JULY ISSUE, 2020
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DINNER PLAIN JOY P3 Enjoy Australia’s longest tobogganing run on Cobungra Flat Slope
A WELCOMED WINTER: Scarlett Gavin, 7, Camilla Perry, 4, and Leo Gavin, 3, enjoy a day in the snow at Falls Creek on an unusually quiet Queen’s Birthday weekend. PHOTO: Chris Hocking
OLYMPIC DREAMS P4 Brianna doing the hard yards pursuing cross country skiing
SEASON SAVIOUR P11 Falls Creek lodge comes to rescue for stranded Zimbabwean cricketer
index
Fitness tips
P3
Shuttle service
P9
We’ve got our season THE ski season that almost never was is ďŹ nally here but those revelling in our local winter wonderlands will have to do things a little differently in the wake of the coronavirus crisis. For Mount Hotham and Falls Creek, the 2019 season marked the start of a new era with an exciting $179 million deal that saw the mountains taken under the wing of Vail Resorts. But the 2020 season is sure to write its own chapter in the history book for being the one where it only just survived a global pandemic.
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It’s different, but still mountains of fun to enjoy BY ASHLEIGH PILES apiles@ nemedia.com.au
Ski mountains are special places and usually, at this time of year there would be thousands of visitors making themselves at home, but a shortened season and heightened social distancing restrictions will limit numbers and activities - but not the fun. The start of the
coronavirus pandemic had almost everyone in the Alpine Shire sweating the start of the pending ski season and as months went by, it looked more and more unlikely to happen. The mercury plummeted at the start of May and as a wintry blast surged through the Alps, locals and those watching from afar felt a new sense of worry. Mount Hotham received a once-in-a-decade autumn
dump of more than 80cm of fresh snow, with some of the snowdrifts over a metre deep by May 1. The mercury dropped to a low of -4.2C on the mountain on the Sunday morning, almost 4C below average. More than 30cm of snow fell on Dinner Plain while Mount Buffalo turned into a white sea with 16cm of fresh snow falling on the empty mountain. But with the Mount
Buffalo and Alpine National parks still closed due to COVID-19 restrictions, people could only enjoy views of the snow-capped peaks from afar. Closer to Bright, with snowfall as low as 900 metres, locals took the opportunity to admire a snow-capped Mount Porepunkah up close unsure of when the chance to get up to Falls and Hotham would arrive.
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PAGE 2 — MT HOTHAM FALLS CREEK NEWS — July 2020
We’ve got our snow season From page 1
Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced in late May the news every snow-lover had been dreaming of - the ski season would go ahead from June 22. Both resorts opened for the Queen’s Birthday long weekend, which should have been the opening weekend, but the ski fields remained closed until June 24. Not long after the announcement, Falls Creek chief executive officer Stuart Smythe said though it was still unknown what the season would look like it was great to finally have a countdown. “The great work by everyone over the past few months is paying off,” he said. “Let’s keep up the diligent work so we can all safely enjoy the snow this winter and get some turns in.” Just a fortnight later, Vail Resorts announced those looking to get a glimpse of the magical mountains on a whim would be denied entry with a strict new pre-purchase process now in place. “The 2020 snow season is going to be a little bit different for everyone involved,” Mr Smythe said. “This is going to involve a change in the way the resort has traditionally been accessed. “This year you will need to plan ahead to help achieve the best possible outcomes under the circumstances we are constrained by.” Mount Hotham replaced its gate-based resort entry system with an electronic camera-based system to provide faster, queueless access as part of its “focus on visitor safety” heading into the ski season. “It’s a challenging situation for everyone,” Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board chief executive officer Amber Gardner said. “But I am certain
everyone now understands why these measures are necessary.” “The message this winter is clear - think ahead, plan your trip and book early to avoid disappointment.” With the rules clear and seemingly understood by all eager snow visitors, the mountains took another hit in mid-June when Vail Resorts confirmed it would only be permitted to operate at 50 per cent of normal capacity to ensure physical distancing measures can be followed until the State Government announces more changes to allow greater access. Safety precautions include reduced lift operations with guests having to ride alone unless they live together and limited Snowsports School programs. Accommodation providers will also operate at reduced capacity. Vail’s chief operating officer, Pete Brulisauer, said the safety of employees, guests and the surrounding communities will remain Vail Resorts’ top priority. “Skiing and snowboarding at our resorts will be different this season but we feel confident we’ll provide a great guest experience,” he said. “If we see further easing of physical distancing rules, we will adjust our operations to expand services while continuing to prioritise safety. “Together, we will make this much-anticipated season a great one.” Strict rules and reduced numbers aside, the ski season has arrived and the out-of-this-world atmosphere as you hit that first jump, ski a new black run or explore a new offpiste area will never change. Where a week feels like a month and a day on snow is the greatest gift, enjoy every moment of winter 2020. There won’t be another like it.
