New Zealand ski season ready to go

Skiers and snowboarders looking to fly out to New Zealand for some snowy thrills this month are in luck as the cold season has apparently started early this year.

Travel Mole reports that the ski fields in Wanaka and Queenstown, on New Zealand's south island, have been blanketed with snow.

The ski fields of Mount Ruapehu in the north island, where parts of the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy were filmed, received an even earlier start with its first substantial snow fall arriving at Easter.

Those working on the south island's Remarkables ski area were reportedly "delighted" to see 40 centimetres of snow yesterday, with the crew at Coronet Peak equally pleased with 20 centimetres coverage on their slopes.

The Remarkables ski area manager, Hamish McCrostie, commented: "We didn't see snow like this until a month later last year, so predictions for an early winter seem to be right.

"The longer term forecast indicates we'll hang onto this new snow and see more pretty soon – roll on opening day on June 24th."

The Remarkables and its sister mountain Coronet Peak which lie close to Queenstown, on the south island, have a wide selection of ski terrain suitable for all levels of skiers and snowboarders.

• New tour route opened in Australia
• Dominican Republic named top Caribbean golf spot
• Melbourne Airport sees record month
• New Zealand wins another travel award
• Currency expected to influence holiday decisions
• Govt criticised for APD increase
• CAA: Social trips boosting European travel
• Observation wheel to open in Melbourne
• Travellers invited to Australia's cinematic destinations
• Tunarama Festival to attract visitors to Australia