A slow start to the NSW ski season has forced some seasonal workers to look for alternative employment, with Jindabyne Chamber of Commerce chair Olivier Kapetanakos describing conditions as a challenging beginning for alpine communities.
Despite ski resorts including Perisher and Thredbo opening two weeks ago, snowfall has remained limited, with only 14 centimetres recorded at Snowy Hydro’s Spencers Creek snow station and none at Deep Creek.
Selwyn Snow Resort has delayed its opening due to the lack of snow, leaving some casual workers without shifts. Some have moved into hospitality roles in nearby Adaminaby while they wait for conditions to improve.
Kapetanakos said the slow start had already affected local businesses and seasonal employment.
“It’s certainly Mother Nature turning her nose [up] at us, at the moment,” he said. “We’re having a lot of rain and very ordinary temperatures.”
He said some seasonal workers had chosen not to wait for the snow to arrive.
“I know some businesses have lost seasonal workers. They’ve moved on and are not taking the risk,” Kapetanakos said.
“Some are hanging around, which is great for the pubs. Some aren’t, which means some businesses are still hiring.”
The 2025 winter season was considered one of the strongest in recent years, but concerns have emerged after the Bureau of Meteorology declared an El Niño pattern, which is associated with warmer-than-average waters in the central tropical Pacific.
However, locals remain hopeful with snow forecast in the NSW Alps, including falls above 1,700 metres and cooler temperatures expected to assist snowmaking.
Source: ABC.