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Snow Australia launches worldclass academy for mentors SNOW Australia launched its new coaching acamedy aimed at growing the pool of world class Australian coaches in early June. The Snow Australia Coach Academy is designed to establish a clear and robust coach development framework for Australian winter sports coaches. The academy was piloted in September 2019, with a twoday lab bringing together 30 domestic coaches from across the different winter disciplines. On June 9, more than 30 Australian winter sports
coaches embarked on their Coach Academy journey, taking part in online workshops and training designed to maximise their potential and light up the future for snow sport performance and coach development. Snow Australia performance pathway manager, Ben Wordsworth, said the success of the pilot combined with the current landscape in which are sports are operating during the pandemic, provided a unique window for acceleration of the Coach Academy. “With the global pause in travel due to COVID-19,
we’ve had a unique window presented to be able to accelerate the long-term vision of the Coach Academy,” Mr Wordsworth said. “The current mission is to develop the Snow Australia Coach Academy into a 12-month rolling admission, multi-facilitator program designed to match the vision of the Snow Australia Development Pathway.” Coaches have the opportunity to take part in live-remote lab lesson plans, learn from online curriculum video content and be able to challenge each other throughout the process.
“Not only will it be great for the coaches to learn from the many facilitators and field experts, but also to learn from each other and the experiences that each of them brings to the table,” Mr Wordsworth said. “I am pleased to see how engaged our world class high performance coaches, including international coaches employed by the OWIA, are in the education of our next gen coaches. “It is tremendous to have some of the world’s best mentors readily available to assist our emerging coaching talent during this time.”
CHAMPIONS: Aerial skier Laura Peel and snowboarder Scotty James were named the joint winners of the Olympic Athlete of the Year title for the 2020 Snow Australia Awards in May. PHOTO: Snow Australia
Olympic champions take home Snow Australia top gong CRYSTAL Globe winners, snowboarder Scotty James and aerial skier Laura Peel, were in May named the joint winners of the Olympic Athlete of the Year title for the 2020 Snow Australia Awards. After an outstanding Northern winter that saw them both finish the season ranked number one in the world, the pair once again have been named joint winners of the award, previously sharing the title in 2015. Triple Olympian James is the first person in history of the Snow Australia Awards to win the Athlete of the Year Award four times. It was an extraordinary
season for both athletes, with dual-Olympian Peel claiming her career first Crystal Globe, and James becoming the overall season champion for the third time. Peel finished the season with two gold medals, one silver and one bronze medal, in her first year jumping triple back somersaults. The 30-year-old Canberra local said that this season far exceeded the expectations she had set for herself before it commenced. “It was a great season - was pretty magic for me,” Peel said. “I went in doing triples and completing triples for the first
NEXT EDITION: August Booking deadline: July 16, 2020 GROUP EDITOR: Jeff Zeuschner ADVERTISING: Jenny Zamperoni EDITORIAL: Ashleigh Piles ADVERTISING SALES EMAIL: jking@nemedia.com.au Telephone 0427 495 309 EDITORIAL EMAIL: apiles@nemedia.com.au Published by Hartley Higgins for North East Media Pty Ltd at the registered office, 37 Rowan Street, Wangaratta, 3677. Printed web offset by North East Media Pty Ltd, 37 Rowan Street, Wangaratta, 3677. PRODUCTION: North East Media P/L, 37 Rowan Street, Wangaratta, 3677. Telephone: (03) 5723 0100 YOUR NEWS: Contributed articles, news, artwork and color photographs from readers are most welcome. Please mail to: Mt Hotham/Falls Creek News, 76 Standish St Myrtleford Vic 3737 or telephone: (03) 5752 1058. or email apiles@nemedia.com.au
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Photos courtesy of Mt Hotham Ski Company & Falls Creek Resort Management.
time - so the goal wasn’t to win the Crystal Globe, it was to gain some experience doing triples. “But that (winning the Crystal Globe) has been a dream of mine pretty much since I started the sport so this was a really amazing season,” she said. James successfully defended his X-Games titles and won the Dew Tour event in Copper Mountain. He qualified first in every World Cup event, before going on to finish the season with three golds and one silver World Cup medals. James echoed Peel’s sentiments, adding that he feels extremely honoured to be named Athlete of the Year
amongst some great talent in his fellow finalists. “It’s getting harder every year to win this award, so each year brings a different excitement,” James said. “I’m very happy to be the winner of this award, alongside Laura again. She’s been amazing and I’ve been watching from afar. As winter athletes we don’t get to be together that often so it’s been good to watch and support each other from afar.” The Athlete of the Year award caps off what has been a fantastic celebration of Australia’s snowsports athletes as part of the 2020 Snow Australia Awards online.
