Falls Creek is a ski resort in Victoria’s north-east. It is one of six in Victoria and 10 in Australia. It has a lovely ski in/ski out alpine resort hidden among snowgums, as well as 450 acres of skiable terrain serviced by 14 modern lifts and a 280 m vertical drop. It boasts Victoria’s finest snowmaking system, covering most beginner and intermediate slopes, and is serviced by Australia’s highest substantial body of water, the Rocky Valley Reservoir. Falls Creek is 350 kilometers (220 miles) from Melbourne by road, with Mount Beauty being around 30 kilometers (20 miles) distant. The resort is located between 1,210 and 1,830 meters (3,970 and 6,004 feet) above sea level, with the highest raised point being 1,780 meters (5,840 ft).

Falls Creek is a beginner/intermediate-friendly resort, with about 80% of the terrain allocated to these sorts of skiers/snowboarders. However, due to Australia’s famously changeable snow conditions, snowmaking using water from the neighboring Rocky Valley Lake is frequently the only source of skiable snow, especially early in the season. As a result, Falls Creek, like all Australian snowfields, has a nearly entirely domestic customer base. However, many international cross country skiers travel to Falls Creek for the Kangaroo Hoppet, Australia’s Worldloppet event on the last Saturday of August, and international snowboarders for Stylewars, The Australian Slopestyle Championships, and Australia’s highest sanctioned TTR World Tour event held in the first week of September.

The resort has 4,500 hotel beds and, as a result, a significant variety of restaurants, pubs, and nightclubs to keep tourists entertained at night. Although some units are privately held, the resort’s administration mandates that they be offered for rent when not in use.

The resort also acts as a summer base for exploring the national park that surrounds it.

Falls Creek is accessible all year round through the Bogong High Plains Road from Mount Beauty, however, like with all of Australia’s ski resorts, snow chains must be carried and installed if advised. The road continues through the High Plains and descends to reach the Omeo Highway north of Anglers Rest, however this route is blocked during the winter season.

In the summer, both routes are popular with bikers, and a variety of cycling competitions including climbs to the resort are staged, including the famed SCODY 3 Peaks Challenge (recently renamed to Falls Creek Peaks Challenge).

Falls Creek info card

Quick Statistics

• Highest elevation: 1,842 m (6,043 ft)
• Highest lifted elevation: 1,780 m (5,840 ft)
• Village elevation: 1,600 m (5,250 ft)
• Number of lifts: 14

In winter

• Snowline elevation: 1,100 m (3,610 ft)
• Average yearly snowfall: 4 m (160 in)
• Average days open in winter: 128

Alpine

• Number of Runs: 92+
• Longest advanced run: Wishing Well, 3 km (1.9 mi)
• Longest beginner run: Wombats Ramble, 2.2 km (1.4 mi)
• Terrain mix: 17%  beginner, 60%  intermediate, 23%  advanced

Cross country

• Number of trails: 21
• Groomed trail network: 65 km (40 mi)
• Longest trail: Rocky Valley Dam Loop, 21 km (13 mi)
• Terrain mix: Beginner 33%, Intermediate 48%, Advanced 19%

Lifts

• International Poma: 4:50 per ride, 1,525 to 1,775 m (5,003 to 5,823 ft); vertical rise of 250 m (820 ft)
• Gully Chair (3 person)
• Summit Chair (4 person)
• Eagle Chair (3 person)
• Falls Creek Express (4 person detachable): 3:35 per ride, 1,560 to 1,750 m (5,118 to 5,741 ft); vertical rise of 190 m (623 ft)
• Drovers Dream Chair: 6:45, 1,640 to 1,745 m (5,381 to 5,725 ft).; vertical rise of 105 m (344 ft)
• Towers Chair (4 person): 6:00 per ride, 1,615 to 1,745 m (5,299 to 5,725 ft); vertical rise of 130 m (427 ft)
• Board Walk
• Mouse Trap
• Monkey Bars
• Lakeside Poma
• Scotts Chair (4 person): 6:00 per ride, 1,615 to 1,740 m (5,299 to 5,709 ft); vertical rise of 125 m (410 ft)
• Ruined Castle Chair (4 person): 4:30 per ride, 1,655 to 1,775 m (5,430 to 5,823 ft); vertical rise of 120 m (390 ft)

Falls Creek Snow

Falls Creek Alpine Resort gets an average of 4 metres of snow each season and has 110 hectares of terrain covered by snowmaking. As a consequence, FC performs somewhat better than some of Australia’s other ski resorts in early season or when snow conditions are uncertain.

Falls Creek snow conditions, like other ski resorts in Australia, may vary greatly, and rain and mild temperatures can wreak havoc on the snow quality.

Falls Creek Accommodation

The charming Falls Creek community has over 4,000 bedrooms, providing to a variety of budgets ranging from inexpensive to deluxe. There are several residential buildings, hotels, ski clubs, and commercial lodges.

Facilities

Ski school, crèche (for children 12 weeks to 5 years), ski and snowboard rental, and ski and snowboard retail stores are among the Falls Creek ski resort amenities and services. The resort’s facilities are largely concentrated on three major areas (mid-mountain Village Bowl, Gully at one base, and Slalom Plaza at another base at the bottom of the Falls Express lift). Drop-off for children’s ski school is at the top of the Falls Express lift at Cloud 9, while child care is at the bottom of the same lift.

There are a few on-mountain restaurants, including the mediocre fare at the Cloud 9 cafeteria, or you may ski into the town for lunch at a decent restaurant (or return to your lodge for yesterday night’s leftovers). Falls Creek offers a good selection of restaurants and taverns for evening dining.

Activities

Cross country skiing at Falls Creek is pretty good, with a network of more than 65km of groomed trails that start right from the village. Falls is well known for the international cross country skiing event with the very strange name of the Kangaroo Hoppet!

There are various child-centric winter activities on offer including snow tubing, tobogganing, Pete the Snow Dragon appearances, fireworks displays, and night skiing.