The Remarkables Aims To Become New Zealand's Largest Ski Resort
There's a new contender for the title of largest ski area in New Zealand after The Remarkables, a local mountain, announced plans to expand into a new area called Doolans Basin.
The expansion, which hasn't been approved yet, would add about 647 acres of new terrain. Combined with The Remarkables' existing terrain, Doolans Basin would make the resort the largest in New Zealand, with about 1,757 acres and a higher daily capacity of 6,000 guests.
See below for a video about the expansion.
It's not the only superlative on the table. The proposal also includes a new gondola linking The Remarkables' current base area to a new one at the bottom of Doolans Basin. The proposed gondola is set to be New Zealand's longest, spanning 2.7 kilometers.
The proposed slopes, according to The Remarkables, include terrain for every kind of skier, with a new learning area and "more to explore for advanced riders pushing their limits."
Doolans Basin is also higher and south-facing, meaning the resort expects it'll hold snow well and, in an apparent nod to warming global temperatures, help ensure "more resilient seasons as weather patterns change."
"It is also a smarter way to grow," The Remarkables wrote. "Rather than asking the existing trails and lifts to do more, Doolans opens up a new part of the mountain, lifting the experience across the whole ski area."
The resort noted that the expansion plans, which were several years in the making, involved expert input and were designed to minimize impact where possible, with construction kept consolidated, sensitive ecological habitats protected, and water management planned.
The application, The Remarkables said, was lodged via the fast-track consenting process in May 2026. If it gets approved, work is set to begin in November 2026, with winter operations continuing normally. The resort anticipates construction taking about four years, and is eyeing gondola construction as the first step.
"You will not be dropping into Doolans just yet, but this is a major step forward and an exciting glimpse of what could be coming," The Remarkables wrote.
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This story was originally published June 4, 2026 at 10:57 AM.