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MT HOTHAM FALLS CREEK NEWS — July 2020 — PAGE 3
CARPARK WARMUP: Physio Phebe Liston encourages snow-goers to take proper care of their bodies leading up to and following their trip to the snow.
How to avoid injury risk this ski season By PHEBE LISTON, director and physiotherapist at Ovens Valley Physio
ALL SMILES: The Cobungra tobogganing slope is destined to put smiles on everyone’s faces.
PHOTO: Karl Gray Media
Cobungra tobogganing
By WILLSON MACK
THE Cobungra Flat Slope Tobogganing run at Dinner Plain is set to be one of the star attractions for the pristine holiday destination this winter. The new and improved fastpaced run will have people of all ages having the fun of their lifetime. Dinner Plain’s Cobungra Flat Slope run is now Australia’s longest tobogganing run measuring in at 75m long and 40m wide. The run is equipped with full snowmaking and grooming facilities keeping the slope in perfect condition as deep into the season as possible. Dinner Plain’s operating plans mean walk-up access to tobogganing without pre-booking, however, capacity limits will be applied. Unlike a ski resort, the Dinner Plain Village itself is not subject to capacity limits and tobogganing will be available for free walk-up access so it remains a great option for families. Dinner Plain marketing manager Nathan Fenton said tobogganing is important as it is quite often an in-
FAMILY FUN: The Cobungra tobogganing run is fun for all ages.
troduction to the snow for children. “Dinner Plain has always been one of the best destinations for tobogganing and snow play, and this dedication to operating in 2020 means a great outcome for locals and visitors looking for a low-cost snow option this winter,” he said. The Cobungra Platter slope is usually used for skiing only but
with Mount Hotham Ski Company’s decision not to operate at Dinner Plain an opportunity to turn the prime space into one the best toboggan slopes in the country arose. Mr Fenton said he was looking forward to seeing how much the users enjoy the new and improved slope.
PHOTO: Karl Gray Media
“The area itself measures around 40 metres wide and over 75 metres long which we’re pretty sure is the largest toboggan slope in Australia,” he said. “What will make it the best snow play area with regular grooming and snowmaking to maintain a quality surface that will still be running deep into the season.”
WITH the 2020 ski season going ahead, the recent period of unknown and change in normality means your typical snow pre-season may have been affected more than you realise. A lot of people who regularly go to the gym or do pilates will be used to hitting the slopes pretty hard from the start of the season without a second thought. However, given these routines have been interrupted this year, your body may have lost some strength and conditioning. You won’t be as ‘snow-fit’ as you may be used to (unless of course you have nailed your home gym set-up and stuck to your fitness routines). My advice is to make sure you wean into skiing this year and be a little more conscious about listening to your body. For a lot of injuries that we see in the physio clinic, a big contributor is fatigue. Starting with half days of skiing and incorporating a couple more rest breaks than usual will help to manage fatigue and allow you to minimise your risk of injury. Warm up prior to putting your gear on (for example, do some squats, lunges or calf raises in the car park) and spend a bit more time finding your legs on the easier runs. This will help minimise the risk of overuse injuries. Finally, with restrictions easing and more businesses now returning to offering group exercise along with the mountains opening for skiing and boarding, I recommend touching base with a physio to discuss your overall fitness goals and plan for skiing/boarding this year. A physio can help you tailor your routine to allow for the ideal level of conditioning as well as recovery so you can get the most out of the season. At Ovens Valley Physio & Pilates, we have a team of physios with extensive snow sports experience. Get in touch or find more at www. ovensvalleyphysio.com.au.
