2 January 2017

Cool holiday ideas - summer in the High Country

| Maryann Mussared
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forerunner-to-skitube

Back in the 1980s I worked on the 66th level of the MLC Centre with 360-degree views of Sydney. From my desk I sometimes saw a Concorde fly into Sydney Airport.

I was working briefly with a young entrepreneur who it turned out had an extraordinary vision. He knew I was a skier and he showed me a couple of models on his desk. The first object was a rather menacing-looking drilling machine, and the second was what looked like a toy train.

He was part of a team of individuals who were seeking international companies to support a project which would see a long tunnel drilled from Jindabyne to Perisher Valley and beyond. The aim was to take advantage of the excellent ‘back country’ snow and then inaccessible but potential ski fields. It seemed quite unlikely at the time and I remember telling him! But when I rode the Skitube some years later, I happily ate my words!

The Skitube was a game changer for the ski fields and the Snowy Mountains generally as a greater number of skiers were able to access new ski areas, and a number of resorts joined together on a shared ticket, including Perisher, Blue Cow and Guthega.

With this expansion and greater visitor numbers came the need to invest in other infrastructure, and the realisation that the area needed to be used more to justify these improvements.

In recent years, with the very real possibility that global warming is impacting on the length of the ski season and hence profitability, the resort managers of Perisher and Thredbo, the State Government, the managers of the National Parks and tourism operators have become increasingly aware of the need to reinvent the high country holiday experience. So the ongoing strategy has become rebranding the region as being a four season destination, rather than just the traditional winter skiing season.

So, nearly four decades after the Ski Tube made such a radical change to the way people accessed the High Country, what actually is different and what can visitors do if they choose to go up the mountains this summer, rather than down the mountains (Clyde and Brown) to the coast?

The main things that attract many are the expectation of cooler weather, fewer people, the opportunity to get out on the mountain trails, enjoy the beauty of the alpine landscape and breath in great lungfuls of fresh air.

Biking in the mountains

One of the fastest growing leisure activities in the region is mountain biking.

Interestingly, the Canadian ski resort Whistler, operated by the same company as Perisher Resort, now has more activity centred around mountain bike riding than skiing. There is no doubt that the interest and participation in biking is not going away.

There is a bike trail running from Bullocks Flat at Lake Crackenback along the river to Thredbo. Once in Thredbo, bike enthusiasts will find a well-developed downhill mountain bike culture that attracts enthusiasts from near and far.

I am more than sure that most in the biking mafia will already know what is happening, but for others who may not have visited in recent years, or are looking for something new to experience, there is a really big push to get lots more mountain bike activity happening.

The December MTB Cannonball Festival had a high level of participation, attracted about 16,000 spectators and is set to become an annual event. The Thredbo MTB shop is ‘bike central’ in Thredbo Village and very convenient for anything road, track or downhill bike riders could possibly need.

The mountain resorts

The Lake Crackenback Resort on the Alpine Way is a real ‘one-stop-shop’ for a whole range of activities and is pretty much located halfway between the two main centres of activity of Perisher and Thredbo.

As well as the original Novotel hotel, the addition of beautiful self-contained chalets in recent years means there are accommodation options for all needs and lots of tempting packages on offer, including regular three nights for two offers.

The resort offers a huge range of activities, but my favourite is the wildlife. Last spring the platypus in the central lake became very bold and to the delight of restaurant patrons, were often seen swimming right up to the window. There is an indoor pool, day spa, water activities, 9-hole golf, archery and two restaurants. The Thredbo River walking track and mountain bike track start here and ends in Thredbo Village and holiday packages sometimes include mountain bikes.

lake-crackenback-2

As well as the two restaurants at Lake Crackenback Resort ,not far along the Alpine Way is an outstanding tourist attraction for those who want somewhere to relax and enjoy a view of the heavily timbered ridge above the Thredbo Valley.

The Wild Brumby Distillery and café is open daily in summer from 10-4 and 10-5 in winter and is a must for all mountain visitors. With a great range of locally distilled schnapps and the café sourcing and serving a wide range of local produce, it is a locavore’s delight. Famous for smoked meat and cheese platters, they also offer a wide range of lighter dishes and a short children’s menu.

My smoked trout salad with freshly baked sourdough bread was a delight, and I am a great fan of Wild Brumby’s Schnappygatto, with coffee, ice cream and butterscotch schnapps. The rest of the table somehow managed to fit in enormous wiener schnitzel and kassler piled up on creamy mash with sauerkraut.

