Dear Women of Winter Community,

What a year it has been.

Through meaningful conversations, engaging workshops, and steady progress toward an Action Plan, we feel well prepared with a clear direction for 2026.

Women of Winter Working Group

This year, we officially formed a working group for the Women of Winter initiative. Thank you to the working group for your participation in meetings, workshops and networking events.

Workshops

One face-to-face workshop and three online workshops were held to engage the community and identify key themes to inform the development of the Women of Winter Action Plan for 2026 –2031. The Action Plan will be a long-term strategy to increase women's participation, advancement and leadership across the snowsports sector.

The workshops enabled us to identify key themes, opportunities, perceived challenges, and barriers that may discourage females from choosing careers in the snow industry, or prevent them from taking on more skilled and leadership roles. The workshops also highlighted the positive work that is being done, such as the rise in female participation, inclusive leadership practices, and women-focused industry initiatives that are already underway.

The themes and priority areas and opportunities raised in the workshops will help us guide the next phase of the Women of Winter initiative.

Thank you to the 53 attendees from the workshops, including representatives from seven snow resorts, Sport Inclusion Australia, Australian Professional Ski Instructors, the Australian Sports Commission, and a range of coaches, instructors, officials and volunteers as well as Snow Australia staff and committee members.

Networking Events

Three Women of Winter Networking events were held during the domestic snow season at Jindabyne, Hotham, and Buller, with over 200 people in attendance.

The networking events have become valuable seasonal community gatherings, connecting local professionals and newcomers to share experiences, build connections, and foster a strong sense of belonging and support among women in the snow industry.

The events aim to engage the local community, promote industry pathways, and empower women to pursue their goals. It was also an opportunity to gather insights into challenges facing women’s careers that will also inform the Women of Winter Action Plan.

Thank you to the APSI, Hotham, and Mt Buller for their collaboration and support in the networking events.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Advocacy Webinar

In partnership with ASC and Work180, a DEI workshop was held for committee members, staff, and leaders. Key discussions covered intersectionality, organisational bias, and uniform inclusivity.

As we get closer to the Milan Cortina 2026, we look forward to showcasing females and career that are supporting our Australian Winter and Paralympic Teams.

We wish all those travelling throughout the Northern Hemisphere season, for either work or holidays, the very best.

Snow Australia’s Women of Winter Team – Bec, Wendy, and Zoe