PAGE 4 — MT HOTHAM FALLS CREEK NEWS — July 2020
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IN ACTION: Brianna Oldis has set her sights on representing Australia in the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Cross country skier sets her sights on Winter Olympics By NICKI LETTS
CROSS-country skiing is one of the world’s great human-powered modes of movement. It tests athletes to their physical and mental limits. But for 18-year-old Brianna Oldis, it comes naturally. The Mount Beauty local, who has been cross-country skiing since she could walk, recently won a grant from the local Birkebeiner Nordic Ski Club to train in Europe. As part of the National Junior Team, she spent eight weeks training and racing in Switzerland, Austria and the Italian border. Her goal? “I really want to compete in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy,” she said. For anyone else, this might seem like a pipe dream - but Oldis has been on skis for practically her whole life. “My parents did a lot of back-
country skiing, so from the age of two I was backcountry skiing too,” she said. “Every winter, we’d be out there together skiing and snow camping.” It wasn’t until she was at high school that she tried racing. “I didn’t even know that crosscountry racing was a thing until I was 11,” she said. “My Mum had a school camp up on the mountain and I stumbled across a race and managed to win. “There wasn’t much competition though,” she adds, humbly. One victory and Oldis was hooked. She bought a pair of skate skis and, the same year, entered into the Kangaroo Hoppet - Australia’s premier long-distance crosscountry ski race, held in Falls Creek every August. “I didn’t win or anything but it was a good experience,” she said. “Then I came back the next
year and took 10 minutes off my time,” she said. It wasn’t long before Victorian Junior Squad manager Ronice Goebel witnessed her talent and invited the young athlete to join her cross-country ski team. Two years later, Oldis qualified for the Australian Junior National Team. She said the hardest part is training by herself. “It’s a tough haul being a crosscountry skier in Australia,” she said. “We have three or four camps a year to train together but everything else is by myself, which can be quite frustrating.” The cardio-intense sport requires a dedicated training regime, which Oldis creates herself using a mix of multiple disciplines. “It takes lots of athletic training, including road riding, running, mountain biking, the gym,” she said. At the same time, she has start-
ed her first year of mechanical engineering at Deakin University in Geelong. For Oldis, being away from home isn’t new. She spends months at a time training overseas, something she knows is necessary to be at the top of her game. “I was happy with how my skiing came on in Italy...I’ve had lots of setbacks in the last few years, including sicknesses and serious injuries, so I was happy with how I managed to stay healthy and participate in all my races,” Oldis said. Now she can’t wait to get back out there onto the trails she knows best and reach her goals. “Racing is up in the air at the moment, but I’m really hoping I can qualify for the Nordic Junior World Ski Championships in January and February in Poland,” she said. “I definitely feel it’s achievable.”
z Brianna Oldis
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MT HOTHAM FALLS CREEK NEWS — July 2020 — PAGE 5
More love for Mountain Pygmypossums
CUTE RESIDENT: More works over summer have helped protect the habitat of Mt Hotham’s pygmy possum population.
NORTH East Catchment Authority (CMA) was granted $64,000 in funding under the Federal Government’s Heritage Grants Program in late April to study the decline of species in the Alpine National Park. The funds will be used to study an increase in pouch litter loss of the endangered Mountain Pygmy-possum and the sudden decline of Bogong moths. It is estimated only 2000 adult Mountain pygmy-possum remain in the wild with researchers concerned about the rate of joeys that die in their mothers’ pouches. The possum is one of Australia’s only hibernating marsupials, which sleeps under the snow and survives on a diet of arthropods including the Bogong moth in spring and summer.
About 4.4 million moths would normally arrive in the Alps each year but since 2017 very low numbers have migrated. Senator Jane Hume said it is important to get to the bottom of the issue before irreversible damage is done. “This monitoring program will inform trigger points for interventions and address key knowledge gaps to ensure the long-term survival of both the possum and moth species,” she said. Meanwhile, CMA continues its recovery work in bushfire-ravaged parts of the region through the Australian Government’s Wildlife and Habitat Bushfire Recovery Program. Biodiversity recovery work is focusing on controlling foxes and feral cats to protect the Pygmy-possum, while other
work aims to protect endangered alpine peatlands. Parks Victoria’s project coordinator alpine intensive management Monica Hersburgh said sites targeted by the program includes areas directly impacted by fire as well as nearby unburnt patches. “A healthy alpine environment is vital for the health of the downstream landscape and to maintain high water quality for out catchment and communities,” she said. “It was important to commence pest-control activities as soon as possible if we are to protect what remains of these plants and animals after such destructive conditions.” Drainage and verge sealing along a section of the Great Alpine Road at Mount Little Higginbotham has also helped reduce sediment getting into the boulder fields where the
ROAD SAFETY BEGINS WITH YOUR TYRES No matter how many safety features your vehicle has, it’s the tyres that determine how it drives and handles on snow and ice.
