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The world’s first rotating Snowtunnel is coming to Australia

Taylah Darnell Taylah Darnell
An all-new Aussie invention is bringing year-round snow Down Under.

Despite boasting plenty of world-class ski resorts, Australia’s snow season typically only lasts three to four months each year. And while a winter road trip certainly has its charms, many Aussies still prefer the more enticing slopes of New Zealand and Japan.

But now, an elite team of action sport entrepreneurs is hoping to change that. After more than 20 years of work, the Australian start-up has unveiled plans to open the world’s first Snowtunnel Park in Melbourne – with a never-before-seen attraction at its heart.

Introducing Snowtunnel Park

Snowtunnel Park in Melbourne, Victoria
A pilot site for the Suntunnel will open in Melbourne later this year.

Catering to all ages and ability levels, Snowtunnel Park is set to become the ultimate winter destination – and you won’t have to wait for the seasons to change to visit. The world-class facility will operate year-round, pumping out more than 900 cubic metres of fresh white snow every day just beyond the city limits of Melbourne’s CBD.

There’s nothing artificial about it, either. Using a cutting-edge system created in partnership with leading tech firms, including TechnoAlpin and WSP, this winter wonderland is made from only water and air.

“Growing up in Australia, we all know how inconsistent each snow season can be. Our mission is to unlock the magic of snow and ignite a passion for alpine experiences for everyone all year round," says Scott Kessler, CEO and co-founder of Snowtunnel Parks.

Snowtunnel Park in Melbourne, Victoria
The first official Snowtunnel Park is scheduled to launch in 2027.

The park will feature a range of graded downhill slopes, an alpine play zone for family-friendly activities and modern lounge area complete with fireplace, plus a variety of food and beverage offerings. There will also be a dedicated progression program for everyone from beginners to experts, all guided by professional ski and snowboard instructors.

But its biggest drawcard? The all-new patented Snowtunnel – a colossal rotating tunnel spanning over 600 square metres – roughly the length of an average outdoor ski run. Designed to provide a constantly rideable surface, the 12.5-metre-tall structure features variable speed controls to suit all abilities.

The Snowtunnel
The Snowtunnel has been described as an “endless mountain" by its creators.

The brainchild of Scott Kessler (CEO), Daniel Portelli (COO) and inventor Darren Visser, the Snowtunnel was founded and designed right here in Australia. Aiming to bring the “magic of the mountains" into everyday life, Visser engineered their first prototype during the 2000s.

The team later secured patents to safeguard the design, giving them time to refine and perfect their creation. By 2022, Snowtunnel Parks was officially established and its first commercial concepts were underway. Now in 2026, this once-radical concept is coming to life.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

AI Prompt

Is this the future of snow sports?

The Snowtunnel
The rotating Snowtunnel mirrors the length of an average outdoor ski run.

Since its inception, the Snowtunnel has attracted global interest, with a range of international brands expressing both excitement and support. Early investment rounds proved successful, resulting in further proof-of-concept prototypes.

In another major milestone, the team has now secured a location for its global headquarters and pilot showcase site, just 10 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD. Future locations in Sydney and Brisbane are also under discussion, alongside possible expansions into the UK, Europe and beyond.

Snowtunnel Parks map
Plans for international expansion are already gathering momentum.

“The interest we’ve seen from around the world since our reveal has been overwhelming," says COO and co-founder, Daniel Portelli. “By establishing our Global HQ and first showcase here, we are providing a permanent stage to bring this Australian innovation to the world."

Scheduled to open later this year, the pilot site will finally bridge the gap between innovation and implementation. In the coming months, it will serve as a showcase hub to demonstrate the technology’s commercial and operational power to potential partners, investors and even the public. By 2027, it will officially open as the world’s first complete Snowtunnel Park attraction.

But that’s not all. Tapping into the growing demand for passion-driven travel experiences, the company is also recruiting an exclusive Test Rider Crew. This lucky group of skiers and snowboarders will be among the first in the world to experience the Snowtunnel – before it becomes a global sensation.

