SYDNEY, Australia — When the self-confessed snowboarding addict Risma Utami planned ski trips from her hometown of Sydney, Australia, conspicuously absent from the wish list of destinations were the slopes in the nearby Snowy Mountains.

“Europe, Japan and New Zealand are cheaper, you have better quality snow there, more challenging slopes, great accommodation, less waiting time at the lift and more skiing,” Ms. Utami, 29, said.

With climate change threatening Australia’s already meager alpine skiing resources, the Snowy Mountains might not seem an obvious choice for the first international foray by Vail Resorts, the United States ski hill operator, which last week agreed to pay $136 million for Perisher Ski Resort.

Perisher is Australia’s largest and most popular ski resort, but in a country better known for deserts and beaches, it faces some significant natural hurdles.