Contents Asgaard Lodge to make way for Davenport CentralYou’ve probably seen the signs near the General and the Hotham/Dinner Plain snow bus with the wrap-around, but maybe you were wondering what the Davenport Central development is about and how it will impact you. Asgaard Lodge, built in the seventies by a group of Melbourne University students, will make way for a precinct with penthouse apartments, large commercial space, accommodation for special needs sports, much needed mountain staff accommodation and in a first for Hotham, a multi deck undercover car park accessed off the Great Alpine Road with an 80-vehicle capacity. The Davenport Central project is the largest private development at Mt Hotham in more than twenty years, representing a significant vote of confidence for the future. Mt Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board’s strategic focus is to build year-round visitation. Support for the Davenport Central project is a key part of this strategy. The multi-use complex will be a vibrant and exciting new hub located on the current Asgaard Lodge site near the General Store, opposite the police station, and will offer year-round opportunities for restaurants, bars and other new interests. Creating a year-round facility that supports current year-round businesses will build a visitation driver that potentially supports other operators in offering accommodation or experiences outside of winter. The project is a joint venture between Melbourne based developer Mider Group and Davenport Central Pty Ltd, representing the Asgaard Alpine Club. The Davenport Development is a great example of how traditional lodge considerations and contemporary business interests can complement each other. Asgaard members will see their lodgings replaced by a modern, contemporary design ensuring their families will continue to enjoy the majesty of the Victorian High Country for many years. Demolition will begin on 9th October 2018 and construction will commence on 1st November, with a projected completion date for the project in May 2020. Construction commences at the end of the 2018 season; more information will be provided in future issues of Community News. If you are interested in discussing investment opportunities, contact Rob Ford from Zirky's Real Estate for more information on 0430 749 701. Frosty Fruits Ski Trip returns to Mt Hotham as Gay Ski Week Australia 2018Produced by Points of Difference Travel & Events, this year is their 10th year of operation and is billed as the biggest gay alpine party in Australia and the only national “Pride” event in Australia. The event runs this year at both Falls Creek and Mt Hotham, kicking off at Falls Creek on September 5th for four nights before transferring to Mt Hotham on Sunday September 9th for another four fun and fab nights. A full schedule of events is planned across the 5 days, such as the daily hosted Après event, Snowshoe to Fondue with Alpine Nature Experience, T-bar Triva Night with Trace & Frock Hudson, Morning Muster in Swindlers, group lessons and the Final Night Party “Chill”. Discount event tickets will be offered to locals and mountain/resort staff. There’s plenty of opportunity to get involved (who’s got the gayest cocktail or best dressed venue) and fly the rainbow flag! The producers would like to invite all Mt Hotham businesses to be involved with pop-up events, promotions and offers. It’s also a great way to encourage repeat business to regular clientele already visiting earlier in season. Special event packages are available to accommodation providers for their guests. Points of Difference Travel & Events wants to work with you all in building this event and creating a uniquely Australian gay pride experience. Estimated economic impact in this year at approx $68,000 of business split between new guests and repeats. To become involved or for further details please contact Adam Bold (Producer) on 0412 358 249 or email adam.bold@pointsofdifference.com.Fire safety reminderFire is not something that springs to mind when you are at the snow, but there are still risks during the colder days and Mt Hotham property owners and managers are required to ensure their properties are adequately prepared. Some common fire hazards during winter are: · Washing hung too close to heaters The CFA regularly checks properties to ensure they have an evacuation plan, fire orders at the entrance, serviced fire extinguishers, smoke alarms or fire monitoring systems, and working emergency lighting in good condition. Hotham CFA has an accommodation Fire Safety Guide for owners and managers of Alpine properties – for a copy, contact Lyndon Bradley at L.Bradley@cfa.vic.gov.au