The timeline at a glance

  • 2000s: First Snowtunnel prototype built and patents secured
  • 2022: Snowtunnel Parks launches as a business
  • 2023: Second Snowtunnel prototype designed and built
  • 2025: Construction of the first official Snowtunnel commences
  • 2026: Melbourne chosen as Snowtunnel headquarters, pilot site and launch location
  • 2027: First Snowtunnel Park attraction scheduled to open in Melbourne
  • 2028 and beyond: Sydney and Brisbane parks underway, potential international expansion begins
Taylah Darnell
Taylah Darnell is Australian Traveller's Writer & Producer. She has been passionate about writing since she learnt to read, spending many hours either lost in the pages of books or attempting to write her own. This life-long love of words inspired her to study a Bachelor of Communication majoring in Creative Writing at the University of Technology Sydney, where she completed two editorial internships. She began her full-time career in publishing at Ocean Media before scoring her dream job with Australian Traveller. Now as Writer & Producer, Taylah passionately works across both digital platforms and print titles. When she's not wielding a red pen over magazine proofs, you can find Taylah among the aisles of a second-hand bookshop, following a good nature trail or cheering on her EPL team at 3am. While she's keen to visit places like Norway and New Zealand, her favourite place to explore will forever be her homeland.
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The road trips and trails you need to experience in Victoria now

    Kellie Floyd Kellie Floyd
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    Wind through fern tunnels, stop for a wine in a tram bar, or chase giant murals across the wheatbelt. These drives and rides prove Victoria’s best stories are found off the straight and narrow. 

    There’s something unmistakably Australian about a road trip: car packed, playlist on, landscapes shifting. Travelling down the highway toward Healesville, in Victoria’s Yarra Valley, the mountains rise, flanking me on both sides. I feel its embrace, a silent invitation to explore what lies beyond.  

    Moss-covered embankments rise on either side, and towering mountain ash trees form a green tunnel overhead. Road signs warn of wombats and cyclists but with giant ferns lining the roadside, the landscape feels prehistoric, as if a dinosaur might suddenly emerge. This, the Black Spur, is one of my favourite road trips. 

    The Black Spur 

    The Black Spur drive
    Through the forested canopy of The Black Spur drive that winds from Healesville to Narbethong. (Image: Neisha Breen)

    Location: Yarra Ranges
    Duration: 30 kilometres / 30 minutes 

    The Black Spur is short compared to other Victorian road trips, just 30 kilometres, stretching from Healesville to Narbethong. But what it lacks in distance, it makes up for in scenery. Just outside Healesville, Maroondah Dam offers bushwalks and scenic views. However, if pressed for time, Selover’s Lookout is an easy roadside stop offering uninterrupted views of the dam.  

    In Narbethong, close to the Marysville’s snowfield, is the Black Spur Inn, a charming double-storey brick hotel that’s been welcoming travellers since 1863. Here, diners cosy up by the roaring fire or gaze through the floor-to-ceiling windows, imagining horse-drawn coaches carrying hopeful gold seekers to the eastern goldfields.   

    Victoria’s Silo Art Trail 

    Silo Art Trail
    The Silo Art Trail in the Wimmera Mallee region. (Image: Visit Victoria/Anne Morely)

    Location: Various towns across the Wimmera Mallee region
    Duration: More than 200 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days  

    What began as a way to draw travellers back into town bypassed by highways – places such as Nullawil, Sea Lake and Patchewollock – has grown into a celebrated outdoor art movement. The Silo Art Trail now includes 23 silos, each transformed with large-scale mural portraits sharing local stories, celebrating community heroes, Indigenous history, farming life, or regional identity.  

    The Nullawil silo, for example, is a portrait of a local farmer in a chequered flannelette shirt alongside his loyal kelpie, painted by artist Sam Bates (AKA Smug). And the silos at Albacutya in the Grampians, painted by artist Kitt Bennett, depict her joyful memories of growing up in the countryside. Many of the murals sit right in the heart of small towns, such as Rochester and St Arnaud, making them perfect spots to pause for a country pub meal or something sweet from a local bakery.   

    Metung to Mallacoota  

    Gippsland lakes
    Gippsland Lakes. (Image: Visit Victoria/Josie Withers)

    Location: Gippsland
    Duration: Approximately 220 kilometres / 4 hours  

    The Gippsland Lakes are a much-loved holiday spot in Victoria, but road-tripping further east reveals much more. Begin in Metung and time your visit with the monthly farmers’ market, or simply linger over lunch on the lawn of the Metung Hotel. Twenty minutes away is Lakes Entrance, where you can watch the fishing boats return with their catch. 

