Thanks to the Snowy Hydro Scheme, the 1950's saw a major skiing population influx into the mountains near Kiandra. A township was built at Cabramurra and construction camps sprung up across the mountains at places like Three Mile Dam (1950), Eucumbene, Tantangara, Providence Portal, King's Cross and Junction Shaft. Surveyors, geologists and drillers commenced site investigations for the Snowy Scheme in 1950. Major road construction work was undertaken to open up the area. 

Excavation of the major Eucumbene – Tumut Tunnel commenced in November 1954 and on the Tumut 1 hydro tunnels in January 1955. Until ski lifts were built at Cabramurra, Kiandra was the workers' nearest ski resort and the Kiandra Chalet their closest licensed premises. An all-weather snow-ploughed asphalt sealed road was constructed through Kiandra, making it NSW's most easily accessible ski resort in the mid-1950's.

Commercial ski accommodation in Kiandra was provided at the Chalet (Photo No. 28) which included what had previously been the Police Station and bluestone Court House. The Kiandra Pioneer Ski Club (1870) became a limited liability company and commenced construction on a new lodge in 1955. During that season the part-built lodge was able to accommodate 12 whilst the completed lodge catered for 24 occupants (Photo No.29). It is built beside the Township Ski Run, on which skiing was first introduced to Australia by Norwegian gold miners in 1860. The Township Ski Run had a "Junior T-bar" ski tow built on it in 1958.

The other lodges in Kiandra in 1958 were operated by Youth Hostels and the Bushcraft Snow Hostel Association. Including several private huts, Kiandra could cater for 130 skiers during the winter season. The excellent ski seasons of 1956, 1960 and 1964 provided good skiing conditions for about 12 weeks, but the intervening winters averaged only 8 weeks with skiable snow. In 1958 a new ski run was cleared at Mt. Selwyn about 3 km from Kiandra and 150m higher. This has since expanded into a small ski resort due to the better snow conditions in poor ski seasons, as compared with nearby Kiandra.

In the excellent 1956 and 1960 ski seasons, Kiandra hosted downhill, slalom and langlauf races. Ski jumping events also were held in 1960. But Global Warming since the 1970's has made alpine skiing in Kiandra rarely feasible, despite Kiandra's status as the birthplace of Australian skiing.