It's Almost Ski Time

With the southern winter having officially started on June 1, the skiing season Down Under is nearly here.

There haven't been reports of sufficient snowfalls in the alpine regions and it is expected snow making machines will be working overtime to get the slopes ready for the influx of skiers.

Coronet Peak just outside Queenstown is reported as ready for the June 6 opening of the New Zealand ski season. Australian ski resorts are expected to be open when the holiday crowds — June 6 to 8 is the Queen's Birthday long weekend — trek up the mountains.

• Skiing in New South Wales
  
• Skiing in Victoria
  
• Skiing in Tasmania
  
• Skiing in New Zealand
  
• Skiing at Mount Cook
  
• New Zealand's Snow Parks
  
• Glaciers of the West Coast

Photo: Skiers at Tasmania's Ben Lomond National Park, courtesy Tourism Tasmania and Ray Joyce