Ski areas in the Australian state of Victoria have re-opened over the past few days after the state's fifth coronavirus lockdown ended after 12 days.
There had been more frustration than usual for skiers and boarders as the 12 day period directly coincided with a major snowstorm which dumped more than 1.2 metres (four feet) of snow on the region's ski slopes after a fairly snowless previous six-weeks or so of the season.
The lockdown was to try to keep a tight hold on localised outbreaks of the Delta variant in the province and although the lockdown has been lifted strict restrictions are still in place. Skiers need to be in possession of a negative virus test and there are Australian media reports of police checking every skier for this proof.
There are unfortunately also now reports of the first cases of the delta variant being reported at a ski area.
Mount Hotham and Falls Creek both now have more than 1.3 metres lying, very healthy figures for an Australian ski centre and are opening more terrain. Falls Creek has opened its Summit Quad Chair for the first time this season today.
Ski areas in New South Wales have remained open although the state and Australia's largest city, Sydney, has been in lockdown to try to suppress the spread of the delta variant. This has led to reported near empty slopes there with the border with Victoria also closed. There have been reports of a Sydney family being fined for breaking lockdown to go skiing.
The outbreaks of the Delta Variant in Australia has also hit ski areas in New Zealand which had a lot of bookings from Aussie skiers who now can't visit the country due to their lockdowns and a ow two-month closure of the Trans-Tasman quarantine-free travel bubble that had opened between the two countries. One New Zealand ski area, Mt Hutt, reported 60% of its bookings for August, which had been at capacity, were from Australians, which have now all had to be cancelled.