Ironically just as the gold rush had brought skiing to Australia, the post war immigration would bring some outstanding contributors to the establishment of the sophisticated alpine tourism product we enjoy today. The Snowy Mountains Scheme (SMS) was directly responsible to the creation of the resort on the Thredbo River.

The Kiewa Hydroelectric Scheme predated the SMS and had it not been for interruption in its realization by WWII, Fall Creek might have predated Thredbo.  Both schemes attracted post war migrants, not just because of the prolific work opportunities, but also because many Europeans who were familiar with working in a snowy cold climate were attracted to the places that reminded them of home.  For this reason also many migrants became stalwarts of the existing resorts, not only as skiers and club members, but also establishing businesses, ski instructing, building ski lifts, and running resorts.

It is impossible to mentions all those who contributed in this seminal period of growth, but let me suggest a few and you can add stars or contributors who I have overlooked.

The inspiration for Thredbo came from Charles Anton and Tony Sponar.  Their memory is immortalised in the runs high on the Crakenback ridge.  Kurt Lance deserves recognition for his outstanding contribution to racing, specially though the Thredbo
Racing Club.

Falls Creek owes much to the contribution of Skippy & Toni St Elmo, but there are many others, some of whom were part of the immigration many were Aussies who had already embraced snow sport.  Gebbi Auderer is well known from his ski hire business at the entrance to Falls.

At Mt Buller two outstanding early contributors were Ernst & Aurel Forras.  The constructed the Kooroora Chalet in the heart of the Buller Village.  Nobody told ski yarns and tall tales better than Ernst. Sadly he passed away last year at 90.

There are few people who enjoy the status of “legend” but it is a title that sits comfortably along side Hans Grimus.  Having managed the “Orange Ski Lift Company” for a period of time, he has entertained generations of skiers in his Pension.  (Ticka Tacka Ticka Tacka Oi Oi Oi…)

Walter (Wally) was a ski instructor employed by the NSW Tourist Bureau at the Kosciusko ski school in 1933, as was his friend George Aalberg.  George had competed in Norway and was an Australian ski champion. In 1936, Wally, assisted by George, opened the “Ski Studio” in Rushcutters Bay, Sydney.

Wally had obtained a lease on the old Kiandra Court House in 1941, he then refurbished it as the Kiandra Chalet. The Chalet doubled as home to the Kiandra Pioneer Ski Club. The Kiandra Hotel, destroyed in a 1937 fire, was the club’s previous venue. Advertisements for the Chalet with a liquor licence, offered guests accommodation in double or single rooms with Dunlopillo mattresses, central fireplace, billiards and games, ski tow, snowmobile and a horse sleigh with jingle bells, all for £7/17/6 per week. In the beginning the horses played another role, a rope and pulley wheel was anchored up on Township Hill with another down beside the road. This enabled Wally’s horse team to walk along the road while towing skiers up the slope. Later he installed a 200 yard rope tow operated by a motor cycle engine. Public skiers could use the lift for 4/-  per half day, club members received a small discount.

By 1948 his ambitions for promoting skiing reached new heights by introducing Ski-Flier, a ten seater Avro Anson aeroplane, VH-BFN . Wally purchased the plane and leased it to the Kiandra ski club. The aim was to transport skiers to and from the mountains at £3/10/0, one way, using Dairymans Plains as it’s southern base. This bold experiment only lasted one season but in that time the plane was put to more important skiing duties. These involved several rescues including a mercy dash from Sydney to Mt. Hotham to transport an injured skier with a leg broken in two places. The skier was Gordon, son of Mr. G. Day manager of the Mt. Kosciuszko chalet.
Legendary personality of the mountains, Mr. Paddy Pallin praised Wally and his daughter with this short song, sung to the tune of  “My bonnie lies over the ocean. (Original copy written by Paddy, held in KPSC archives).

Now when we all went to Kiandra
They said we will teach you to ski
To learn it is perfectly simple
But it all sounds like Bunkum to me.
We rushed out and fitted our skis on
For Bruce said there’s a lesson before tea
We side stepped and herringboned and kick turned
but it all sounds like sawdust to me.
Then came the great day of the exams
And Wal said: “Just listen to me”
We tried to do as he told us
To pass our preliminary.
And just then they started the races
They climbed up as far as you could see
Some schussed, some skidded, some rolled down,
But they all came home for tea.
But there’s one little thing I should mention
The best little thing on the skis
She snow ploughed and turned like a veteran
the talented little Louise. 