endangered species are now tightly tucked away for their seven-month long hibernation. The boulder fields have gaps in them where the possums make their nests and if these gaps get full of sediment and gravel from the road then they will have fewer places to live. The 350 metres of sealing earlier this year adds to the 250 metres completed the previous summer as part of the Mountain Pygmy Possum Habitat Protection Program, which is funded by the Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board, North East Catchment Management Authority and Australian Government. The project will see further habitat restoration work in the old quarry site on Mount Little Higginbotham. This summer also saw the
first season of Mountain Pygmy-possum tracking on Little Higginbotham since the completion of the ‘Tunnel of Love’ and installation of microchip readers and monitoring cameras. The first chip read for spring occurred on September 21 and logging through to the end of February indicated a total of 28 different possums (45 have been chipped) from Little Higginbotham site used the tunnel. Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board is also continuing to use cameras to track larger animals - something it has been doing for the past six years. Some 20 remote sensing cameras are placed out on tracks and trails from November to May to monitor cat, deer, dingo and fox numbers in the resort and make deci-
sions about control work. This year the data from this monitoring was also shared with Zali Jestrimski, a La Trobe University student and Dingo Sanctuary volunteer, who used the information to develop a research paper on dingoes in the Victorian Alpine region. The study aimed to report on dingo activity patterns and the spatial and temporal distributions of other fauna such as whether a species is using a certain area at a specific time. The results suggest that dingoes have a different temporal distribution in comparison to introduced species including foxes, cats and deer, with an activity peak at dawn and dusk. It was also found that there is spatial overlap of dingoes with foxes and deer and fewer cats in locations with dingoes.
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PAGE 6 — MT HOTHAM FALLS CREEK NEWS — July 2020
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INSIDER’S GUIDE
THIS WINTER YOU MUST PLAN & XZMȄX]ZKPI[M \W [MK]ZM aW]Z LIFT AND RESORT ENTRY PASSES.
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Open the camera app on your phone, point your camera at the QR code and tap to follow the link.
DOWNLOAD THE GUIDE FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FALLS CREEK
LIFT PASSES
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MT HOTHAM FALLS CREEK NEWS — July 2020 — PAGE 7
Visiting us? PLAN AHEAD
This winter will be 'business as unusual'. Follow these steps to plan your 2020 snow holiday at Falls Creek. If you have a lift pass and/or accommodation you will be able to obtain resort entry so don’t panic!
We are following covid-safe measures to keep all our guests safe.
more information at fallscreek.com.au/plan-your-trip
PAGE 8 — MT HOTHAM FALLS CREEK NEWS — July 2020
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Huge cash boost for CFA crew AFTER what was a very long and hot summer, Mount Hotham Dinner Plain CFA has been rewarded a very cool reprieve from the Brighter Days Foundation. About a fortnight ago the Brighter Days Foundation made a $150,000 donation to the CFA’s Ovens Valley Group. For the first time, the Brighter Days Foundation included the CFA in their donation pool which this year raised $600,000. Brigades from Gapsted, Myrtleford, Buffalo River, Mudgegonga, Rosewhite, Ovens Eurobin, Porepunkah, Bright, Harrietville, Hotham and Dinner Plain and the group received more than $13,000 to assist in purchasing new equipment. “This past fire season saw every one of our brigades engaged in protecting our community throughout the summer and pushing our resources and equipment to their limits,” group officer Micheal Freudenstein said. “Apart from the volunteers in the firefighting effort, there are volunteers behind the scenes on communications, planning and logistics. “Many of our volunteers had an extra long summer, volunteering to assist in New South Wales on strike teams prior to the fires in Victoria commencing. “After the season we just had, we’ve lost and damaged equipment and this will be able to bring the brigades back up to full fighting strength for the next season.” Vice president of the Brighter Days Foundation, Jason Reid, said it is an honour to be in a position to support local volunteer brigades right across the valley. “It’s great to be able to give back to the CFA, especially after the year they had and all their hard work,” he said. “This donation is something the whole community will benefit from - it really makes a difference.” The Brighter Days Foundation has raised and donated $2 million since its inception in 2013.
LOOKING TOTHE FUTURE: Dinner Plain has much to offer visitors in winter, and its all-round appeal will be enhanced with a $1.4m project to improve facilities. PHOTO: Karl Gray Media
Better facilities will help lift all-year-round appeal
DINNER Plain remains on track for a $1.4 million makeover to benefit visitors to begin later this year. A $500,000 grant from the Victorian Government’s Bushfire Tourism and Business Fund, and $900,000 from Alpine Shire Council will bankroll the Gateway to Alpine Adventure - Dinner Plain Activation Project.
