Thredbo Village, Kosciuszko National Park (NSW) Review

About Thredbo

Thredbo is a ski resort village inside Kosciuszko National Park, but it isn’t only a winter place. The lifts run 365 days a year, and in summer and autumn the slopes turn into walking tracks and the mountain bike park, which Thredbo describes as Australia’s only chairlift-accessed bike park. There’s an alpine coaster, the Merritts Gondola, a golf course, and the walks from the top of the chairlift to Mt Kosciuszko, Australia’s highest peak. The village itself is a mix of lodges, apartments, restaurants and bars along the river and up the hillside.

Quick facts

• AddressThredbo NSW 2625, AustraliaSee on the trip map →
• FacilitiesRestaurantStoreFuelToiletsWalking TrailsLookouts
• Good to knowLifts run all yearFree village bus35 km from Jindabyne
• FeesFree to wander$17 park entry a day$29 a day in winter
• 9.1/10Overall rated

Getting There

Thredbo is on the sealed Alpine Way, 35 km from Jindabyne and 76 km from Khancoban, according to the road signs at the village turn-off. From Jindabyne the road follows the Thredbo Valley up past Lake Crackenback and the Ngarigo and Thredbo Diggings campgrounds; from the west it climbs from Khancoban and over Dead Horse Gap, a narrow, winding stretch with steep drops. Thredbo is inside the national park, so you need a park pass for the car: $17 a day outside winter and $29 a day in winter, from the Thredbo or Jindabyne visitor centres or the Park’nPay app.

Village Layout

Thredbo is a long, narrow village strung out along the Thredbo River. Friday Drive leaves the Alpine Way and loops around the village centre, with Village Square, the Alpine Hotel and the village green, then runs east past Woodridge and the Leisure Centre to the roundabout at Friday Flat. The Valley Terminal, at the base of the Kosciuszko Chairlift and Merritts Gondola, sits just across the river from the centre, next to the Alpine Coaster, and the overnight car parks are out at the Friday Flat end.

Wandering the Village

The village is easy to walk around. Lodges and apartments are stepped up the hillside above the main road, with snow gums between them, and a timber footbridge crosses the Thredbo River towards the lodges on the other side. Parking runs along the road, and even in summer there were plenty of cars about. In autumn, the bus shelters had a What’s On board advertising a free courtesy bus to the village and the Kosciuszko Chairlift, running from 8.30 am to 5 pm, which saves walking up and down the hill.

Lifts Up the Mountain

The Merritts Gondola leaves from a stone-walled base station at the bottom of the slopes, next to the Alpine Coaster, which Thredbo bills as Australia’s highest. Both run outside ski season, and the Kosciuszko chairlift takes walkers up the range towards the Eagles Nest restaurant, at 1930 m on the walks map. A Thredbo Adventure Pass bundles the coaster, a scenic lift ride and entry to the leisure centre. There were small queues at the gondola on the summer day we were there.

Hiking and Mountain Biking From the Village

The Summer Walks & Hikes board near the lifts shows the walks from the top of the chairlift: past the Kosciuszko Lookout and Lake Cootapatamba to Rawson Pass and the summit of Mt Kosciuszko at 2228 m, and the hike to Dead Horse Gap, which joins the Thredbo River Track back to the village. The tracks are graded from 1 (flat and easy) to 5 (for very experienced walkers with navigation skills). Thredbo’s hiking season runs from late November to late April.

• Mt Kosciuszko summit

  13 km
  return, 4–6 hours

  Grade 3, from Eagles Nest at the top of the chairlift, past the Kosciuszko Lookout and Rawson Pass to the top of Australia at 2228 m.

• Mt Kosciuszko Lookout

  4 km
  return, 1–2 hours

  Grade 2, the easy taste of the high country from the top of the chairlift, with views to the summit.

• Dead Horse Gap and Thredbo River Track

  10 km
  4–5 hours

  Grade 3, across the tops from the chairlift to Dead Horse Gap, then down along the Thredbo River back to the village.

• Merritts Nature Track

  4 km
  2–3 hours

  Grade 3, the way to walk up or down between the village and Eagles Nest instead of riding the lift.

• Thredbo Valley Track

  14 km
  one way to Thredbo Diggings

  Grade 3, down the valley for walkers and bikes, past Ngarigo (9 km) to Thredbo Diggings.

• Main Range Loop

  32 km
  return, 8–10 hours

  Grade 5, the big one along the Main Range, for very experienced walkers with navigation skills.

Next to the walks board, the Mountain Bike Park map shows the trails off the chairlift, colour-coded by difficulty. Thredbo calls it the only chairlift-accessed mountain bike park in Australia, and it opens for the season in late November.

Things to Do Nearby

The Thredbo Valley Track follows the river down the valley from the village to Ngarigo and Thredbo Diggings, for walking and mountain biking. To the west, the Alpine Way climbs over Dead Horse Gap and drops down to Tom Groggin, Geehi Flat and Scammell’s Spur Lookout, and to the east it runs past Lake Jindabyne to Jindabyne and Cooma.

Summary

Thredbo is the alpine village at the heart of the Snowy Mountains, and it’s worth a stop even outside ski season: lodges in the snow gums along the river, the gondola and alpine coaster, a chairlift-accessed bike park and the walks to Mt Kosciuszko. It’s right on the sealed Alpine Way, 35 km from Jindabyne. Budget for the daily park entry, plus tickets for the lifts and activities.

Recommended Gear for Thredbo Village

For the walks towards Mt Kosciuszko, carry water in a good water bottle and a compact first aid kit, as the weather up top can turn quickly. A power bank keeps your phone going for photos and maps, and a pair of binoculars is handy for the views from the top of the range.