Kangaroo Hoppet: cross-country race in Falls Creek

• The Kangaroo Hoppet is a cross-country ski race in Falls Creek, Victoria.
• The event takes place around the Nordic Bowl and Bogong High Plains.
• The 42-kilometre Hoppet is part of the Worldloppet series.
• The programme also includes the 21-kilometre Australian Birkebeiner and 7-kilometre Joey Hoppet.
• The event’s predecessor began in 1979 as the Australian Birkebeiner.
• The first 42-kilometre Kangaroo Hoppet was held in 1991.

The Kangaroo Hoppet’s history begins with the Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club in Mount Beauty. In 1979 the club organised a 21-kilometre race, the Australian Birkebeiner, starting and finishing at the alpine resort of Falls Creek. The route reached the neighbouring Bogong High Plains. A longer marathon format developed in the late 1980s: a 42-kilometre race was added in 1989, alongside a half-marathon and a shorter distance. The name Kangaroo Hoppet was introduced in 1991, when the first 42-kilometre event under that title took place.

The series became part of Worldloppet, an international association of ski marathons. The event demonstrates that Australia has a cross-country tradition beyond alpine downhill skiing. Races connect Falls Creek as a starting point with the open high plateau and attract both ambitious racers and recreational skiers.

The 42-kilometre Kangaroo Hoppet is the main distance and the Worldloppet race. It is joined by the 21-kilometre Australian Birkebeiner and the 7-kilometre Joey Hoppet. Participants can choose a distance to suit their cross-country experience and endurance. The longer main course reaches across the highlands.

The event area is the Nordic Bowl at the Falls Creek ski resort. From there, cross-country trails extend onto the Bogong High Plains. The regional setting is described in our guide to skiing in Australia; cross-country skiing combines endurance with technique on longer trails.

The Hoppet also draws attention to the Southern Hemisphere for skiers from Europe: the event takes place during the Australian winter, when it is summer in the Northern Hemisphere. It is both a local race and an unusual international meeting point for Nordic skiing.