A positive start for ski season

As sub-zero temperatures hit Victoria's high country overnight, the resorts fired up their snow guns to start creating the white stuff ahead of this year's ski season.

Mount Buller fired up its guns for the first time last night, while Hotham and Falls Creek have run their snow makers several times this week.

With predictions for some natural falls next week, the resorts are hoping for a positive start to the season.

The Australian snow season officially starts during the Queen's birthday weekend on June 6-8, but there have already been some promising snowfalls in the southern hemisphere.

Mount Buller opened its lifts at the start of May for some "novelty" skiing, and New Zealand has had such good falls that Mount Hutt was set to open this weekend after being slammed with 170 centimetres of snow in 12 days.

If you believe in wives' tales, then it could be a very good winter indeed. The story goes that we have good seasons of plentiful snow when Lake Eyre fills with water, and guess what? Lake Eyre is full of water, and rising.

Resorts across Australia are offering terrific deals to entice people to the snow during the economic downturn, but the daily lift ticket price has topped $100 for the fi rst time in Australia. Perisher has raised its price by $4 from last winter to $102, but the other major resorts have kept their prices under triple figures despite increases of a few dollars each

Of course, buying single day tickets is the least economical way to go, and there is better value in multi-day tickets. But among all the price rises Mount Baw Baw is the shining light. The resort dropped its day ticket price last season from $71 to $49 because of the economic downturn, and this year has maintained a low price of $59 on weekends and $49 midweek. They must be the best-value tickets in Australia.