Andrew Ramsey.

For a decade the Guinness Book of Records documented Kiandra as having the world’s first ski club.  Since 1928, the Holmenkollen Ski Museum in Norway has intensively reviewed “first ski club” claims from Australia. After the formation of the International Ski Federation, they also very seriously considered and scrutinised all claims and evidence. 

The Federation of International Skiing, confirms the first alpine ski club was formed in Australia. (Click to enlarge)

FIS Newsflash 29/06/2011

2011 is an historic year for Australian skiing, and the 150-year milestone is being celebrated across the nation’s ski fields by many organisations. These include Ski Resort Operators, Historical Societies, Museums, Snow Australia videos, snow sport groups, national and local newspapers and ski clubs.
In 1961, very successful and colourful centenary celebrations were conducted but clouded by doubt and scepticism by much of the population. This year’s anniversary is free of any previous negativity. 2006, saw the Holmenkollen Ski Museum of Norway confirming that in 1861 the world’s first ski clubs were formed in both Norway and Australia. In 2011 FIS joins the congratulations for this important Australian anniversary, together for Kiandra’s inaugural position in alpine skiing in the world.

In Victoria the only permanent accommodation when skiing first gained popularity was the Mt St Bernard hospice.  This was essentially a shanty that had been erected to serve miners who were travelling between the Ovens and Dargo River valleys.  Gold was mined in both valleys and would later be discovered in the rivers and streams near Mt Hotham and all the way to Omeo.  The building was destroyed in the 1939 bushfire.

The first purpose built tourist accommodation in the snow country was the Mt Buffalo Chalet.  (There were some earlier lodges  on the mountain but they were relatively primitive.) It was a project of the Victorian Railways, who were keen to promote patronage with a winter product, and skiing fitted the bill.

It was completed in 1910, and was gradually added to and improved as snow sport became more and more popular.  The first lifted skiing was introduced to Australia in 1936 when a rope tow was erected on Mt Buffalo at Dingo Dell.  The building remains but has not operated since 2006 because of conflict between the Government and previous lessees.

The first NSW snow hotel was built by the State Government in 1909.  The Kosciuszko Hotel, which was located on what is now the road to the Perisher resort.  The site included the “Grand Slam” ski run.  The hotel operated till it was destroyed by fire in 1951.

The lure of getting to Australia’s highest point soon created a demand for accommodation closer to the the Kosciuszko summit. In 1930 The Chalet was opened at Charlotte Pass just a few miles from the Kosciuszko summit.  This first version of the Chalet lasted till 1938 when it was burned to the ground.  It was replaced by a grander building which still operates.

In Victoria more alpine lodging was created on two iconic high places before WW2.  Shelter for skiers on Mt Buller was originally provided by cattlemen’s huts, such as Cow Camp Hut.  In 1928 a chalet was built on what is now the Chalet Car Park.  It was destroyed by fire in July 1942.

Mt Hotham was the most difficult ski field to reach.  The route was either the more direct and steeper track up Bungalow Spur, or to follow the summer road, usually skiing or walking from the St Bernard Hospice.  In 1925 the a stone cottage was built as a refuge for summer motorist travelling the newly made Alpine Road.  This quickly became the winter destinations of first choice among the growing number of skiers, so long as they were tough enough to get there.  The building became known as the Hotham Heights Chalet, and in common with almost all the buildings in this story, it was destroyed by fire, in the 1939 bushfire.

Andrew Ramsey

It is difficult to think of an Australia more widely know than the man who wrote the Man from Snowy River, but the second famous snow visitor is probably as widely known, and on any terms was a hero of his time.  His image is to be found on the one hundred dollar note.  John Monash first visited the Australian Alps just after the railway line to Bright was completed in 1910.  He stayed at the recently built but incomplete Manfield’s Lodge at the foot of Mt Buffalo.  He was impressed by the offer on his first visit, but returned many  times and was a regular visitor to the mountain.

Snow sport is not just about the champions.  It is about the camaraderie engendered by place and people.  What famous Australian do you know who are skiing or boarding regulars, either now or in the past?