Works are set to commence in spring to improve visitor facilities with the goal of increasing the village’s yearround tourism appeal. Alpine Shire Council director of assets, Will Jeremy, said the project includes expanded off-street car parking, additional toilets and upgraded connections from Big Muster Drive to the Pea-
shooter Toboggan Run and Dinner Plain Mountain Bike Park. “These are upgrades and improvements identified by the Dinner Plain community through the Dinner Plain Village Detailed Designs project,” he said. “Works will also improve the liveability of Dinner Plain for residents, with better ac-
cessibility and facilities.” The Dinner Plain Activation Project aims to increase visitation to Dinner Plain and the surrounding alpine region during both the snow and green season. “Dinner Plain has so much to offer as a yearround destination - we just need to ensure it has facilities and infrastructure that
can support visitors and keep them coming back,” Mr Jeremy said. “This project will enhance Dinner Plain’s reputation as the most accessible place for families and first-time users to experience the snow and mountain biking, and support greater snow sport participation across the Victorian alpine region.”
Mt Hotham increases its sustainability efforts
SUSTAINABLE: Nick Malkin in front of Mt Hotham’s new glass pulveriser.
MOUNT Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board’s commitment to recycling has reached new heights after adding a glass pulveriser and automated sorting station to its waste operations. The glass pulveriser will help save the organisation about $15,000 a year in costs associated with the removal of glass bottles and other glass waste from the resort. It will not only save costs but create a resource in the form of a crushed glass aggregate that can used for road sealing, in concrete, as a grit for icy roads and on tracks and trails. With up to 70 tonne of crushed glass to be generated each year, there will be enough aggregate to potentially seal 2000 to 3000 square metres of surfaces at Hotham. A business case study in the
back half of 2019 along with the growing use of crushed glass in civil construction gave MHARMB confidence to invest in the pulveriser. Having the glass ready for crushing will also now be easier with the accompanying addition of an automated sorting station for recyclables. Sorting previously required the resort’s waste team to pick through bags of recyclables and move between several skips to dispose of the different items. The new sorting station will see bags emptied onto a conveyor belt and the waste carried up to a platform from where it is sorted into separate bins. It is expected to cut the time previously spent sorting recyclables in half, improving workflow and efficiency while offering occupational
health and safety benefits too, by removing previous labor-intensive practices and the unnecessary handling of contaminated products and broken glass. Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board senior manager of resort operations, Nick Malkin, said it was exciting to be able to continue improving services and efficiencies that will result in long-term benefits for the resort. “With these investments we’re getting the best value out of the service charges and site rental fees that we get from our stakeholders,” he said. “We’re responding to current policy in recycling and waste management on a state and federal level and forever improving our environmental credentials by looking after the planet as best we can.”
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MT HOTHAM FALLS CREEK NEWS — July 2020 — PAGE 9
Snow season saviour for local shuttle service
ALL ABOARD: Alpine Spirit will run a full service for Mount Hotham, Falls Creek and Dinner Plain from June 24.
By NICKI LETTS
THE snow season has offered a lifeline for Alpine Spirit Coaches after it was brought to its knees with the summer bushďŹ res and COVID-19. Alpine Spirit’s owner and managing director, Chris Bonacci, said the company lost work from the bushďŹ res in both North East Victoria and Canberra. Then, just as things started to look up, COVID-19 hit. “The snow season is our ďŹ rst parcel of work of any substantial value for months,â€? said Mr Bonacci. “As soon as they announced the ski season would be open, our bookings went through the roof.â€?
Since Chris and Nadina Bonacci bought the company 12 years ago, it’s grown every year. In 2020, they were getting ready for another bumper year. “We had two years of bookings in advance...we even had another coach on order,� Mr Bonacci said. “Then all this happened and the yard has been chocka-block with buses not going anywhere from November until now.� Mr Bonacci said the hardest thing was letting staff go. “It was the biggest disappointment when I had to tell our staff that the economy had taken a turn and they’d lost their job,� he said. “That was tough. I never
want to do that again.� To make sure his family still had an income, the business owner took a job driving road trains for the grain industry. He spent 10 weeks working away from his family, only coming home on weekends. “It was something I had to do,� Mr Bonacci said. “My salary went back into the business to help buy supplies to keep our employees busy with cleaning and maintenance.� Fortunately, the Federal Government’s JobKeeper payment meant Alpine Spirit was able to keep on seven employees. “It’s been a win. Some guys were really struggling with mental health issues, so we
ďŹ gured if we can keep them busy, it will really help,â€? Mr Bonacci said. He said it’s been a tough ride. “It’s been hard for me, I’ve had a few breakdowns over the past few weeks,â€? he said. “But my wife Nadina has been incredible. “She’s the real brains of the business and has worked really hard to save us through all this. “Now we’re going forward with a lot of hope.â€? At this stage, Alpine Spirit expects to run a full service for Mount Hotham, Falls Creek and Dinner Plain from June 24. Mr Bonacci said there will be strict protocols for passengers and drivers.
