As many Illawarra households are preparing for short winter breaks in the Snowy Mountains, some have packed up more permanently.
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For three families their children’s participation in snow sports is just as important as mainstream codes like cricket or netball while they say participation teaches them valuable life skills.
Coal miner Trent Jelley and his wife Kim have spent endless winter weekends commuting their clan from Coledale to a little house in Jindabyne, at the base of the mountains.
Their youngest pair Brayden, 16, and Maddison, 15, are heavily into snowboarding and skiing competitions though Mr Jelley said they were undecided if they wanted to turn professional.
“I push them to study hard and go to uni but if they got the opportunity to represent Australia in their chosen snow sport then that’s great,” he said.
“The boys that compete together have a great comradely and give each other lots of support while having so much fun. It’s a big commitment from the parents but we also love it.”
Co-coordinating life and work around the snow can be tough – especially during school Term 3 which he called a “shocker” because most Friday’s are spent on the slopes – but overall he said it’s all worthwhile.
“We love it as a family,” Mr Jelley said. “Brayden is a bit of a shy sort of kid and it’s something he’s found he’s really good at and it’s bringing him out of his shell.”
Snow sports have become more affordable in recent years thanks to annual passes for Perisher and Thredbo, Mr Jelley said, as they’re halved in price when purchased early.
Stanwell Park designer Ben Rennie sold his business four years ago to “free up time” and rearrange his work life to suit travel.
His eldest children – Mia, 14, and Kai, 12 – are in the Australia Park and Pipe team with Olympic dreams. Their youngest sibling Pip, 8, is also an Australian nationals skier.
The family of five move to a rented house in Jindabyne each winter and enjoy stints on overseas snowfields in between life in the Illawarra.
“[We’re] there at the end for cuddles if that’s their dream but our goal is to keep them educated and learning while they love their skiing – if it was soccer it would be a lot easier,” Mr Rennie said.
Often Mr Rennie is confronted by shocked adults who asking how the children get any school work done. However the rule in their household is “no skiing unless they’re all passing”.
“For us we found a balance – the conversation at home is always about education and family,” he said. “[But] this is a ticket to the world.”
Mr Rennie encourages his kids to do well with their education alongside their sports, especially knowing they may turn around at any time and decide they don’t want to do it anymore.
He said the experience builds strong networks with other snow-minded teenagers at home and overseas, while they’re constantly learning.
Meanwhile, Karen Forman is this year trialling living in Jindabyne permanently with her daughter Gabi, 12, after spending the last nine years commuting from Wollongong on weekends.
A media and communications manager, Ms Forman finally upped the courage to ask her employers if she could work remotely.
“I’m still in my pyjamas doing video conferences with the Sydney board room with a nice view of Lake Jindabyne in the background,” she said.
“A couple of years ago I bought an apartment when the property market was quite cheap, I probably got the last really good deal.”
Like 70 other students who have moved for the winter, daughter Gabi is enrolled at the Jindabyne Central School. Their Winter Sports Program in term three is open to pupils in Years 5 to 10 to further develop their sport skills with Friday spent on the mountain.
“I love the atmosphere and the snow, and I love the speed of going down the slopes – it’s just fun to be able to be on two planks going fast down a hill,” Gabi said. “I do want to do the Winter Olympics one day, hopefully in GS and Skier Cross.”