With over 8,000m2 of real snow Snowplanet is touted as the coolest place in town! So we went to check it out. Could we handle the cool? Could we slip and slide down the slopes with more sliding that slipping? Let’s see!

Snow Tubing

We started with Snow Tubing, two adults with a 1.5, 4, 12 and 13 year old in tow. There’s two different sized tubes, a small one (79cm) perfect for a little one who wants to be snug and secure in his tube as he slides down the tubing slope, and a bigger one (104cm) for bigger kids and adults, single or tandem, taking a mini run up & dive into the tube to race each other down, or like me, gingerly place yourself in the tube with the 1.5 year old on lap. It went well… for everyone else. My 1.5 year old was needing more of an easy introduction to snow, understandably, so what better way to do that but play in it! It didn’t take him long to get used to this new cold slippery substance he was striving to stand on.. and before long we were back into a tube laughing all the way down.

There’s Individual and Family Tubing Passes. You may also need a Snowplanet card to access the ski mat. $6 is charged for the RFID card but this can be kept for future use or returned for a full refund. Warm suitable clothing is required (including warm socks) as the snow dome is minus 5 degrees. Snow Tubing doesn’t include rental clothing or gloves but these items are available for hire or you can purchase basic retail items from Snowplanet on your arrival.

Ski & Snowboard

We didn’t leave our skills just on the tubing track, no sir-ee. We hit the slope on skis and boards! The older two took to boards and headed up to the top of snow dome, the Terrain Park, for a longer steeper run, and we’re not talking sideslip down the hill, well maybe we are just a little bit and that’s perfectly alright, sliding sideways is how most beginners get from top to bottom and at Snowplanet there’s plenty of room for everyone. There’s two runs approached by lift line on each, with one having a few jumps for the more practiced to catch some air – and I swear some of these riders were about 4 years old, otherwise known as grommets! Riders are corteous, whatever their level, and the more advanced ones have the ability to swerve their way around anything, including sideslippers and even awesome grommets when necessary!

So there’s no need to feel like this isn’t for you if it hasn’t been done before, there’s something for all levels. Including, the dedicated beginners area for the new young and old skiers to learn or practice and enjoy the fun when they’re not Terrain ready, or eager. Using the travelator you’re taken a little way up the slopes to where you can either turn right with your tube to race down the tubing track, or turn left to ski, board or take a class!

My little fellah has been lucky enough to take a few classes so he was well versed in what he should be doing –  look left, step off, push. Though he did have to be reminded to keep his sticks in on the travelator, you don’t muck around! I was impressed with how much he’d learned from his classes and although he was tentative at first he showed a confidence in his skis that came from having done this before. Down he went, facing forward, knees slightly bent, slowing, gliding.. with me directly behind him so should anything happen, like he didn’t slow fast enough, didn’t move at all or started to fall, he had the person responsible for it… me. MUM! He belted out everytime he couldn’t do it exactly how he wanted. It was of course my fault. He was very proud to show me his snow skills and I was very proud indeed.

You don’t need to have lessons, or have had lessons in order to enjoy the beginners area, it’s something you can naturally master or fumble your way down. But should you want to take lessons or make use of the many snow play options there’s so much available!

Snowplanet has a full range of rental equipment and clothing available for hire or you can bring your own. To help get you up to speed or improve your technique there’s a great team of qualified instructors to help you out.

Cool beer, hot chocolate and great food

While you may have a 1.5 year old take to the slopes like a born natural, I did not. After his snow explorations and exhiliarating tubing experience my baby went inside to hang our with nanna beside the fire and prepare for our apres ski lunch! Snowplanet’s 7Summits Restaurant & Bar offers a family alphine dining experience where you can watch all the action out on the slopes through large panaoramic viewing windows.

The perfect place to relax and re-energise there’s plenty on the menu for everyone after, or before, time on the snow. We had a super slection of pizza, sliders, salad and beef rock grill, fish & chips, tempura prawns and BBQ ribs! We clearly left it all out on the slopes and needed refueling!

Whether you’re refueling like us, or enjoying the scene like nanna, 7Summits is the perfect place to relax and still be part of the action, or re-energise before another run in the snow!

Snowplanet was fantastic fun! We were all out in the cold wrapped up warm, having the time of our lives tubing on the snow together or doing our own thing on the terrain and beginners track. We thrilled, excited, exercised, watered, fed and I was proud as punch… and don’t think for one second that nanna just sat by the fire babysitting without getting a go! It really was an awesome day out for the whole family and we’re committed to enjoying more!

Have you tried out the fun at Snowplanet yet?

Written by Ronnie Swainston

Online Producer & Experiences Editor Ronnie is mum to two spirited kids who keep her on her toes. With a love for travel, film, tv, photography & (eating) food keeping her wishing for more time, & having a keen curiosity means she’ll give almost anything a go making her, and her family, up for the job!

Favourite place to be: On an adventure