“We’ll be running buses at 50 per cent capacity with strict social separation,â€? he said. “It’s something we need to watch carefully, more so with day trippers.â€? The company is ďŹ tting driver shields on low oor buses, while on other coaches the ďŹ rst seats behind the driver will be kept free. “At peak times, we’ll also have customer service agents at busy bus stops to help marshal people on and off buses,â€? he said. Mr Bonacci said there’s been a good team effort between everyone involved. “This year more than ever, all stakeholders are working closely together,â€? he said. “Working with Mount Hotham and Falls Creek re-
FREIGHT
sorts, it’s been amazing. “The effort, the passion, the exibility, the care factor everyone has the same objective to achieve something. “That’s been really rewarding.â€? “RMB and the Alpine Shire have been incredible supporting us as a regional local bus company. “We can’t thank them enough.â€? Mr Bonacci said they are now asking people to be patient with local businesses in this tough time. “Common sense and tolerance of people is required more than ever,â€? he said. “It’s tough for everyone and businesses are working together to make it feasible and keep people safe.â€?
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PAGE 10 — MT HOTHAM FALLS CREEK NEWS — July 2020
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Council welcomes plan for Mount Buffalo By ASHLEIGH PILES ALPINE Shire Council has backed the State Government’s announcement of a $1.5 million investment for new ‘eco pod’ accommodation on Mount Buffalo. Councillor Ron Janas, who is part of a government task force to plan for Mount Buffalo’s activation, said the May 19 announcement heralded a new era in the history of the iconic building. “This is a fantastic step toward the reactivation of the chalet and the realisation of a whole-of-mountain vision,” he said. “Our community has always been passionate about seeing the chalet reopened - this commitment for eco pod accommodation strengthens the wholeof-mountain offering and is fantastic news for the regional economy.” An expression of interest period will open later this year for a “year-round cafe in the front part of the chalet, which would offer regional produce along with self-guided tours of the chalet ballroom” and while the State Government hasn’t indicated a plan to reopen the building for accommodation it has an interest in operating the cafe. “A cafe in the chalet is the critical next step to reconnect the people to the chalet and build confidence with the community, business operators and investors,” Cr Janas said. “We believe it is a key part of the solution that will help our community and businesses recover from the economic impact of the January bushfires and current coronavirus impact.” Mount Hotham Falls Creek News understands the $1.5 million committed is scoped to build five prefabricated buildings on stumps to provide a “unique mountain-top luxury accommodation option in the Alps”. But local member Tim McCurdy (MLA, Ovens Valley) believes commitment to reopening the ‘Grand Old Lady’ must come before new accommodation. “I am pleased that Labor has responded to my ongoing advocacy to invest in Mount Buffalo but what is needed first is funding to properly restore the chalet and get it reopened,” he said. “Reopening the chalet would create a year-round attraction where visitors could experience the building’s history and beauty, which is what is loved about it. “The chalet has been crying out for proper funding for years in order for the much-loved Grand Old Lady to be returned to her former glory and reach its potential once again.”
SCENES: An aerial view from last year’s Kangaroo Hoppet in August. The event has been cancelled this year.
