Winter Sports World might be the first indoor snow resort in Australia, but it’s not the first in the world. 

In fact, people have been bringing snow indoors since the 1920s. 

The first one opened in Vienna in 1927 along with another in Berlin. Both used a patented artificial snow-like surface. 

No more opened until Seibu Sayama in Japan in 1959, which brought real snow indoors. 

The Snowdome Adelaide in Australia was the fourth indoor snow centre in the world when it opened in 1987. 

Dozens opened throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, mainly throughout Asia, some in the Netherlands and Europe and a few in other areas such as the Big Banana in New South Wales Australia, New Zealand’s Antarctic Experience Centre and the UK. 

In 2002, Frozen World opened in Dubai, along with Snow Capsule and Snow X Treme there and in Qatar. 

Snowmania continued with the likes of Snow House in India and Xanadu in Spain (2003); Vahterusring in Finland, Ski Dubai in the UAE, Amneville in France (2005); Deepo Mall in Turkey (2010); SNORAS Snow Arena in Lithuania (2011); Little Ding Dong in Taiwan (2013); Ski Egypt (2017); Snow Wonderland in South Africa and American Dream (2019); Winterland in Pakistan (2020); Ice Caribbean Entertainment District (ICED) in Trinidad & Tobago and Sno Abu Dhabi (2023). 

China has an astounding 50 indoor snow centres, all built between 2003 and 2023. Centres operate in 15 of China’s 23 provinces, 2 of its 4 municipalities and 2 of its 5 autonomous regions. Many provinces have more than one centre: Zhejiang Province has eight centres, Hunan has six and Jiangsu four. 

The appetite for indoor snow centres shows no sign of abating. 

China, Dubai, the UK and Saudi Arabia all have centres under construction or planned. 

When Winter Sports World opens in 2028, with corporate facilities, 170 room luxury hotel, multiple hospitality options, environmental and heritage education as well as stunningly landscaped surrounds we’ll be the first true indoor snow resort in the country, but we’ll be standing on the shoulders of those who came before us and paved the way for indoor snow.