Thredbo

The Alpine-style village of Thredbo, 280 miles (450km) from Sydney, in the famous Snowy Mountains, is the most attractive of Australia's principal ski areas. It has by far the biggest vertical drop in Australia (2,205ft) and some of the best skiing, with 40 runs served by 13 lifts. The resort responded to Australia's somewhat hit and miss snow record by installing state-of-the art, computerised snow-making back in the late 1980s. It is also well worth skiing Thredbo's big rival, Perisher Blue – Australia's largest linked area, with skiing at Blue Cow and Guthega – which can be reached by train from nearby Bullocks Flat, near Jindabyne.