Four Australian tourists have been sentenced after being caught skiing near Wanaka without paying

Open Justice is reporting the group -- all aged in their 30s -- appeared in the Queenstown District Court charged with using a ski pass dishonestly at Cardrona Alpine Resort.

The defendants were told by a friend and employee they were being provided with uncollected, pre-paid, multi-day passes.

They were discharged without conviction after paying the skifield what they owed, and donating 180-dollars each to the Salvation Army.

The employee also appeared, on charges of unlawfully accessing a computer system and using a ski pass dishonestly, and is remanded till next month.