Work a Ski Season in Charlotte Pass

Charlotte Pass Snow Resort is situated in the New South Wales Snowy Mountains, Australia, with all accommodation and facilities ski-in ski-out. Completely snowbound at the top of Australia, Charlotte Pass is only accessible by Oversnow Transport. Charlotte Pass is the highest village base in Australia (although Thredbo has a higher lifted access point) and consequently receives some of Australia’s best natural snow.

www.charlottepass.com.au

Getting to Charlotte Pass Snow Resort

Charlotte Pass is located 15 minutes further down the road from Perisher Valley, in the Snowy Mountains. It is around 30 minutes from Jindabyne, which is the major town in the Snowy Mountains and acts as the gateway to the resorts in the area (Thredbo, Perisher Valley and Charlotte Pass).

In summer, it is possible to drive up to Charlotte Pass, but during winter there is no car access as the resort is completely snowbound and the Oversnow Transport is the only way to get to Charlotte Pass village.

The bus is generally the cheapest option to get to the Snowy Mountains region. Murrays and Greyhound both run services from Canberra and Sydney to Perisher Valley, from where you need to take the Oversnow Transport to get to Charlotte Pass.

The Oversnow Transport departs from the Charlotte Pass Guest Services Office in in the Perisher Valley Skitube Terminal, at the far end of the ground floor of the terminal building. The ride takes you through the mountains before dropping you at the village at Charlotte Pass. Tickets are $65 one way for an adult ($99 return).

Unfortunately, the small airline that used to run to the Snowy Mountains, Brindabella Airlines, no longer runs flights and there are no other flights into the region.

The Terrain at Charlotte Pass

Charlotte Pass has one triple chair, a high speed Poma and a T-bar. There is also a beginner poma and magic carpet for those in the beginner area. There are nine black runs, seven intermediate runs and eight green runs for beginners. It is possible to ski the resort in just under a day.

For those working a season, Perisher Valley is down the road which has 47 lifts and is a much larger resort which is good to ski on days off.

Back country access from Charlotte Pass is good. A short hike and you can be skiing and boarding in the back country. Guthrie’s Chutes have some nice terrain for advanced riders to tackle on a powder day.

There is heaps to be done in respect of cross-country skiing with the many trails in the area. After the downhill season is done, the resort usually stays open a bit longer to cater for cross-country skiers given that the snow usually remains for a while after season’s end. You could also see people doing other activities such as kite boarding on a snow board in the valley.

There is a small terrain park set up each season which contains a number of smaller features aimed at beginners and intermediates.

The highest point at Charlotte Pass is 1,964m. The village base is 1,765m. As it has a higher base than Perisher and Thredbo, the snow tends to be more consistent than at other Australian resorts and natural snow depth is on average greater than surrounding resorts.

Getting a Job and Working at Charlotte Pass

Charlotte Pass Snow Resort generally looks for staff with experience in the relevant field. Be well presented at the interview! The resort is small and, as such, relies on giving guests an enjoyable experience to ensure they come back.

To apply to work for Charlotte Pass Snow Resort or the Kosciuszko Chalet Hotel email your resume to: [email protected]. Be sure to include in the subject of your email the position/s you are interested in. Available positions can be found at www.charlottepass.com.au/

You should try and apply as early as possible in the year as Charlotte Pass commences interviews in February, leading up to the season opening on the Queen’s birthday weekend in June. Wages are as per the Alpine Resorts Award 2010 www.airc.gov.au/awardmod/awards/alpine.pdf

Positions available include:

• Ski & Snowboard Instructors
• Lift Attendants
• Ticket & Guest Service Staff
• Ski Rental Technicians
• Oversnow Transport Drivers
• Groomer Drivers

Typical Positions Available At the Kosciuszko Chalet Hotel include:

• Fully Qualified Chefs
• Cooks
• Kitchen hands
• Housekeepers
• Hotel Reception
• Retail
• Childcare
• Wait Staff
• Bar Staff
• Baristas
• Cocktail Waiters
• Porters

Many of the positions at Charlotte Pass are subject to a Working With Children check. If you do not have a valid check, you will need to apply at www.kids.nsw.gov.au/Working-with-children/New-Working-with-Children-Check

There are no reciprocal pass deals with other mountains for employees. Ski and snowboard instructors need to have their instructing certificate already before applying as Charlotte Pass does not offer training for instructors.

Accommodation for a Winter Season

Most staff live on the mountain at Charlotte Pass in the staff accommodation. Food is included in your board with your evening meal cooked for you. Staff housing has ski in / ski out access – you can ski all the way to your door after the day.

There are a couple of bars on the snow, otherwise the resort is a smaller family oriented resort with a quieter atmosphere.

International Applicants

If you are not an Australian or New Zealand citizen – you will need to have a valid working visa. Charlotte Pass Snow Resort does not have a sponsored visa scheme, candidates must have or be able to obtain a valid Australian working visa prior to submitting application for employment. See Snow Jobs in Australia for further information on visas.