Having and declared themselves all ‘full as googs‘ they went on the demolish generous slices of freshly made strudel. I have to say the service is fantastic and the gift shop has some great mountain produce, not least the many different flavoured schnapps.

benz-zee-knees

A cheeky little German-style riesling popular at Wild Brumby Distillery and cafe

Thredbo summer activities

Further along the Alpine Way, Thredbo buzzes with great family activities and the chairlift is open during summer. This gives access to a range of walking paths and sublime views to the still snow-capped distant mountains. There is a range of accommodation on offer and a number of restaurants and bars in the village are open. thredbo

Thredbo looks a lot different in summer. These steep slopes are ski runs by winter and in summer come alive with daredevil downhill mountain bike riders!

While in Thredbo, please do not miss the Thredbo Ski Museum located just off Thredbo Village Square. It has a fascinating archive of all things snow and ski sports related, going back to the first records of Norwegian miners around Kiandra taking to the slopes in 1861. It is completely fascinating and a credit to the Thredbo Historical Society.

On the well-established music front, the ever popular Thredbo Blues Festival, celebrating its 23rd anniversary, is on from 20 – 22 January. Later in the year is the 29th anniversary of the much loved Thredbo Jazz Festival running from 1 April – 2 May.

thredbo-museum

Perisher summer activities

Perisher still has some way to go with the four season tourist strategy. It currently offers limited summer holiday activities and accommodation. Mid-summer it is somewhat of a ghost town but of course that is something that would actually attract some people! If you are lucky enough to know someone who has membership of one of the many beautiful private lodges, then you can stay for a very reasonable amount.

Airbnb has a limited choice, but the hotels all seemed to be closed. The main summer activity immediately around the village is bush walking one of the many well marked trails, such as the Perisher to Blue Cow link road 10 km round trip.

On especially hot days, you can take a dare and dip in the truly, madly, achingly, freezing cold Perisher River. I was also rather tempted to try a few wheelies in the huge empty carpark, and got a giggle out of the sign declaring the beautifully grassy “Toboggan slope closed”, when in fact it should have said something like “Toboggan slope in need of a mow”. What I love is there is plenty of room for improvement, and there actually is lots of potential!

perisher-river

A short car ride away you can tackle the altitude-challenging Summit Walk from Charlotte’s Pass to Mount Kosciuszko. This very popular summer activity has walks to suit all levels, and there is often snow still on the ground adjacent to the path.

Justly famous for alpine flowers, this walk attracts visitors from all over the world and on Christmas morning this year was very busy, with parking in high demand.

charlottes-pass

Below the Summit Walk is the village of Charlotte’s Pass which seems quite closed up for the summer, but is one of my favourite winter destinations as I love the over-snow transport and the lovely old chalet.

Other outdoor activities in the Snowy region include horse trail rides and riding activities with Thredbo Valley Horse Riding on the Alpine Way offering a wide range of horsey things. Fishing in the mountains is long established and there are many popular spots dotted along the main rivers and further afield around Khancoban, and Adaminaby with the wonderful Big Trout.

 

ghost-trees

A final word about our Snowy Mountains. Sadly there is a downside to this story.

The High Country is rugged and beautiful, but it is impossible not to miss the massive number of trees that have died back in recent years. The steep slopes of both the Perisher and Thredbo valleys are covered with hundreds of thousands of tree skeletons. These are so much more obvious in the summer months when the undergrowth is much greener than winter.

One reason suggested for the extensive die back is climate change and the ever shorter snow season. With snow falling later and later each year, the delicate roots of these trees are now more exposed to the early harsh frosts without the protection of an insulating snow cover.

Human interaction with the environment on the mountains does seem to have limited impact, but for my next visit I am interested in the availability of presentations by National Parks and Wildlife Services representative, especially on conservation and Aboriginal heritage, to help me better understand this delicate environment.

In a nutshell

Canberra to Perisher and Thredbo via Cooma and Jindabyne is an easy 2.5 hour drive on good roads and just over 200 kms. A great pit stop is Miss Heide’s Tea House on the Jindabyne side of Cooma up the top of the Mount Gladstone Lookout. It is famous among generations of skiers who continue to stop for goulash soup and strudel on the way back and forth to the mountains.

Access to both Perisher and Thredbo year around is through the Kosciuszko National Park. With a daily cost in summer of $17.50, there are few who would begrudge paying this to keep our National Parks pristine and well-maintained for everyone now and to share in the future. Season tickets are also available.

… and you will find lots more great info on the Snowy Mountains tourism website.

miss-heidi-teahouse

 

Banner photo: Located in the Thredbo Museum, this restored large red canopied seat was used on the Kosciusko Chalet Chairlift which operated for the 1964 and 1965 ski seasons.

All photos provided by the writer.

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Maryann Mussared said :

dungfungus said :

“One reason suggested for the extensive die back is climate change and the ever shorter snow season. With snow falling later and later each year, the delicate roots of these trees are now more exposed to the early harsh frosts without the protection of an insulating snow cover.”

