Novotel Lake Crackenback Resort, Snowy Mountains

An action-packed stay in the mountains.

TWAM-20170311 EMBARGO FOR TWAM 11 MARCH 2017 NO REUSE WITHOUT PERMISSION Crackenback resort Pic : supplied

The weather map’s broken out in a big angry red rash all the way down its eastern flank. Records are toppling — 30 degrees overnight in Sydney — and that crimson stain indicates more extremes to come. Conventional wisdom screams “beach” but in this final week of school holidays we need greater respite: cool alpine air, doonas at night and, at the risk of sounding sad, red wine that’s drinkable at room temp.

It feels almost unAustralian to admit that I’ve never been to the Snowy Mountains. But after all these years Banjo Paterson has called us to Kosciuszko, where the “air is clear as crystal and the white stars fairly blaze / At midnight in the cold and frosty sky / And where around the Overflow the reed beds sweep and sway / To the breezes, and the rolling plains are wide ...”

He had me at cold and frosty. And so we load up the bikes and kids and take the road south into uncharted territory for us, from Canberra south to Cooma, slightly west through Jindabyne and follow the signs for Thredbo. It’s a lovely drive: mountains as far as the eye can see, unbroken blue sky; when we open the windows the air is blessedly cool and the sweet scent of gum trees and golden grass fill the car.

From the road there is no sign of civilisation as we turn off to Lake Crackenback resort. “It’s the middle of nowhere!” declares the teenager from the back seat. Then the nine-hole golf course appears on the left, mountain bike trails on the right. We spot the archery area, trampolines, the lake with stand-up paddleboards and canoes. A family is rolling along on Segways and by now the kids are out of the car, squealing like excited toddlers at each new discovery.

It’s a small village down here in the middle of nowhere: overwater apartments and a restaurant around the lake, fancy chalets further back, a gym, indoor pool and spa centre, a cafe and small store, and the activities room, where you can book Segways and river sled tours, hire mountain bikes and fishing rods, or help yourself to other gear.

Our newly built chalet elicits more approving comments. It has a full size quality kitchen, dining area and spacious lounge with two bedrooms and bathrooms, one with a deep bath, on the ground level. Upstairs is a TV room that can double as a third bedroom. The ski tube to Perisher is five minutes’ drive and Thredbo Village about 15 minutes from there.

The region has been pushing its summer credentials and apart from the flies, there’s much to be said for a summer break here. The resort, adjoining Kosciuszko National Park, covers about 60ha and boasts 25km of trails for biking or walking. My favourite time to walk is in the early evening when the flies have gone. We stroll to the Little Thredbo River, past mobs of kangaroo and nervous deer, and walk around the lake, staying quiet so as not to scare the trout leaping for insects or the fishermen casting nearby.

Come early morning, we leave the car in Thredbo and walk the Thredbo Valley Track 20 or so kilometres back to the resort; it’s a beautiful path that doubles as a mountain bike track, taking you over suspension bridges and through eucalypt forests and open grasslands. A shuttle bus from the resort takes us back to the car.

We climb Kosciuszko, starting at the top of the chairlift, marvelling at the death-defying mountain bikers bumping down the paths below and a group of daring unicyclists ahead. And we explore the Main Range Track at Charlotte Pass, gorgeous terrain with thick rugs of summer wildflowers.

At the end of our week we agree this has been just about the perfect family holiday. We’ve hiked, cycled, Segwayed and paddleboarded; we caught a few hours of the Thredbo Blues Festival. Days were a pleasant 20-22°C and the nights were chilly. In our rush to escape Sydney we hadn’t packed any woollies but we had doonas and red wine enjoyed at room temperature. Just as ordered.

• Perfect for: Active types

• Must do: Climb Australia’s highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko. The chairlift from Thredbo to the start of the walk affords wonderful views; the more adventurous can mountain bike or walk from Charlotte Pass. Visit Wild Brumby Distillery and Café at Crackenback to taste locally made gin and schnapps (wildbrumby.com).

• Dining: At the resort, the Alpine Larder has pizzas, pasta and a terrific whole trout, or try the more formal Cuisine restaurant and bar. Crackenback Farm, 10 minutes’ drive away, has fabulous French-style fare (crackenback.com.au).

• Getting there: About 5½ hours drive from Sydney, 2½ hours from Canberra. The closest airport is near Cooma, about 45 minutes’ drive.

• Bottom line: One-bedroom Lake View apartment from $320, two-bedroom chalets from $385 (minimum two-night stay; includes daily buffet breakfast).

Novotel Lake Crackenback Resort & Spa, Snowy Mountains, NSW