Australia Spends Big
Wed 16 May 07
Australian alpine resorts have invested heavily in improving their alpine winter experience, particularly with large investments in snowmaking.
What’s New in the Australian Alps in 2007?
Australian alpine resorts have invested heavily in improving of the alpine winter experience, particularly by large investments in snowmaking. The following summary outlines the major improvements across the Australian resorts during the past summer. Further information on ticketing, new snowsports products and events can be found on each individual resorts’ website.
New South Wales
Perisher Blue
Over $6.6 million has been invested in the resort in 2007 including:
Snowmaking and Grooming
$3.6 million on the upgrade of snowmaking at Blue Cow and the installation of important water supply infrastructure to enable further snowmaking in Perisher Valley and Blue Cow in future years. State of the art automated snowmaking systems will also be trailed at Blue Cow. The grooming fleet of 19 has been modernised with the addition of a new Sherpa Winch groomer and Kassbohrer Park Bully 200 Edge
Tube Town Upgrade
“Tube Town” will benefit from a new snowmaking and lighting system in 2007, increasing reliability and enabling night time tubing.
‘Keep Winter Cool’
Reaffirming its commitment to the environment and to ‘Keep Winter Cool’, Perisher Blue will introduce green power into the resort in 2007 with the Village 8 Express chairlift operating on 100% renewable energy.
perisherblue for more details
Thredbo
Snowmaking
Thredbo has invested in excess of $2million to complete stage 2 of the automation process, achieving the full automation of their snowmaking system.
This includes:
• 72 new automated hydrants and new infrastructure.
• Additional snow guns to “Ballroom” at the Cruiser, skiers left on High Noon, Sundance and the Rossi Racecourse down to Milk Run.
135 guns will be able to be fired at any one time. Last winter Thredbo’s snowmakers were able to make 42% more snow than 2005. In 2007 Thredbo is aiming at a further 30% increase and make around 450,000 cubic metres of snow.
New Groomer
Thredbo has purchased a new state of the art Kassbohrer 600 Winch Cat, just recently released for the Northern Hemisphere winter, costing $500,000. The groomer is packed full of features such as touch screen operations and one joystick complete with all functions, designed to increase efficiency, reduce emissions and improve user-friendliness.
Thredbo Turns 50!
Thredbo is celebrating its 50th Birthday in 2007! For more information on what's happening see www.thredbo.com.au/50years.
New Sculpture
As part of Thredbo’s on-going Art acquisition program, a new sculpture will be featured in the Village Square. “The Run”, by acclaimed sculptor Robert Hague, is a 12ft bronze and weathered steel piece which features the mountain and imagined path of a skier carving down the mountain.
See threbo for more details
Selwyn Snowfields
Snowmaking
The $150,000 project to pump water from Three Mile Dam has been approved, improving the reliability of water supply for snowmaking and enabling the extension of snowmaking to 80% of the skiable terrain in the future.
See selwynsnow for more details
Victoria
Falls Creek
Snowmaking
Falls Creek’s snowmaking, the largest snowmaking system in Victoria has been increased for 2007 with snowmaking down Wombat’s Ramble and new installations at Towers, providing more reliable snow.
St Falls Development
The new St Falls Development has gone ahead and a new resort entrance area has been built.
See fallscreek for more details
Mount Baw Baw
New Toboggan Run
The family mountain has constructed a new toboggan run at a cost of $25,000.
New Terrain Park
The resort has also invested $50,000 on a new Terrain Park and will be offering a Terrain Park Only ticket at just $39 per day.
Lift pass prices have been kept at last year’s price.
See mountbawbaw for more details
Mount Buller
Snowmaking
Mt Buller has invested $3.4 million on an ultra filtration water recycling plant. The resort will become the world’s first ski resort to use recycled water for snowmaking, by improving the quality of effluent to drinking water standards.
Buller Ski Lifts has also invested $250,000 in the installation of a snowmaking system that runs the length of the Summit Chairlift. Automation and computerization of snowmaking infrastructure, combined with the commissioning of more efficient snow guns is expected to increase efficiency by up to 30% in 2007.
MBP – Mt Buller Park
The resort’s freeride facilities have been upgraded with three progressive individual park layouts, collectively known as the Mt Buller Park – MBP. The Bluff View Park will offer a range of beginner features, and over 30 rails will be set up for intermediate riders in the Baldy Park. A range of challenging jumps and other terrain park features have been designed for experienced riders in the Summit Terrain Park.
Victorian Interschools Turns 50!
2007 marks the 50th anniversary of the Victorian Interschools Ski Championships at Mt Buller. The Interschools are the largest alpine skiing competition in the southern hemisphere with up to 4,500 competitors. The 50th anniversary will be celebrated with a re-enactment race comprising of four of the original six ski racers.
Fires
Mt Buller faced the threat of fires for six weeks during the past summer. Although there was no direct fire impact to chairlift or village infrastructure, much of the terrain and surrounding national parkland suffered.
New Children’s Facilities
Two new children’s play areas have been built in the Mt Buller Village; one at the bottom of the Magic Forest near the Village Square; and another next to Bourke Street, just outside the ABOM Hotel. The Buller Kids Centre is now licensed to care for up to 175 children aged from three months to six years, who can enjoy various activities including art and crafts, story time, music and indoor snowplay.
See mtbuller for more details
Mount Hotham
Snowmaking
Also using the world first technology of recycled water, Mt Hotham has invested $600,000 on snowmaking infrastructure in 2007. Five additional snow guns will complete snowmaking on Sundowner and taking traffic away from Slalom Gully.
See mthotham for more details
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