Alison Godfrey
(Australian Associated Press)
There’s something magical about Boali Lodge in Thredbo. I swear this place has cast a spell over my children.
Despite being tired, and a touch grumpy, the children are cleaning their plates from the table without complaint. Not one single annoyed word.
Even better, they are actually scraping leftover food scraps off their plates and into the bin, without being nagged. Knives and forks have been stowed in a bucket of soapy water and now my two children are actually setting the table for the adults. And they are smiling.
Boali Lodge in Thredbo seems to have cottoned on to an incredible idea. Give the children responsibility and in return you get wonderful helpful children… and a dinner for adults in peace.
Boali provides catered breakfasts, lunch and dinner for their guests. But it’s the three-course dinner where the magic really happens. The lodge provides dinner for the children at 6pm. Adults have a separate dinner time at 7pm.
The children know they must tidy the dining area and set the table in time for the adults to eat. All the children in the lodge help out and play their part. Then, when the adults come in for their main meal, the children are free to play in the large downstairs playroom.
It’s a win-win rule for families. The kids get to have time playing with their new friends, without mum and dad helicoptering. And the parents get a few hours eating without children. No telling the kids to use their knife and fork properly, to keep their elbows off the table or to put their dirty dishes away. Even better, there’s adult conversation to keep the adults entertained.
Boali Lodge has 14 comfortable, lodge-style rooms and can accommodate 36 people. For families, the loft rooms allow mum and dad to sleep separately to the kids.
The lodge has a boot room, mountain bike racks and ski storage. For the children, the generous playroom with table soccer, stacks of games and a television is the place to be. But adults will prefer the generous adults lounge, complete with an open wood fire, balcony and views over the stunning Crackenback Range.
IF YOU GO
PLAYING THERE: Guided tours of Mount Kosciuszko depart from Valley Terminal at 10am every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Adults $50, Children $35, Family $100 (including 2 adults and up to 3 children). The 13km round trip takes five hours to complete.
STAYING THERE: Boali Lodge in Thredbo village provides family accommodation in loft-style rooms with views over the Crackenback range. The lodge is fully catered and will even provide sandwiches for you to take up the mountain.
* The writer travelled as a guest of Thredbo resort and Boali Lodge.
