Falling for Falls Creek

Falls Creek Alpine Resort is covered in silent happiness in the bumper season of 2014. The first resort this season in Australia to record a 150-centimetre base (at time of writing it was 163 centimetres) and with the big snowfall month of August to come, Falls Creek is more than putting on a show.

The pedestrian-only resort is now completely ski in, ski out. Guests step out of their lodge, click into skis or boards and turn left or right to reach a ski lift of choice.

It has been four years since I last graced these slopes. I had forgotten the charm of brightly coloured rosellas on snow-laden gum trees outside a lodge window, and the 360-degree vista of Mt Bogong, Mt McKay, Feathertop and the Rockey Valley Lake didn't cease to take my breath again. Then there's the food.

Food is a contentious topic at ski resorts. Many simply don't get it right and others overcharge. There are of course positive standouts at every resort, but more so at Falls than the others. The village has been built for apres. Actually it is built for breakfast, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, apres drinks, dinner and dancing.

The Gully by Three Blue Ducks is the meeting place for breakfast (and lunch and dinner too) with a menu worthy of Melbourne's finest. Think black three-grain porridge, pulled pork breakfast buns and muffins topped with meringue and glazed bananas. They also serve the best doughnuts in town, house made.

We started one night with fresh popcorn and gin and juice at The Astra Bar , moved on to Oishii-Go for Japanese tapas, dropped into Nelse Lodge (nelselodge.com) for wine by the fire then Winterhaven for hearty mains and Stingray at QT Hotel for a closing beverage.

Try trivia night at Milch Bar and Cafe on a Monday if you want to meet the locals over good wine and $15 burgers. If you're up for dancing then head to The Man, the go-to last man standing pub.

The locals here have built some of the best ski accommodation in the country. QT Falls Creek is the quirky contemporary brand from QT Hotels. Each room has a balcony hot tub and the resort also has a Q Spa.

Melbourne arty types head to Huski Apartments , Altezza 1570 , Woodsmoke and Crows Nest apartments

. Scandinavian devotees head to Fjall , charmers on a budget choose Silverski

and old-schoolers bed down at Astra Lodge .

But what of the skiing? Beginners and intermediates have most of the 456 hectares of skiable terrain in which to play. Advanced skiers head to The Maze on a powder day, Summit for steep groomers and Ruined Castle for powder pockets. Adventure skiers and boarders hook up with three-time Winter Olympian, Steve Lee, for his backcountry skidoo ski/board tours for $159 .

TRIP NOTES

GETTING THERE

Falls Creek is a 4.5-hour drive from Melbourne or seven hours from Sydney. Virgin Australia, Qantaslink and Rex have flights to Albury which is a 90-minute drive from Falls Creek. Snowlimo.com.au has transfer services to the resort from Albury airport. Also fallscreek.com.au.

MORE INFORMATION

tourism.vic.gov.au