The time had come to take the kids to see some real snow. After our trip to Canada last year fell disappointingly short by only few weeks of the start of the snow season, we decided to treat the kids to a trip to Victoria, Australia in winter. We had been anxiously watching the snow forecasts, and were relieved to see that some snow falls were forecast just before our arrival.
We chose to visit Lake Mountain Alpine Resort as it was conveniently close to where we were staying in Melbourne, so avoiding a long drive with the kids. It was also a cheaper option that is geared towards family fun compared to other ski resorts.
It was only 1.5 hours away, so we could drive up and be on the snow before lunchtime. First stop was in Narbethong to hire toboggans, snow boots and pants, to complete our outfits made from borrowed gear and op shop bargains.
On the mountain we headed straight to the toboggan run (there is not a lot of anything else!). Up and down many times. Thankfully Casper and Jetson realised that going on their own was much more fun, and we even convinced them to occasionally drag the toboggans back up the hill themselves. As for all the fun of coming down, one must get back up the hill on foot – no ski lifts here folks!
Once we had exhausted the fun of tobogganing, we moved on to snowball fighting and snowman making.
Another great thing about this resort was the free skiing lessons, which Olive was able to participate in (again and again). She seemed to pick it up very quickly, although after the first try she did return rather wet from falling over. It pays to bring a few spare items to change into if you get wet, otherwise it can get unbearably cold.
It was a very long and tiring day, but definitely rated one of the ‘best ever’ for everyone.
There is no accommodation on the mountain, so we stayed down the hill in Marysville just 30 minutes away. The small cosy cabin was just right for us, a hot shower and a heater was all we needed. They also had a drying room which is essential for getting gear dried ready for the next day.
Rob’s sister Leanne and her kids joined us in Marysville and for the second day in the snow. Overnight there had been 1cm of snow, so a little more to play with. They do have snow making machines which pumps overnight and makes the slope , so you won’t miss out even if it hasn’t snowed, as long as its cold enough. We were able to hit the toboggan slope early and get the best snow. As the day wore on we were able to experience it becoming more corrugated. Having cousins to play with made it more exciting, for another fantastic day.
We highly recommend Lake Mountain if you have a young family and there is fresh snow about. You can easily do it as a day trip from Melbourne. We will be back next time we visit Melbourne in winter (which is not that often!).
What You Need To Know
Lake Mountain is about 1.5 hrs from Melbourne. There is no accommodation on the mountain, though plenty in Marysville and nearby. You only occasionally need chains (look for information on the day online or in Marysville). There is an entrance fee of over $50 per car. You can take your own food and drinks, though there is a restaurant where you can buy hot drinks and lunch.