Advice for overnighting at the snow?

Hi Jethro,
Lived there for 50 yrs before getting out. The main things are take your time, don’t panic and let others go before you in traffic. Be careful going over gaps as oncoming traffic will not care ( they leave their brains at the entrance stations and pick them up on the way home). Don’t leave your hand brake on, lift the windscreen wipers, buy an ice scraper and clear all the windows before driving. make sure the engine coolant will not freeze as that is a world of hurt. Oh by the way enjoy!

Lake Crackenback ticks most of the boxes bar probably the most important one, the cost.

But it is definitely a nice place to stay if you are not that interested in being on snow.

Stay in Cooma and pop up to Mt Selwyn maybe? I am assuming they’ll be driving, in which case they may need to carry chains (hire at Cooma).

Make sure they have adequate antifreeze mix in their cooling system.
If its a diesel, make sure they fill up here or up there as it is conditioned for cooler climates.
Tell them to leave their wipers up while parked.
Practice fitting chains to their car before they get up there & have to do it lying in the snow.
Reverse tha car into the parking lot in case the battery dies.

Acommodation is much cheaper out of the park.

Ahh, the tourism mecca known as the ski-fields in winter… where you pay an arm and a leg to break them both anyway

+1 for staying at Jindabyne

The other option is to hope for a decent snowfall in the Brindies and head up there for the day. We stopped going to the Snowys in winter a few years ago (to avoid the tools and the stupid prices of everything) and now head up into the Brindies a couple of time a year. It makes no difference to the kids as they just want to run around in the snow and throw it at each other.

If they just want to see snow and touch it, this might be a better option.

Build an igloo

Only staying for one night is going to limit their choices. During the ski season, a lot of places have at least a 2 night minimum.

I’d suggest getting them to think about staying in Jindabyne, rather than on the slopes themselves. They could drive up to Thredbo, see the snow, have a wander around the village, and get some lunch there. They also have the option to pay for a ride on the chair lift up to the top, to get a good view of the mountains, and get up into areas where there’s some decent snow.

Head back to Jindabyne for the night, where there’s plenty of choice in restaurants.

But the real sticking point will be finding somewhere that allows a single night booking.

Thredbo Alpine Resort meets all of your requirements, except price. But you won’t find accomodation anywhere at (or near) the snowfields that is reasonably priced.