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THE ALPINE
BRIGHT - POREPUNKAH - MT BEAUTY - TAWONGA - TAWONGA SOUTH Phone: (03) 5752 1058
Thursday, June 15, 2023
$1.50 (inc.GST)
www.alpineobserver.com.au
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BRASS BAND BONANZA ROARING TO RUN BANJO and Mya Badrock (left), and Angus Borschmann (right) all competed in the 5km Wandi Cross last Saturday, while Penny Blake looked on as they completed the gruelling mountain trek. Story page 14 PHOTO: Brodie Everist
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DYLAN DIGS GIGS
Snow visits on hold Town busyy for long g weekend,, but visitors likelyy holding g off until later in season By BRODIE EVERIST B VISITORS filled Bright over the King’s Birthday long weekend, with many heading up the mountains for the resort’s opening weekend, but reports suggest many are waiting until good snow cover is more certain before making the trip. Bright and District Chamber of Commerce vice president Marcus Warner said bookings over the weekend were as strong as usual for this time of year. “Whilst the resorts didn’t have a lot of ski lifts open, people still
came up ffor snow play,” l ” he h said. id “Most people followed through on their original bookings from several months ago, and I didn’t hear very much about last minute cancellations.” Mr Warner said visitors for the snow have likely waited until later in the season before making bookings for the snow season, to better guarantee the opportunity to ski or snowboard. “It’s clear from a number of accommodation businesses that they do have vacancies for the next couple of weeks,” he said. “I imagine a lot of people from
Melbourne and the M lb d externally t ll over th border, are just sitting and waiting until there’s enough snow for skiing to happen.” Mr Warner said it was possible the town was busier due to more people staying in Bright instead of heading up the mountain. “It seemed to be busy throughout the day as well, which is more common when there’s no skiing going on up on the hill,” he said. “Maybe people spent longer in Bright and the area, just enjoying their second or third coffee instead.” Mill Cudmore, co-owner and
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operator t off a local l l hotel, h t l said id they th had fewer bookings than usual for this time of year, but they are fielding interest for later in the season. “It’s the first year that we haven’t been full on this long weekend,” she said. “We’ve got a lot of phone calls for July, August, which is pretty much guaranteed snow.” But despite the lower bookings she said the town felt busy due to the lack of skiing at resorts. “I think all the people that normally would do a day trip to Buffalo or somewhere to look at
the do,’’ th snow, they th had h d nothing thi tto d she said. “I think that gave us a false sense of feeling busier than what it actually is.” Meanwhile, in Myrtleford caravan park owner Joe Joyce said she has had some cancellations due to the lack of snow at resorts, though most visitors to Myrtleford are happy to see local sights. “We’re losing a few bookings at the moment because there’s no snow forecast,” she said. “People aren’t going to spend a lot of money on going up there not to see anything.”
166 Myrtle Street, Myrtleford
03 5752 2995
Jayson Hall
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