Getting There Thredbo is a six-hour drive from Sydney or Melbourne, and just two and a half hours from Canberra.
Getting around
ABOVE AND LEFT
Fun on the bobsled. Gettings sidetracked on the way to Mt Kosciuszko.
Australia’s highest peak is definitely doable for older kids (it’s a 13km return hike from the top of the chairlift), but with a nine year old, five year old and toddler in tow, we opt for the abridged version – less than four kilometres from the top of the chairlift to the Mount Kosciuszko Lookout. The chairlift, it turns out, becomes my major hurdle. Standing at the bottom of the 560m vertical rise, I can’t quite believe young kids do this. But as we watch, sceptically, the four-seat chairlift continues to fill up with families. It seems to me that kids as young as three are sitting solo next to their parents. I’m less trusting of my toddler, and strap him onto my chest in a baby carrier for the fifteen-minute journey to the top. From there, the stroll upwards to Mount Kosciuszko lookout is less daunting than I feared, so we set off on the mostly metal pathways and enjoy the views, the fields of wildflowers, and patches of ice in the distance. The location may be remote but it’s by no means underpopulated: this is ‘the’ walk in the region, and a bucket list item for many, so we are joined by a constant stream of hikers, a reassuring mix of old and young, fit and not so fit. Within ten minutes, I’m delighted I’ve brought
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my baby carrier, as my toddler now climbs onto it on my back while I happily puff my way up the incline, stopping every now and then for him to walk another few hundred metres before climbing back in. An hour or two later we arrive at the lookout, gorge ourselves on snacks, take the obligatory photos and enjoy the mountain air. By now, I’m remembering how unpredictable mountain weather can be – dark clouds are rolling in and I’m glad I threw long sleeve tops into my bag. The walk down is, naturally, twice as fast, although on the flipside, the ride down in the chairlift feels twice as nerve racking, given we’re now facing down the mountain. Back at Thredbo Alpine Apartments, all five of us eat ravenously. We look dishevelled, as if we really did conquer the entire 13km walk, and even the kids willingly take themselves off for a nap after lunch. Staring out the large windows to the mountain opposite, I peruse our options for the rest of our stay – more bike riding? Back to the bobsled? Or perhaps I could tackle the chairlift again? It appears that Thredbo really has worked its magic on me. Sue White is a travel writer and founder of the Kids Who Travel Facebook group.
Most visitors arrive by car, although once you are in Thredbo you can easily leave your vehicle parked until you leave. Shortly before you arrive in the Village, there’s a tollbooth where you’ll need to pay the entry fee to Kosciuszko National Park ($17 a day per vehicle: ask about multi day and ‘short breaks’ passes). You must display this permit on your dashboard –rangers check all vehicles daily.
Where to stay Thredbo Alpine Apartments boast a prime position across the road from the Kosciuszko Express chairlift. The selfcontained apartments (various sizes) all face the mountain: excellent for parents of young kids as you can still enjoy the view while they rest or nap.
Activities The Alpine Bobsled is awesome! It’s open 10am to 4pm daily ($8 a ride, although lots of package deals are available). The ride up the Kosciuszko Express chairlift is also highly recommended. thredbo.com.au