Skiing with kids: a visit to Mount Baw Baw

If you’re looking for a fun, family-friendly ski resort that caters for snow-lovers of all ages, then Mount Baw Baw in Victoria ticks all the boxes.

Located just 2.5 hours from Melbourne, the drive to the resort is pretty and takes you along winding roads through vineyards and cute country towns.

We arrive on a Friday afternoon and although the snowfall hasn’t been particularly heavy, my two kids are thrilled at the first sight of snow – the first they’ve ever seen in their lives.

We settle into the cute and cosy Snowgum apartment, which overlooks the toboggan run and is a stone’s throw from the bistro-style restaurant and ski hire stores, so it’s right in the heart of it all and not too far for little legs to go to get around.

The apartment has a gas fire, full kitchen and two bedrooms – the master includes a massive stand-alone bathtub, perfect for long soaks after a day on the slopes.

Hitting the slopes

You can hire pretty much all the ski gear you need at Mt Baw Baw, including skis, poles, snowboards, helmets, goggles and snow suits. It's a good idea to bring your own warm thermal base layers, socks and gloves however.

We hired our gear and then headed for the slopes, where the kids had fun practising using the magic carpet and giving their ski’s a go.

Mt Baw Baw has 35 hectares of downhill terrain and seven lifts. There are no chairlifts, just pomas, so it’s a good idea to get the kids used to using these. There are 15 runs, three terrain parks and three snow play areas.

Ideally try to book in for lessons on the first day, so everyone can learn basic skills –or brush up on existing ones. The instructors are friendly, warm, professional and fantastic with kiddies. My eight-year-old daughter – a total beginner – was using the pomas and going on blue runs by the end of her lesson.

Other snow activities

While skiing is the main attraction at Mt Baw Baw, there are plenty of other activities available.

You can visit the two resident dingos, Rowdy and Warrugal, and if you’re lucky, get to take them for a walk around the resort. My kids adored meeting these friendly dogs up close and personal and learning more about them.

The Howling Husky experience is not to be missed either, with a chance to meet some of the 50 beautiful huskies currently based at Mt Baw Baw. You can take a sled ride through the gum trees and learn more about these gorgeous dogs and how their pack works.

There are also two trampolines right at the base of the slopes, so kids can burn off a bit of energy if they don’t feel up to tackling the slopes.

And of course, making snowmen and tobogganing in one of the three snow play areas is a must for littles too.

Where to stay and eat

If you want to stay on snow, there’s a wide range of accommodation available, including apartments, cabins, lodges and a backpackers. Staying on snow is obviously a little more expensive than staying outside the resort, but worth it with little ones so you’re close to the slopes and all the other amenities.

The beauty of booking a self-contained apartment with a kitchen means you can make your own meals. Stock up before you arrive though, because there’s only a very limited range of groceries available at the resort.

If you feel like dining out, you can choose from the Village Central Restaurant, a buzzy little bistro with a bar and fab views over the mountains, the lively Alpine Hotel and Bistro, which has live music, DJs, trivia and pool competitions, or the Skiosk, which is right next to the slopes and serves hot and cold drinks and snacks.

For more information visit mountbawbaw.com.au