Hoppet cancelled for first time in 30 years
By NICKI LETTS
THE Kangaroo Hoppet, Australia’s premier long distance cross country ski race, will not be staged at Falls Creek in August, for the first time in its 30-year history. Launched in 1991, the Kangaroo Hoppet has become the largest snow sport event in the Southern Hemisphere, with novices and Olympians alike lining up for the
42, 21 and seven kilometre races. While previous years have seen the event moved to different parts of the mountain, or the distances shortened due to extreme weather conditions, this is the first year it has been cancelled. In a statement last week, the Hoppet committee announced that the event will be replaced with a virtual race, the ‘Hoppet 2020 - Do It Your Way’. For an online entry fee of $10,
participants commit to undertake a physical activity of their choice at a location of their choice over a distance of 42km, 21km or 7km between August 10 and 23. Rules state that the physical activity must be people-powered such as running, walking, cycling, roller skiing, and skiing - and completed in one day. As Australia’s leg of the Worldloppet series of long-distance
cross-country ski races, last year the event attracted almost 1100 participants from 25 countries, including 131 entrants from the Alpine Shire, The Hoppet also brings an economic benefit to Falls Creek and surrounding towns in the Alpine Shire, raking in over one million dollars annually. Entries open for the Hoppet 2020 - Do It Your Way on July 1 at www.hoppet.com.au
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MT HOTHAM FALLS CREEK NEWS — July 2020 — PAGE 11
Oh, how the tables can turn Stranded Zimbabwean cricketer bags a gig at Falls Creek after stressful few months BY ASHLEIGH PILES apiles@ nemedia.com.au
JUST over a month ago Mount Beauty United Cricket Club’s Zimbabwean import Davison Mbindi was essentially stranded in Mount Beauty with no working rights and no way of getting home. Now he is preparing to make the move to Falls Creek for the ski season thanks to the generosity of the local community. Davison arrived in Mount Beauty to coach and play for the Power on October 10 last year and was due to return home on April 25 but the current coronavirus travel restrictions made that near impossible. He travelled to Australia on a sports visa which allowed him to make money through cricket but stated he must not engage in any other paid activities, which left him unable to legally work while he waited for a flight home. With the help of his host family in Mount Beauty, the father of three had been pleading with authorities to grant him working rights but sadly to no avail. North East Media (publishers of Mt Hotham Falls Creek News) brought readers Davison’s story in the May 6 edition of the Myrtleford Times and shortly after the tables turned. “I applied for working rights just after I had spoken to you last time and within 48 hours I was granted working rights,” he said last week. “The help I got in the community is thanks to the piece in the paper; it really opened up options for me and now these opportunities have come my way. “People offered vouchers to buy groceries and other things like that...it just helped so much. “I’m really happy, I’m in a good place.” Davison will spend the next
c HAPPY MAN: Davison Mbindi is grateful and excited for his new working opportunity after months of living in the unknown. He will be working at Falls Creek’s Koki Lodge this winter. f FAMILY: Mount Beauty’s Ruth and Don Pollock have become like family to the Zimbabwean cricketer. PHOTOS: Ashleigh Piles
three months working at Falls Creek’s Koki Lodge where he is looking forward to being out of his comfort zone. “I would love to be home with my family but it is what it is,” he said. “Back in Zimbabwe we don’t have any snow so Australian snow will be the first I see. “I am excited to go up there but also nervous because I don’t know what to expect. “I don’t know what the temperatures will be like or how I am going to mentally survive the three months but I am excited because it gives me the opportunity to do something new.” The new experience will be one Davison can share with his family as well. “Nobody actually thinks
that when you come to Australia you will see snow,” he said. “All we hear about is the extreme temperatures of 40 plus degrees so to get snow, to be honest I was a little bit surprised. “I will send lots of pictures home; they already can’t believe the snow is so close to where I was living in Mount Beauty.” As for testing out the slopes in his time off Davison said, after some careful consideration, it is on his to do list. “I always thought skiing and snowboarding was too dangerous but I think I will probably give it a try on a less slopey slope,” he laughed. “But I think it will be an experience that will complete
my Australian experience so I have to do it.” It is also hoped that, come September, Davison will have another cricket coaching gig in the area but whether he stays or goes will depend one very important thing. “I need to be able to get my family across to Australia,” he said. “It will be quite close to a year since I’ve seen them and I really need to see them and they need to see me.” The logistics of travelling home for a visit between the ski season and the cricket season are proving to be complicated by coronavirus restrictions. “If I fly home I might not be able to get back out here in time for the next cricket season,” Davison said.
“If I were to fly back to Zimbabwe I would go into quarantine for 14 days then I would see my family for maybe a week and then come back out here to quarantine for another 14 days so we are already talking a month of isolation without even seeing the family. “If they (travel restrictions) do not change for the better, flying them out here is something I have to think about.” Davison has also been writing a book about life in South Africa and Australia including his experiences as an international cricketer and being away from family during the year that has been 2020. “It’s about the experiences I’ve had with the people around me in this time like the Pollock’s (Ruth and Don,
Mount Beauty) and a few other friends I came across in my time in Mount Beauty,” he said. “I have come into contact with wonderful people so I am writing a book and this has given me a lot more inspiration to go ahead and finish it. “This year I have seen the bushfires in Australia, the coronavirus and now the Black Lives Matter movement. “There is so much to write about and I think if I have these things on paper then I can inspire people in generations to come to be better.” Most of all, Davison is most looking forward to making new friends at Falls Creek. Head to Koki Lodge and say g’day!
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PAGE 12 — MT HOTHAM FALLS CREEK NEWS — July 2020
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