski fields in Tasmania). There’s something about classical Georgian buildings that just feels right in winter, and this town has some of the best examples in the country, including Clarendon House, a building that is sure to have you saying, ‘I want one of those’.
Wander around town, pop into a cafe for a warming drink – or take advantage of the fact that you’re very close to some of the best attractions in the midlands.
