Sydney’s $700 Million Indoor Ski Resort Is Officially Moving Ahead—Here’s What To Expect

A year-round ski trip without leaving Sydney? It's officially getting closer.

Construction on Winter Sports World is expected to begin soon, with the $700 million development on track to open in 2028. Once complete, the Penrith attraction will become Australia's first indoor snow resort, bringing real snow, ski slopes, alpine dining and a mountain-style hotel to Western Sydney—all just 12 kilometres from the future Western Sydney International Airport.

Set within Penrith's Riverlink Tourism Precinct, the landmark project is expected to attract more than one million visitors annually, create around 1,350 ongoing tourism jobs and inject more than $220 million into the local economy every year.

Jump to:

• What Is Winter Sports World Sydney?
• What Will Be Inside Sydney's Indoor Ski Resort?
• When Will Winter Sports World Open?
• What Will Winter Sports World Look Like?
• Why Is Winter Sports World A Big Deal For Western Sydney?

What Is Winter Sports World Sydney?

Winter Sports World is set to become Australia's first indoor alpine resort, recreating the experience of visiting the snowfields entirely under one roof.

The project has been designed as far more than an indoor ski slope, combining snow sports, accommodation, hospitality and public spaces into a destination expected to operate every day of the year.

Its location places it at the centre of Western Sydney's rapidly expanding tourism precinct, with easy access to the future Western Sydney International Airport, the Nepean River and Sydney's growing transport network.

What Will Be Inside Sydney's Indoor Ski Resort?

The hero attraction will be a 300-metre ski and snowboard run made with real snow, allowing visitors to hit the slopes 365 days a year regardless of the weather outside.

Alongside the main run, the resort is planned to include:

• Learn-to-ski slopes for beginners
• A dedicated snow play area for families
• Olympic-standard training facilities and competition venues
• Ice climbing and crevasse climbing experiences
• A 4.5-star hotel with around 170–200 rooms
• Restaurants, cafés and bars overlooking the snow
• Conference and event facilities

The venue is also expected to become a training base for elite athletes competing in disciplines including alpine skiing, freestyle skiing and snowboarding.

When Will Winter Sports World Open?

The project received State Significant Development approval in 2024 and is now preparing to enter construction.

The first stage will focus on building the underground infrastructure, including the enormous water storage and snowmaking systems required to keep the mountain operating year-round, before construction of the slopes and resort buildings begins.

If construction progresses as planned, Winter Sports World is expected to welcome its first visitors in 2028.

What Will Winter Sports World Look Like?

The resort's design is almost as ambitious as the experience itself.

Designed by Sydney architecture studio Collins & Turner, the building takes inspiration from snow clouds, glacial ice and the nearby Dyarubbin (Nepean River). Its sculptural façade features dramatic "ice shard" forms, softly textured surfaces and kinetic lighting that will illuminate the more than 300-metre northern frontage at night, creating the illusion of a swirling blizzard.

The surrounding landscape has also been designed to reflect the region's natural and cultural history, with flowing waterways, native planting, walking paths and eight-metre-tall message sticks that share Dharug stories connected to Dyarubbin.

The project team worked alongside representatives of the Dharug Nation and local First Nations artists throughout the design process to embed Country into the development.

Despite requiring year-round snow, Winter Sports World has been designed with sustainability at its core.

Developers say the precinct will be net-zero carbon ready, reducing embodied carbon during construction, operating without fossil fuels on site, generating renewable energy where possible and offsetting any remaining emissions.

The combination of sustainability initiatives and Connection to Country principles aims to create an attraction that reflects both the local environment and the future of tourism infrastructure.

Why Is Winter Sports World A Big Deal For Western Sydney?

Winter Sports World is expected to become one of the largest tourism attractions ever delivered in Western Sydney.

With more than one million annual visitors forecast, the resort is expected to transform Penrith into a year-round tourism destination, complementing nearby attractions and capitalising on the opening of Western Sydney International Airport.

Rather than travelling five hours to the Snowy Mountains, Sydneysiders will be able to ski, snowboard and play in real snow just an hour from the CBD—while international visitors arriving through the new airport will have access to a uniquely Australian alpine experience unlike anywhere else in the country.

Image credit: Winter Sports World | Website