Wheelchair access on buses gets thumbs upThe wheelchair access on the new Village shuttle bus service, provided by Alpine Spirit Coaches, was given the thumbs up by Lincoln Budge, Paralympian and founder of the Change One Life project, in a recent visit to Mt Hotham. Lincoln was invited to try the new buses by Phil Knight, Mt Hotham Resort Services Coordinator for Disabled Wintersport Australia, and the Mt Hotham Resort Management Board. Access to the resort during winter can be challenging for everyone, but using a wheelchair introduces even more complexity to travel given variable surface conditions and snow depths at bus stops. The trial run started at bus stop 1 outside Hotham Central, included a stop at bus stop 5/6 to enjoy a coffee at The General and a ride back to bus stop 1 for another run on Village. The verdict? Lincoln who now lives at Mount Beauty found that the Hotham bus experience was fantastic. “Buses that have wheelchair ramps make travelling between runs and accommodation even more accessible. This provides a real advantage to many people.” Lincoln said. Mt Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board CEO, Jon Hutchins, joined Lincoln, Disabled Wintersport Australia, Hotham staff and Alpine Spirit Staff on the inaugural ride. Jon was very enthusiastic about how accessible the new service was for people with a disability. “Improving accessibility within the resort is one of Mt Hotham’s priorities, and we are really pleased with the new buses provided for the free Village shuttle service. With the help of people like Lincoln, we can work to make further improvements on the bus stops, access to buildings, and other amenities, so everyone can fully enjoy all the resort has to offer.” Phil Knight, Disabled Wintersport Australia (DWA) Resort Services Coordinator for Mt Hotham, was equally impressed with the new buses and the manner and speed of deployment of the wheelchair ramp “Nobody was held up, the ramp was very safe and quickly opened up and stowed away without notice,” Phil said. Alpine Spirit Coaches, DWA and Lincoln agreed to work on a ‘snow curb’ for even more accessibility at bus stops in future, to deal with the constantly changing height of the snow pack at the bus stops, a unique transport challenge at alpine resorts. Stop food waste going to landfill with the Living Bin programDid you know the Mt Hotham Resort Management Board provides a composting service? All operators, lodges and accommodation providers can take part in the Living Bin program, which we have been supporting since 2014. An estimated 50% of the waste sent to our local landfill is food waste, which can be redirected to compost through the Living Bin program. We will provide you with bins and compostable waste bags, which are collected from the garbage hutches around the mountain. The material is then transferred to our purpose built shed at Cobungra, where our Chief Garbo works his magic on the pile. Last winter 40 tonnes of organic material was collected and turned into 6 cubic metres of compost, which is being used at Hotham in our revegetation projects. How’s that for closing the loop! To get your bins and compostable waste bags, or to find out more about the Living Bin program, contact Bev Lawrence, Environmental Officer, on environmental@mthotham.com.au Help us avoid rodent baits harming our native animalsMt Hotham is home to many cute indigenous animals like the Mountain Pygmy-Possum, the Antechinus, and the Bush Rat, which can be mistaken for pests, and like their exotic relatives quite enjoy dropping into lodges and apartment buildings to raid garbage and food stores. We know this is very annoying – no-one likes to find something fast and furry under the stairs trailing food waste everywhere, and it’s tempting to set poison baits to get rid of them. Mt Hotham Resort Management Board can help with strategies for catching, removing and relocating our local visitors without the use of baits, which results in a safer environment for all our visitors, especially if there are young children using your facility. We can supply traps, advise on ways to keep food storage and waste secure, and collect and relocate animals that have found their way in. If you’d like more information, contact Bev Lawrence, Environmental Officer, on environmental@mthotham.com.au Lost and found registerDid you know that Mt Hotham Resort Management Board keeps a register of all lost items that turn up to our office? We often have items with no identifying information that sit at our office for months, and we are keen to reunite them with their owners! If you have a guest that has lost their camera / phone / gloves or anything else that can’t be easily tracked back to them, please encourage them to drop in to our office to check our lost and found register. |