The land down under is known for many things. Namely, surf, sand, sunshine and red dirt. But snow? It doesn’t exactly spring to mind when people think of Australia.

We do have five major ski resorts nationally, but that pales in comparison to the hundreds of resorts on offer in snow tourism hotspots like Canada, Switzerland, and Japan. Yet, at the Milano-Cortina Olympic Games, we have taken home SIX medals so far, ahead of countries like Great Britain and Poland.

So, how do athletes from our sunburnt country continue to master the snow and grace the podiums at Olympics after Olympics?

I spoke to former Winter Olympian and now Federal MP Zali Steggall about the “absolute dedication” it takes to compete at the elite level.

The first Winter Olympics were held in the French Alps in 1924.

Australia competed for the first time at the 1936 Garmisch-Partenkirchen games in Germany, with lone athlete Ken Kennedy participating in three speed skating events.

It would take another 58 years to secure Australia’s first Winter Olympic Medal, with the men’s speed skating team winning bronze in the 5,000m relay at the 1994 Norway games.

Our speed skating success continued in 2002, when Steven Bradbury won Australia’s first Winter Olympic gold medal in Salt Lake City. His last-man-standing legacy lives on in the expression “doing a Bradbury”.

However, it could be argued that the first Australian to medal at the Winter Olympics was Freddie McEvoy in 1936.

Leading the four-man bobsleigh, St Kilda-born McEvoy and his team – representing Great Britain, not the green and gold – won bronze.

Less than 1% of the country sees snowfall, and the vast majority of Australians do not live near the mountains. Even then, Aussie Alpine regions like the NSW Snowy Mountains and Victoria’s High Country struggle to clock five months of skiable conditions per year.

This calls for plenty of travel to snowier pastures for our athletes during the Australian summer. Many Aussie Winter Olympians split their time between here and the northern hemisphere, with bases in Europe and North America.

However, there has been plenty of innovation to maximise our Winter athletes’ time on home soil. For example, the Geoff Henke Olympic Winter Training Centre in Brisbane gives our aerial skiers a chance to soar, even in the summer.

First opened in 2020, the Centre offers a series of ramps from eight to 36 metres high, with different surface textures and sprinklers to mimic a ski ramp in the snow. Athletes can hit speeds of up to 70km/h and heights of 17m, allowing them to practice their jaw-dropping aerial tricks before landing in a pool equipped with a bubble aeration system similar to diving.

The National Snowsports Training Centre in Jindabyne also provides year-round conditions for winter athletes through its airbag and dry slope park. Their facilities replicate snow terrain parks and pipes, where skiers and snowboarders can practice their skills without the need for sub-zero temperatures.

Before Independent MP Zali Steggall decided to pursue a career in federal politics, she was an alpine skier, specialising in slalom.

Spending her early years in Morzine in the French Alps, Steggall told TDA she “never questioned” skiing as part of her day-to-day life.

When she arrived back home in Australia, the logistics proved “a lot more challenging,” with Steggall chasing “26 winters in a row” as a professional athlete.

For 13 years, Steggall’s life looked like “winter in Europe, winter in Australia” on repeat.

The commitment paid off in 1998, when she became Australia’s first individual, skiing, and female medallist at the Nagano games in Japan. Steggall took home bronze in what she calls a “pinch me” moment.

The achievement proved pivotal for the future of Australian winter athletes. Soon after Steggall’s bronze, the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia (OWIA) was established, as the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) increased its investment in the Winter Olympics and athlete development pathways.

In the lead-up to this year’s Olympics, the OWIA provided $4.7 million in funding to winter sports athletes in 2025. Its biggest investment went to snowboarding, with $1.2 million in funding, followed by more than $800,000 each for mogul and aerial skiing.

Many athletes cannot rely on OWIA funding alone, and sponsorship deals can provide crucial support. Winter Olympians often work with snow gear, equipment, clothing, nutrition, and ski resort brands to help finance their careers.

Among the ways Steggall funded her alpine skiing was through “motivational talks… the odd modelling… anything and everything”.

The financial burden of becoming an elite winter sportsperson is one often shared between athletes and their families.

Steggall explained how her parents made significant sacrifices to support her dreams, such as paying for her coaches to go to Europe with her. “They took out a second mortgage to pay for it,” she said.

Like Steggall’s parents, many of our Olympians’ families have been key in getting them to the games.

Our athletes haven’t been shy to thank their support networks at Milano-Cortina.

The first Aussie gold medallist of the games, mogul skier Cooper Woods, paid tribute to his mum, who he said “has done so much for me… to see her happy, that’s what’s more important for me.”

Josie Baff, who won Australia’s first-ever gold in snowboard cross, said her dad, who jumped over the barriers in excitement at the end of her race, “is definitely my biggest fan and biggest supporter”.

Looking back at her skiing career from her office in Parliament House, Steggall feels much the same.

“I was just incredibly lucky to have the support of my parents to make it all happen,” she said.

Simplify your routine, skip the waste

Skipper’s just-add-water tablets turn tap water into foaming face wash, body wash, laundry sheets, and a universal cleaner that actually works. Sleek reusable dispensers, compostable packaging, Aussie-made formulas, and zero plastic clutter.

Build your own bundle and get up to $120 off – with free shipping over $50.