I took my family on a budget ski trip and proved that you don’t have to leave Australia to have a fantastic winter holiday with the kids.
In fact, if you bring your own food and don’t buy ski passes, you can do so for as little as $81 per day per person for a family of three.
We added two nights at the beach because I wasn’t sure how much the kids would like the snow and because surf and ski vacations seemed to be a popular search term.
We were privileged enough to have a more expensive first day and opted to snowboard, but we definitely would have been just as happy renting a sled for $10.
We also went midweek, driving up on Tuesday after work when accommodation is more affordable.
We stayed at Discovery Parks in Jindabyne, about 20 minutes from the snowfields.
Budget cabins start at $115 per night in winter, but we opted for the $175 per night cabin that sleeps six and stayed two nights.
I made a mental note that the trip could be “even cheaper” next time if we recruited some friends to come with us.
We opt for a “free” breakfast every morning, bringing cereal from home instead of going to the coffee shop or bakery, which can cost $50-$60 each time.
I took my family on a budget ski trip and proved that you don’t have to leave Australia to have a fantastic alpine holiday with the kids.
The kids said the day we played in the snow was the most fun.
We passed on the option of renting a sled, although next time we would do that instead of shelling out money to spend a morning snowboarding.
Getting to Perisher, which has a designated sledding area, would have cost us $133 by train, we could have also rented snow chains for just $25 and paid the $30 National Park fee.
Instead we opted to rent snow equipment and ski passes for $207 per child and rent a snow equipment and ski pass for $350 for me in Thredbo.
I also opted for the private shuttle service to pick us up and take us home on the first day, which cost me $364, as I didn’t feel confident going alone. I drove myself the next day and would drive again if I had to go back up.
After about four hours of snowboarding down the “mini hill,” which consisted of walking up a slight incline and learning the basics, and two chairlift rides, we were done with our boards.
We left them and went to the pub-style restaurant for lunch, where we spent about $80 on spicy fries, chicken strips, a side of butter chicken, and three drinks. Next time I’ll definitely make a point of packing lunch.
Snowboarding was interesting, although we wouldn’t budget for it next time.
The cabins at Jindabyne, on the left, and Narooma, on the right, were super clean and comfortable.
The rest of the day was spent having fun in the snow, before returning to the hill at 3:00 pm, all completely exhausted. We had Thai food at the restaurant adjacent to the campsite which cost us about 60 dollars.
On the second day we drove up the hill to Thredbo, paid the $30 National Park fee and rented snow chains which we ended up not using. There is a hefty fine for cars without chains so renting them is a must if you plan to drive.
Buses run up the hill on weekends, round trip costs $23 for adults and $12 for children.
This day was much cheaper and the kids said it was their favourite day. We opted for the Winter Wonderland pass in Thredbo which gives you access to the rollercoaster, the cable car and the pool and gym in the village.
For myself, a ten year old, and a five year old, this cost only $149 and provided us with entertainment for most of the day.
The kids loved the roller coaster, although each pass only allows one ride. Additional rides can be purchased at the ski desk.
The kids loved paddle boarding and at $30 an hour the boards were affordable.
They also loved these pedal cars – we had them for about two hours at $5 for 30 minutes.
They also loved the gondola, which can be used all day long. We got off at a few stops, compared the snow and the view, and then moved on.
We built a snowman, made snow angels, and practiced snowshoeing for hours before heading back to town.
I brought leftover Thai food for lunch and sat at the tables by the river to eat it; the kids ended up spending hours there enjoying an amazing snowball fight.
We then treated ourselves to a hot chocolate (about $17 for the three of us) and headed back down the hill, this time with maps tracked at Discovery Park in Narooma.
The kids slept the whole way which was great as they had energy to explore the amazing play park at the new caravan park.
The caravan park is on the beach, which impressed the children.
The playground is brand new and the kids loved it – they could have spent days playing here.
The park opens onto the beach, has a series of cycle paths, an inflatable pillow and a children’s play area that attracts attention from the road.
The park’s budget cabins cost around $99 per night; we opted for the deluxe option, which was $169 and huge.
It had a full-size laundry room, kitchen and bathroom. A large living and dining room and two bedrooms, one with a queen-size bed and the other with two sets of bunk beds.
The staff were very helpful and pointed out lots of fun things we could do while we were there, including renting pedal go-karts, which turned out to be a hit.
The karts were $5 for a half hour and we had two for about two hours.
On Friday I took the kids to the port where I taught them how to paddle surf.
The board rental costs $30 for an hour, we rented two and then recharged with a hot chocolate each.
The rest of the day was spent exploring the caravan park and beach and making the most of the play equipment.
We had sausage sandwiches for dinner with food we had brought with us, although I noticed that Woolworths was only a few minutes away.
We packed our bags on Saturday morning and declared that we would return, probably with the dog as it is a dog friendly place.
It’s a five hour drive, so we had Maccas for lunch which cost us about $25.
The trip made me reconsider my opinion of caravan parks – I remember them being a bit hostile when I was a kid.
But the two Discovery Parks I visited were exceptional.
They were very clean and well kept, I felt safe and since they are a family-focused environment, I didn’t feel the need to shush the kids as they ran from one play area to another.
Including gas, lodging, food we purchased, and activities, our four-day mini-getaway for three cost $2,282, or $190 each per day.
The price could have been reduced even further if I had opted for the standard cabins and the cheaper first day on the snow experience, which I think the kids would have preferred anyway.
Without the lift passes and deluxe cabin, the trip would have cost $972 or just $81 per day.
Campsite prices fluctuate depending on time and availability, and are cheaper off-season or during peak times and during the week.