You are aware that there used to be glaciers there too. Their absence lately has been caused by climate evolving by natural process as climate does.

I have a eucalyptus pauciflora in my front yard and it is flourishing despite never having snow covering its roots.

Regarding the die-back, unlike some writers who actively embrace the old adage of ‘not letting facts get in the way of a good story’, I actually had a long discussion with a National Parks ranger about the range of possible causes. Driving the length of the Alpine Way from Jindabyne to Thredbo and then Jindabyne to Mt Charlotte, there were many examples.

As well as vast areas between Perisher and Charlotte’s Pass and at Dainer’s Gap, there are also sprinklings of skeleton trees in amongst quite healthy areas, which could also indicate some sort of insect or bacteria involvement, such as the lerpes invasion and massive die back of coastal Eucalypts in WA in the early 1990s. It also struck me that some of the trees could be recovering. No-one has come out and given the definitive answer, but it could be all three if we include the other suggestion of bushfires! The die back is very obvious in summer against the green of the alpine pastures.

I have the greatest respect for the opinions of the hard working and dedicated rangers who are at the “coal face”.
Eucalyptus die-back has been a mysterious phenomena for a very long time. I was working the New England area of NSW 50 years ago (before “climate change”) when large tracts of e.nicohlii (Peppermint Gum) succumbed to die-back and despite on going research the exact reason for it has not been found although the conditions mentioned to you by the ranger (excluding bushfires) are the most likely causes.
More recently, it has been reported that hailstorms have stripped new foliage from plantation forests in the ACT and the outcome was die-back. This could explain why other instances of die-back are so random and remote.
It is not unusual for strong winds to strip blossoms from fruit trees and deny a crop of fruit.

Maryann Mussared4:07 pm 09 Jan 17

dungfungus said :

“One reason suggested for the extensive die back is climate change and the ever shorter snow season. With snow falling later and later each year, the delicate roots of these trees are now more exposed to the early harsh frosts without the protection of an insulating snow cover.”

You are aware that there used to be glaciers there too. Their absence lately has been caused by climate evolving by natural process as climate does.

I have a eucalyptus pauciflora in my front yard and it is flourishing despite never having snow covering its roots.

Regarding the die-back, unlike some writers who actively embrace the old adage of ‘not letting facts get in the way of a good story’, I actually had a long discussion with a National Parks ranger about the range of possible causes. Driving the length of the Alpine Way from Jindabyne to Thredbo and then Jindabyne to Mt Charlotte, there were many examples. As well as vast areas between Perisher and Charlotte’s Pass and at Dainer’s Gap, there are also sprinklings of skeleton trees in amongst quite healthy areas, which could also indicate some sort of insect or bacteria involvement, such as the lerpes invasion and massive die back of coastal Eucalypts in WA in the early 1990s. It also struck me that some of the trees could be recovering. No-one has come out and given the definitive answer, but it could be all three if we include the other suggestion of bushfires! The die back is very obvious in summer against the green of the alpine pastures.

Maryann Mussared4:02 pm 09 Jan 17

wildturkeycanoe said :

“One reason suggested for the extensive die back is climate change and the ever shorter snow season.” Umm, are you sure it wasn’t because of the bushfires that have ravaged the high country in years past?
There are other activities you can do in the mountains that don’t require a National Park entry pass too. The closer lakes such as Eucumbene, Tantangara and even 3 Mile Dam are great trout fishing and camping spots. I go fishing to Eucumbene all year round and summer time is beautiful up there. The temperatures aren’t as harsh as in Canberra and a swim in the cool waters is more than refreshing. There are some absolutely fantastic walking trails in the park and if you can find out where they are, some lesser known caves to explore. Blue waterholes can be quite popular for campers and the cave system there is awesome. The thing i love the most about the area is the raw, uncorrupted natural features of the land. Huge stone formations that are reminiscent of the Aztec ruins, unpolluted creeks you can see brook trout swimming around in and the sounds of the Australian outback.
If you have a 4×4, there is so much more to see in the Kosciusko National Park than ski chalets. Even a two wheel drive driven with a mix of confidence and madness can access some spectacular scenery, which begins as closely as the Brindabella ranges. In under an hour you can be far enough from civilization to feel completely lost. Get out there and explore, just like the early pioneers, you won’t be disappointed.