    Lakes Entrance
    Lakes Entrance. (Image: Visit Victoria/Iluminaire Pictures)

    Continue to Marlo, where the Snowy River spills into the sea, and Cape Conran for its many beaches and walks. If needing to stretch your legs, Croajingolong National Park is home to the historic Point Hicks Lighthouse and the Wilderness Coast Walk. Birdwatching and rainforest trails near Bemm River are worth a pit stop before arriving in Mallacoota, where the forest meets the sea. 

    Great Ocean Road 

    12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road
    The 12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road. (Image: Tourism Australia/Two Palms/Harry Pope)

    Location: South-west Victoria, from Torquay to Allansford
    Duration: Approximately 250 kilometres / 4–5 hours but best over a minimum of three days  

    Victoria’s most famous road trip delivers it all: world-class surf breaks, rainforest walks, clifftop lookouts and wildlife encounters. The journey begins in Torquay, the state’s surf capital, then hugs the coast past Anglesea and Lorne to Apollo Bay, before curving inland through the lush rainforest of the Otways. Stop at Cape Otway Lightstation or take to the treetops at Otway Fly.  

    Between Cape Otway and Port Campbell lies the most photographed stretch – seven of the Twelve Apostles still standing, alongside the golden cliffs of Loch Ard Gorge. Further west, Warrnambool is a winter whale-watching hotspot, before the road winds to Port Fairy, a charming fishing village of whalers’ cottages, walking trails and offshore seal colonies further along the coast. 

    Bellarine Taste Trail 

    Terindah Estate
    Terindah Estate. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

    Location: Bellarine Peninsula
    Duration: Approximately 80 kilometres / 2–3 hours  

    The Bellarine Taste Trail is a feast for the senses, winding through coastal towns, past boutique wineries and artisan producers. It’s a choose-your-own-adventure style trail – simply grab a map and build your own delicious journey.  

    You might wander historic, seafront Queenscliff, sip wine in a converted tram bar at Terindah Estate, sample a locally distilled whisky at The Whiskery in Drydale or pick up a jar of honey at Wattle Grove in Wallington. Seafood lovers can head to Portarlington, famous for its mussels. Eat them fresh at local restaurants or head out on the water with Portarlington Mussel Tours. 

    O’Keefe Rail Trail – Bendigo to Heathcote 

    Pink Cliffs Reserve
    Pink Cliffs Reserve in Heathcote can be seen on the O’Keefe Rail Trail. (Image: Visit Victoria/Emily Godfrey)

    Location: Central Victoria
    Duration: Approximately 50 kilometres / 4 hours cycling 

    Travellers first journeyed between Heathcote and Bendigo in 1888, when the railway line was built to link the towns. Trains stopped running in 1956, but today the route has a new life as the O’Keefe Rail Trail. The path is mostly level for easy riding, and along the way you’ll cycle past bushland, waterways and reserves. There are plenty of places to picnic, birdwatch, and if you’re lucky, spot a platypus.  

    The trail is well supported with water stations, bike repair points, shelters, and signage. Axedale makes a great halfway stop, with the pretty Campaspe River Reserve for a rest and local cafes for refuelling. Begin in Heathcote, known for its wineries and cafes, or in Bendigo, which is easily reached by train from Melbourne/Naarm. Shorter sections, such as Heathcote to Axedale, are also popular. 

    Goldfields Track – Ballarat to Bendigo 

    Location: Central Victoria
    Duration: Approximately 210 kilometres / 2–3 days cycling  

    The Goldfields Track traces a route once so rich in gold it made Melbourne one of the wealthiest cities in the world. Starting at Mt Buninyong, south of Ballarat, the trail leads mountain cyclists and walkers north through Creswick, Daylesford and Castlemaine before finishing in Bendigo. Along the way, you’ll encounter granite outcrops, eucalypt forests, rolling farmland and remnants of the region’s mining past.  

    As it passes through the lands of the Dja Dja Wurrung and Wadawurrung people, the track shares gold rush history and Indigenous stories brought to life by interpretive signs. Walk or ride the full trail or choose from one of its three distinct sections. With cosy stays, cafes and pubs, it’s easy to mix wilderness with comfort.