SEPTEMBER ISSUE, 2017
www.nemedia.com.au 2
inside
2 SKY HIGH SALES Highest ever land auction at Mt Hotham
5 HOPPET IS HERE Kangaroo Hoppet attracts a strong field
WINTER WONDERLAND: Skiers and snowboarders at Mt Hotham and Falls Creek have experienced some of the best snow conditions in years this August. PHOTO: Karl Gray
What a memorable month index Falls Creek events
10
Things to do in the valley 14
lice presence at the resorts. The member for Benambra has called on Police Minister Lisa Neville to undertake a “comprehensive review” of police numbers at alpine ski resorts. It comes after police had to travel from more than two hours away to respond to an incident at Falls Creek in late July. In this edition we preview the 2017 Kangaroo Hoppet which is shaping up to be the most competitive in a number of years. At the pointy end of both the elite men’s and women’s fields is a number of skiers capable of taking out the Aus-
tralian leg of the Worldloppet series. Australia’s best hopes are Mt Beauty’s Phil Bellingham and Barbara Jezersek, who will be skiing under the Australian flag for the first time. Earlier this month we saw the Australian Biathlon Championships take place and the sport’s major body in this country is eyeing an international event in the future. The Whiskey Flat biathlon range at Mt Hotham was recently upgraded to International Biathlon Union standards and also extended by three lanes. The improvements were part of a $150,000 project made possible with
the help of the Victorian Government’s Shooting Sports Facilities fund. August has also been a month of fundraising at Mt Hotham with events held to support the Cancer Council and the resort’s ski patrol. Also in this edition we find out about a collaboration between a popular Falls Creek venue and a top UK restaurant. Astra Lodge welcomed Toby Burrowes to its kitchen for three weeks with the Elystan Street chef injecting some a new twist to the menu. We caught up with Burrowes and Astra Lodge owner Rosy Seaton to find out about the experience.
Fresh take away, a quick bite or a late lunch… Our family friendly restaurant can help you with all of the above! Give us a quick call when you’re leaving the mountain to let us know what time you’ll be arriving on (03) 5752 2310
134 Great Alpine Road, Myrtleford | Phone: 03 5752 2310 | www.luposkilncafe.com.au Thursday to Sunday 8am to 4pm. School holidays open 7 days.
10% di sc availab ount l all ‘Roa e to d Falls C to re Memb ek’ ers!
k/15d14263-v2/3117
A DREAM FULFILLED 6 Anthony Bartl gets by with a little help from his friends
WHAT a month it’s been at our resorts. We’ve had some of the best snow in years with more than 100cm arriving in the first week of August courtesy of what people called the Blizzard of Oz. That was followed up by another 60cm just a week and a half later boosting the snow base at both Mt Hotham and Falls Creek to about 160cm. That’s plenty of snow to see out the final month of the season. While the skiing and snowboarding has been ideal parliamentarian Bill Tilley has concerns about the po-