Jindabyne is an alpine town near the ski resorts of Perisher and Thredbo, so in winter it transforms from a small town with a population of approximately 3,000 people to a bustling ski town. Whilst the old town sits under the waters of Lake Jindabyne after the damming of the Snowy River, the new town sits lakeside and the views across the lake are a highlight of the scenery. Jindabyne sits well below the snowline at an elevation of 990 metres, and whilst it snows in town occasionally, the snow usually melts rather quickly.

Pros and Cons of Staying in Jindy

Pros 

• Jindabyne has a vibrant energetic vibe.
• There are an abundance of Jindabyne ski shops and snowboard stores, so it’s a good place to buy new gear or snow outfit, and ski hire is cheaper than up at the ski resorts but not as inexpensive as Cooma.
• Jindabyne has a good range of restaurants and bars.
• Jindabyne accommodation is slightly less expensive than that on-mountain at Thredbo, Perisher and Charlotte Pass.
• You can drive right to the door of your accommodation without the need to trudge through snow or get expensive oversnow transport.
• Staying in Jindabyne provides the flexibility to ski at Perisher, Thredbo or Charlotte Pass.

Cons

• A daily commute is required to get to the ski resorts.
• It doesn’t provide the same magical experience of staying at the snow.

Where is Jindabyne NSW?

The town of Jindabyne is in southeast New South Wales in Australia. It sits on the southern shores of scenic Lake Jindabyne, outside the Kosciuszko National Park near the Snowy Mountains.

Jindabyne is located 460km southwest of Sydney and 175km southwest of Canberra. It is 62km southwest of Cooma, whilst the Snowy Mountains/Cooma Airport is 45km away.

Lake Crackenback Resort is 21km to the west of Jindabyne.

Ski Resorts Near Jindabyne

Thredbo is 37km southwest of Jindabyne, just off the Alpine Way, a drive that takes about 30 minutes. See the getting to Thredbo page for more information on travel.

Perisher Valley, the main hub of the Perisher Ski Resort, is 34km west of Jindabyne on the Kosciuszko Road. The Guthega base of Perisher is 44km from Jindabyne. The Bullocks Flat terminal of the skitube train that heads to Perisher Valley and Blue Cow is located on Alpine Way, 21km from Jindabyne, a drive that takes 15 to 20 minutes depending on traffic. See the travel to Perisher page for more information.

Jindabyne Accommodation

Jindabyne accommodation covers all bases and includes hotels, motels, apartments, holiday houses, bed and breakfasts, and caravan parks. Whilst cheaper than staying on-mountain at one of the ski resorts, prices for accommodation in Jindabyne are heavily inflated during the peak winter season due to demand. Even camping at one of the Jindabyne holiday parks comes with a big price tag, and as to be expected, accommodation that offers views across Lake Jindabyne comes with a higher tariff. You’ll need to book your Jindabyne accommodation well in advance.

Much of the accommodation in Jindabyne is centrally located and within easy walking distance of the restaurants, bars and shops, although some require a bit of a drive. Note that East Jindabyne is rather remote and adds more drive time to the ski resorts.

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See all Jindabyne Accommodation Listings here

Facilities

The town has a heavy focus on skiing and snowboarding during the winter, and to cater for this, there are an extraordinary number of snowsports shops. A few of these concentrate on ski and snowboard rentals, whilst other Jindabyne ski shops have large retail sections.

Other Jindabyne shopping includes a couple of supermarkets, a pharmacy, a great Mitre 10, gift and souvenir shops, clothes boutiques, and the very interesting Design and Detail shop that sells clothing, alpine home décor and vintage items.

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