Thank you for your excellent suggestions of other places to visit in the Kosciuszko National Park. With over 6,900 square kilometres of natural beauty, I thought it best not to confuse people with what was meant to be a bit of light summer reading. During school holidays, people need activities for children, which Thredbo certainly was offering. Next time I write a full guidebook on the subject, I will be sure to include all the other suggestions! No, seriously I have already suggested I will do a follow-up on Cooma in autumn to include Yarrangobilly and will see if I can include the beautiful fishing areas around my favourite, the Big Trout at Adaminaby. I completely agree about the landscape. One of my fellow travellers has been to Easter Island and remarked on the similarity of the big stones behind Jindabyne and the monumental sculptures he was on Easter Island! Regarding the die-back, unlike some writers who actively embrace the old adage of ‘not letting facts get in the way of a good story’, I actually had a long discussion with a National Parks ranger about the range of possible causes. Driving the length of the Alpine Way from Jindabyne to Thredbo and then Jindabyne to Mt Charlotte, there was way too much die back for bushfires. The bushfires of 2003 were mostly around Jindabyne and then Thredbo was threatened in 2007. As well as vast areas between Perisher and Charlotte’s Pass and at Dainer’s Gap, there are also sprinklings of skeleton trees in amongst quite healthy areas, which could also indicate some sort of insect or bacteria involvement, such as the lerpes invasion and massive die back of coastal Eucalypts in WA in the early 1990s. It also struck me that some of the trees could be recovering. No-one has come out and given the definitive answer, but it could be all three! Regarding exploring like our pioneer ancestors, I would find it rather hard to outdo my great grand-uncle Patrick Hartnett who is credited with helping to open up the Tasmanian alpine country http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/hartnett-patrick-joseph-paddy-12967. The adventurous blood has been watered down and I now only tackle a bit of downhill skiing.

“One reason suggested for the extensive die back is climate change and the ever shorter snow season. With snow falling later and later each year, the delicate roots of these trees are now more exposed to the early harsh frosts without the protection of an insulating snow cover.”

You are aware that there used to be glaciers there too. Their absence lately has been caused by climate evolving by natural process as climate does.

I have a eucalyptus pauciflora in my front yard and it is flourishing despite never having snow covering its roots.

Maryann Mussared said :

John Moulis said :

You forgot Yarrangobilly Caves and the thermal pool. Beautiful.

Yarrangobilly is on list for autumn and I will tie in with delightful Cooma and surrounds. Thanks so much for the reminder! I wonder if you know of any other thermal pools as someone mentioned them recently.

It really is a beautiful place in the summer months. The trees, the caves and the thermal pool. I haven’t stayed in the Caves House but that is on the to-do list. But be prepared for a techno-shock. There is no mobile phone coverage, no TV and no Internet.

The only drawback is the long distance to get there. It takes longer than driving to the coast and the access road off the Snowy Mountains Highway is dirt. But that is all part of the appeal. Whilst there you can make a visit to Cabramurra, the highest town in Australia. Originally established as a worker’s camp during construction of the Snowy Mountains Scheme, it was made permanent when construction finished in the mid 1970s.

I find Yarrongobilly Caves a great antidote to a Canberra summer filled with stories of parking problems at the coast and the Summernats. A visit there should be a rite of passage for anybody moving to the Canberra area.

wildturkeycanoe7:49 am 08 Jan 17

“One reason suggested for the extensive die back is climate change and the ever shorter snow season.” Umm, are you sure it wasn’t because of the bushfires that have ravaged the high country in years past?
There are other activities you can do in the mountains that don’t require a National Park entry pass too. The closer lakes such as Eucumbene, Tantangara and even 3 Mile Dam are great trout fishing and camping spots. I go fishing to Eucumbene all year round and summer time is beautiful up there. The temperatures aren’t as harsh as in Canberra and a swim in the cool waters is more than refreshing. There are some absolutely fantastic walking trails in the park and if you can find out where they are, some lesser known caves to explore. Blue waterholes can be quite popular for campers and the cave system there is awesome. The thing i love the most about the area is the raw, uncorrupted natural features of the land. Huge stone formations that are reminiscent of the Aztec ruins, unpolluted creeks you can see brook trout swimming around in and the sounds of the Australian outback.
If you have a 4×4, there is so much more to see in the Kosciusko National Park than ski chalets. Even a two wheel drive driven with a mix of confidence and madness can access some spectacular scenery, which begins as closely as the Brindabella ranges. In under an hour you can be far enough from civilization to feel completely lost. Get out there and explore, just like the early pioneers, you won’t be disappointed.

Maryann Mussared6:53 pm 07 Jan 17

John Moulis said :

You forgot Yarrangobilly Caves and the thermal pool. Beautiful.

Yarrangobilly is on list for autumn and I will tie in with delightful Cooma and surrounds. Thanks so much for the reminder! I wonder if you know of any other thermal pools as someone mentioned them recently.

You forgot Yarrangobilly Caves and the thermal pool. Beautiful.

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