Everyone has their happy place. The first time I arrived in Falls Creek and looked up at the glistening white slopes of Mount McKay, rising 1,849 metres into a bluebird sky, I knew I’d found mine.
When it comes to holidays, I think there are two types of people. Firstly, homing pigeons that like the familiarity of going back to somewhere tried and tested. That’s my husband. His attitude is – if you love it, why change it? Then there are people who fly by the seat of their pants and go where the wind takes them. That’s me.
Saying that, for the last 14 years, despite our polar opposite personalities and our distinctly different ways of doing things (he’s slow and cautious while I’m fast and fearless), every year we head to Falls Creek in the Victorian High Country. We’re both drawn to a mountain that now holds so many memories, every year it’s like going home.
Lay of the land, and hitting the slopes
Falls Creek is the largest ski resort in Victoria’s Alpine National Park, around 4.5 hours from Melbourne and a 90-minute scenic drive from Albury. The European-style ski-in, ski-out village sits at 1,580 metres, with the
ski lifts reaching a peak of 1,780 metres. Across the 450 hectares there are 14 lifts and more than 90 runs.
Falls Creek gets an average of four metres of snow every year, and as it is kitted out with 200 snow guns covering around 30 per cent of the runs, a season lacking in snow is rare. Even if there’s not much snow at the base of the mountain, once you reach the top, a winter wonderland sprawls out in a magical vista, with Rocky Valley Reservoir shimmering beyond the lifts and trails.
Falls Creek is known for having many intermediate-friendly slopes including the beloved 2.2-kilometre Wombat’s Ramble (the longest beginner’s slope in Australia) and it’s also home to extensive cross-country trails and serious black runs where many famous Olympians train.
Here’s where my husband and my differing approaches to a holiday come into play. Our three teens and I glide between the fun blue runs – wide and welcoming Main Street and Ruined Castle and Nastar racecourse that gently weaves through the trees. Sometimes we hit a black run such as steep and challenging St Elmo’s Slide.
Jeff goes up and down wide and easy-sloping Drover’s Dream, loving the fact that he can cruise along on his snowboard, familiar terrain at every turn. He’ll spend a few hours doing the same run, while we throw ourselves into whatever looks fun.
The good thing is, the kids always know where to find Dad, while it’s anyone’s guess where I am. Possibly even enjoying a mulled wine on the deck of a café, watching families smile, laugh and pick their kids up from tantrums on the snow.
Leaning into luxury
When we arrive in Falls Creek – laden with dreams of more snowfall overnight – we check into our favourite hotel in Australia: Astra Falls Creek. A year doesn’t go by when Astra doesn’t win an award. Awarded Best Boutique Ski Hotel for ten consecutive years at the World Ski Awards, it’s a perfect blend of luxury, sophistication and homeliness, surrounded by snow gums and eucalyptus trees donned in thick blankets of snow.
Astra’s rooms and family studios are havens of style – a palette of light and dark blues blending with crisp white and chocolate brown décor, offsetting the wood panelling lit up by copper pendant lamps.
The restaurant, bar and lounge area with a huge stone fireplace follow suit, with wooden walls blending into
a spectacular ceiling sculpture resembling a sunrise over the mountains. We love an après ski cocktail over a boardgame, and dinner is always an exciting affair, as the innovative menu celebrates seasonal high-country produce alongside local wines and craft beers.
At the end of each day we all unwind by the underground pool and soak in the spa bath before sweating it out in the sauna and then slipping back into the pool. It’s a special couple of hours when I disappear into Astra Day Spa, which won Best Luxury Ski Resort Spa in Australia & Oceania in 2025.
An abundance of fine food offerings
The food scene in Falls Creek is varied enough to try a different restaurant or cafe every night while you’re in town, each oozing with its own special mountain-village charm.
If you enjoy a lively pub-like atmosphere, Frying Pan Inn in the Village Bowl is known for its warm, rustic interiors and woodfired, hearty barbecue-style menu. With pool tables, darts and cosy corners, it strikes a balance between relaxed dining and mountain nightlife. The popular Gondola Bar adds to the energy, serving drinks from inside the gondola that was brought over from Europe to now sit on a wide wooden deck.
For breakfast we head to Ory’s, which dishes up comfort food with refined presentation, built around quality local produce. The friendly staff and owners have created a welcoming atmosphere and there’s always a happy bunch of early risers waiting on great coffee in the mornings, and plenty of rosy-cheeked groups sipping on cocktails when the lifts close for the day.
The most iconic eatery on the mountain is Cloud 9. This sprawling venue sits at the top of Halley’s Comet chairlift with killer views over the slopes and the village far below. For lunch and dinner there’s woodfired pizzas, pastas, burgers, grab-and-go staples such as muffins and pies, and there’s a fully stocked bar, including one of my fave mulled wines. We always make the time to have a drink on the back deck. With the snow falling and the familiar rustle of ski clothes as everyone bustles in and out, it always gives us one of those, ‘Ah, how lucky are we?’ moments.
For a sugar fix while on the go, Snonuts is where it’s at. Found at the base of the main chairlift, our kids have been getting their Nutella Snonuts since they were kids, and it’s the first place they head to, even as teens.
For a vibrant Southeast Asian-inspired menu, Huski Kitchen (next door to Astra) has everything from fragrant curries to tasty stir-frys and share-style plates, alongside creative cocktails and a lovely wine and beer list.
For something more up-market – with chilled Falls Creek vibes – Sorella Falls Creek blends modern Mediterranean flavours with a warm alpine atmosphere.
Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, it offers everything from casual bites to awesome steaks and delicious pastas paired with local wines. The interiors are plush and inviting, centred around an open fireplace where you can toast marshmallows. Next door, the sleek Apartment 3 cocktail lounge adds an extra layer of après sophistication, with moody lighting and velvet lounges.
Lessons learned and memories made
I’ve been skiing for most of my life, and yet I always find the time to have some lessons with a professional. It’s amazing what someone else picks up when they are trained to watch how you ski – observing what you’re doing wrong, and what you get right. All of the ski instructors at Falls Creek are talented, friendly, and they love sharing stories of their ski adventures across the world.
We usually spend three to four days in Falls Creek, and after five or six hours on the slopes, I’m content to sit with a book and a lovely glass of red by the fireplace at Astra, or enjoy a hot chocolate on our couch, watching the snow pile up and snowboarders and skiers trundle by with their gear.
Our kids, not wanting to miss a single moment on the mountain, hit Wombat’s Ramble after sunset for some night skiing. It’s then that the village twinkles like a perfect little toy town in a snow globe – an inky sky sprinkled with stars framing a mountain of memories rising up behind.
To discover more of our favourite ski resorts in Australia, click here.
Rex flies to Albury, which is a 90-minute scenic drive from Falls Creek. Book your tickets here and check out the route map below.
