Mt St Gwinear is a snow-play or cross-country skiing location close to Rawson and the Walhalla and Mountain Rivers region. Mountain-Top Experience can provide a day trip to the top of the mountain, economically, safely and hassle-free. Forget about slippery roads, messy wheel chains or crowded carparks. Just enjoy the skiing or tobogganing (we stop at the Ski Hire store for you to collect your requirements).

Snow reports: Parks Victoria 5165 3481 or click here
XC ski & toboggan hire: Gwinear Ski Hire (Erica) 5165 3353.

The Thomson Valley Road to Mt St Gwinear, being unpaved beyond the Thomson Dam turn-off, is a VicRoads Declared Hazardous Road. Wheel chains must be carried, and in snow conditions should be fitted to drive wheels for ascending and front wheels for descending. However some modern cars with low profile tyres  cannot be fitted with chains. A particular risk we have observed is with rear wheel drive, auto transmission, ABS-equipped cars. If chains are fitted to the rear wheels, on steep downhill corners steering is easily lost, the ABS system releases the brakes prematurely, and the transmission torque converter fails to disengage, causing the car to drive itself off the outside of the corner.

Not surprisingly, car rental companies do not allow their cars on these roads at all (the contract fine print voids insurance).

Transport Service
Mountain-Top Experience provides transport from Mountain Rivers Lodge at Rawson.
• Up to 8 passengers/vehicle
• Pick up and drop off at your door.
• Price includes gate entry/parking fees.
• Bookings are essential ($100 deposit), phone (03) 5165 3231 or 5134 6876.

Mt Baw Baw Snow

With the opening of the South Face Road in 2008, the Mt Baw Baw Alpine Resort, with downhill skiing and snowboarding, is now easily accessible from Rawson. The South Face Road is a wide logging road with steep gradients and loose gravel. It connects with the Mt Baw Baw tourist road at Neulynes intersection, after which the final climb to the resort is steep with sharp corners, and subject to snow and ice. Mountain-Top Experience provides a transport service using 4WD vehicles which are suitable for these conditions. For further information click here.