Corin Forest: The Perfect ❝First Snow❞ Experience

By: Helena Leung, ellaslist explorer

I have always sat and listened with a slight feeling of guilt whenever my friends talked about their amazing ski trips. "Bobby’s been skiing since he was two! He’s a natural!” Hmm. Great. The closest my kids had been to real snow was licking the TV screen during a viewing of Frozen...

Until These Winter Holidays!

Plagued with the thought of expensive accommodation and ski lessons, not to mention the six-hour tedious car trip from Sydney to the Snowies, I thought there HAD to be a better alternative. That’s when I stumbled across Corin Forest. Corin Forest is an outdoor snow park that is only 45-minutes from where we based ourselves in Canberra. They run three snowplay sessions every day that last for 2.5 hours, the perfect amount of time for littlies.

Snow Time!

We arrived at Corin Forest on a bright, sunny morning. In amongst a forest of green we suddenly saw two large football field patches of white, dazzling snow! “Real (man-made) snow!” our kids cried! It’s true. When the conditions are right, Corin Forest does actually receive real snowfall. However they also have snow guns that run overnight, to ensure a constant supply of the good stuff.

Tobogganing Fun!

The biggest attraction for the kids at Corin Forest is definitely the toboggans. After paying $15 entry per adult and child (Cheap as chips!) plus $5 for the unlimited use of a toboggan, we quickly scrambled up the gentle incline and slid down the slope with lots of squeals of excitement! Adults can tandem ride with their littlies, but the bigger kids will be happy to drag and slide their toboggan up and down the slope for 2 hours, no problem.

Classes For Beginners: YES!

Corin Forest's latest addition is their ski and snowboard school. Little ones who have never skiied before and adults who might need to work at mastering the basics are all welcome. The ski slope for lessons is custom designed with a gentle terrain, also featuring an easy-to-use 'magic carpet' ski lift. This special skiing area is limited to 150 people per session to keep is safe and spacious- so maybe make a booking. They also offer night skiing including a Thursday night girl's night and a Friday night pizza night! 

Snowmen and Igloos

Another reason why Corin Forest appealed to me was that I wasn’t sure if my 4 and 6yo were ready for ski lessons just yet and I didn’t want to fork out good money if all they wanted to do was build a snowman. At Corin forest they have a section, just beyond the tobogganing slopes, designated for building snowmen. If you are smart, you can hi-jack someone else’s pre-built snowman and use that as your base. Building a decent snowman is actually a lot of hard work! My 6yo also tested out her engineering skills by building a small igloo. (Engineer Daddy was so proud!)

Verdict!

Corin Forest is fantastic for a first time snow experience for your kids. It’s small, safe and cheaper than going to the snowfields. This is not for dads who are looking to conquer their next double black diamond run. They will be disappointed. And no, you cannot bring your snowboard. (Had to convince my hubby this was a bad idea)

The Essential Stuff

3 sessions daily: 8:30am-11am, 11am-1:30pm & 2pm-4:30pm (2.5 hours per session)

Costs:
Snowplay ticket – $18 per person
Toboggan hire – $5 per session (Can be shared within a family)

They also offer group lessons now for children aged 6 years+, available for $39 per person for a 2-hour session.

Ski area passes (not recommended for children under 4 years) are $30 per person for a half day/3.5 hours. 

All gear is available for hire (ski, snowboards, jackets, helmets, etc). 

What to bring:
• Warm clothing
• Waterproof pants and jacket
• Gloves
• Warm, water resistant gloves
• A change of socks and dry clothes is recommended for the trip home