Selwyn Snow Resort

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Selwyn Snowfields
LocationSnowy Mountains, New South Wales, Australia
Top elevation1,614 metres (5,295 ft)
Base elevation1,492 metres (4,895 ft)
Websitehttp://www.selwynsnow.com.au
Selwyn traces its origins to Kiandra, where skiing began in Australia in 1861

Selwyn Snowfields (formerly Mount Selwyn) (35°54′30″S 148°27′00″E / 35.90833°S 148.45000°E / -35.90833; 148.45000) is a small ski resort in the northern part of the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia, in the Snowy River Shire and Kosciuszko National Park. Selwyn is located near the town of Adaminaby and is close to Cabramurra, which is the highest town in Australia.

History

Selwyn traces its origins to the skifields at nearby Kiandra, where skiing began in Australia around 1861[1]. The more reliable snowcover at Selwyn saw the establishment of a portable rope tow on what is now theTownship Run in 1966. The remaining ski facilities at Kiandra were finally transferred to Selwyn in 1978 (including Australia's first T-Bar, which had been installed at Kiandra in 1957). In 2009 a triple chairlift replaced the original Kiandra T-Bar on the Township Run at Selwyn.

Resort Statistics

For the winter of 2009, Selwyn Snowfields comprised 45 hectares, with 10 ski lifts (and 1 snow tube lift). The resort also advertises 45km of marked cross country trails[2]. The terrain at Selwyn caters mostly to families and first timers, however two black runs at the back of the resort attract more than their fair share of advanced skiers and boarders, and in 2007 some terrain park features were added to the blue run known as Township. 88% of terrain caters to beginners and intermediates[3]

The base elevation of the resort is 1492 m and the highest point is 1614 m Above Mean Sea Level. This lower altitude means it has trouble maintaining a good snow cover during the very early and the latest parts of the season (June and September). The resort has snowmaking to combat this problem, a state of the art Lenko System, with a virtually inexhaustible supply of water from nearby Three Mile Dam. 35 hectares are today covered by snow-making and Selwyn is often the first NSW resort to advertise "100% access" to the mountain (grassy terrain makes it easier for Selwyn to open its runs than is the case at the higher, rockier resorts further south).

Winter access to Selwyn is via the scenic Snowy Mountains Highway.

See Also

External links