The ski season is underway in the southern states, and we’re officially into winter in Australia.

In the south of the country, that means short, dark days with ice and, perhaps, even snow. Head north, though, and it might mean perfect sunny days in the low-to-mid 20 degrees Celsius range.

Whether you want to embrace chillier days with skiing or a roaring open fire, or escape them on a white-sand beach, there’s a property to match. Here’s our pick of some of the best on the market at the moment.

7 Changue Road, Merrijig, Vic

4 beds 3 baths 3 cars

$425,000

Just five minutes from the gate to the Alpine National Park and the road to Mount Buller, this contemporary house is set up for skiers. There are three bedrooms and a good-sized loft, along with two bathrooms. A Coonara wood burner and split-system heating/cooling will take care of any temperature extremes.

13b Cummins Road, Mansfield, Vic

4 beds 3 baths 3 cars

$975,000

If there’s a bit more in the kitty, this custom eco house is only 15 minutes from the High Country town of Mansfield. It has solar power, double- glazing and jaw-dropping views to the north. The 12-hectare property also has a shack, shed and a site for another building.

551 Howqua River Road, Howqua, Vic

4 beds 4 baths 2 cars

$1 million

The Hideout could do with a bit of work, but its setting is undeniably stunning. The property covers about 1.7 hectares, with a 150-metre frontage to the Howqua River. It has previously hosted weddings, parties and school groups and comprises multiple bunk-room cabins and a central cabin with a commercial kitchen and communal living area.

9/8 Townsend Street, Jindabyne, NSW

2 beds 2 baths 2 cars

$389,000

Offering fabulous views across Lake Jindabyne, this apartment has been renovated and is one of only four in the complex. Both bedrooms look out onto the full-width balcony and the lake vista. There’s a laundry/drying room and a storeroom for the ski gear out of season. Jindabyne town centre is a 10-minute walk away.

1 Winnunga Street, Pambula Beach, NSW

3 beds 2 baths 2 car

$885,000

Bring your imagination, because some cosmetic work is required. But the rewards are obvious, including north-facing views of Merimbula and Pambula Beach. There’s a downstairs living area and small balcony, but the best views are from upstairs – where there’s also the kitchen and an open living area.

31 Simpson Street, Tumut, NSW

3 beds 1 bath 1 car

$175,000

Pretty Tumut is in the NSW Riverina, in the north-west foothills of the Snowy Mountains. It offers easy access to skifields and other outdoor adventure activities. This modest house has a modern kitchen and renovated bathroom, as well as views across town. There’s a paved barbecue area at the rear and a side driveway for parking.

144 Dolphin Sands Road, Dolphin Sands, Tas

4 beds 2 baths 2 cars

POA

Make Wineglass Bay your backyard with this brick house on two hectares of beachfront land. There are bay views from the deck at the front of the house (though the best scenery is from the first-floor balcony). A sleepout with bathroom facilities will be a hit with teenagers.

Lot 7 Wigrams Way, London Lakes, Tas

4 beds 4 baths 2 cars

$850,000-plus

On a privately owned and developed trout fishery roughly midway between Hobart and Launceston, this lakefront house is built of stone and celery-top pine. One for keen fisher-folk, it even has a heated rod room, along with more practical features such as internal garage access and good storage. The gated community has an on-site ranger.

125 Shag Rock Track, Haines, SA

2 beds 1 bath 5 cars

$280,000

Head off the grid for 85 hectares of native-bush-covered Kangaroo Island land. Self-sufficient for power and water, this house is built of local limestone, timber and stone. There’s a flourishing vegetable garden, with its own beehive, and a beautiful beach just 350 metres away.

23 Lawrence Road, Waterbank, WA

3 beds 2 baths

$1.25 million

Embrace views of the sun setting across the ocean, and winter temperatures that rarely fall below the mid-teens. Fifteen minutes from Broome, this house has an infinity pool, solar panels, a gazebo and even a caretaker’s retreat. It’s all on 3.3 hectares a stone’s throw from the beach.

14 Kultarr Road, Berry Springs, NT

3 beds 2 baths 3 cars

$640,000 ono

Embrace Northern Territory living with two bedrooms and a living wing on one side of a breezeway, the main bedroom and en suite on the other. There’s an in-ground saltwater pool and an outdoor shower. Other features include a built-in barbecue, outdoor kitchen and outdoor laundry, as well as a container for storage.

1/31 North Shore Avenue, Varsity Lakes, Qld

3 beds 2 baths 2 cars

$499,000-plus

One of only seven, this Gold Coast townhouse has a park across the road and a huge, north-facing open-plan living area. The bedrooms are upstairs. All have walk-in wardrobes and the main has an en suite. Lake Orr is within walking distance.

35/11-15 Port Douglas Road, Port Douglas, Qld

3 beds 2 baths 1 car

$195,000

Life could be one long holiday, enjoyed in this apartment in a resort just five minutes’ walk from Port Douglas’s famous Four Mile Beach. The apartment is upstairs, with a view of the resort pool from the balcony. It can be lived in permanently or treated as an investment.