Skiing in the Australian Capital Territory

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Snow on the Brindabella Ranges, August 2012. Snow on the Brindabellas August 2012.JPG
Snow on the Brindabella Ranges, August 2012.

Skiing in the Australian Capital Territory refers to snow skiing in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The highest mountain in the ACT is Bimberi Peak (elevation 1912m). [1] Recreational skiing commenced with the formation of the Canberra Alpine Club in 1934. Since the 1930s, the ACT has had intermittent and limited alpine skiing facilities. Downhill ski facilities returned to the ACT at Corin Forest in 2016, after a two decade hiatus. [2]

Contents

The only commercial ski field in the ACT is located at Corin Forest; however, cross country skiing takes place in areas such as the Namadgi National Park, Bimberi Nature Reserve, Mount Franklin, Mount Ginini and Mount Gingera when conditions allow. [3] [4] [5] The more extensive and developed New South Wales skifields are located south-west of the Territory.

History and major locations

Alpine National Parks of the Australian mainland AustAlpsRegionMap.png
Alpine National Parks of the Australian mainland
The road to Mount Franklin, ACT, was built by the Canberra Alpine Club in the 1930s. Road Closed Mount Franklin.jpg
The road to Mount Franklin, ACT, was built by the Canberra Alpine Club in the 1930s.

The most northerly ski fields in Australia are located in the Australian Capital Territory – in the ranges west of Australia's capital city, Canberra. During the Southern Hemisphere winter, skiing in Australia takes place in the ACT and in three States: New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. [6] Skiable terrain stretches through large areas of territory from June to October and a number of well serviced resorts have been developed in the States. [7]

Namadgi National Park in the ACT and Bimberi Nature Reserve and Brindabella National Park in New South Wales are located in the Brindabella Ranges. The highest mountain in the ACT is Bimberi Peak, which lies above the treeline at 1912 metres, at the northern edge of the Snowy Mountains. [1] The alpine regions are subject to environmental protection, which has limited the scope of commercial development of skiiable terrain, [8] [9] [10] Organised downhill skiing in the ACT was started by the Canberra Alpine Club in 1934, and was for decades centred around Mt Franklin. Since the 1980s, some downhill facilities have existed intermittently at Corin Forest.

Downhill skiing

The Namadgi National Park Draft Management Plan (September 2005) downplayed the future development of skiing as a sport in the Park, noting that no facilities existed for alpine or downhill skiing within Namadgi, despite a history of downhill skiing associated with the Canberra Alpine Ski Club and the Mt Franklin Chalet (destroyed in the 2003 bushfires). The report predicted that it would be "unlikely that Namadgi will be suitable for this activity in the future as climate change is causing conditions to become less favourable." [11] However, since the report was written, limited downhill ski facilities have returned at Corin Forest.

Mt Franklin

In the 1930s, with construction of the new capital city of Canberra underway, Canberrans explored the possibilities for developing skiing and snow sports in the Brindabellas. On 30 June 1936, the Canberra Times newspaper reported: [12]

Regularly-conducted Alpine Sports on the mountain range which forms the western boundary between the Federal Capital Territory and New South Wales are to be added to the attractions of Canberra. The Canberra Alpine Club, an enthusiastic body, which has a membership of about 80, has plans in hand which, its members consider, will in the future make Canberra's ranges rival Mount Kosciuszko in popularity.

The Mount Franklin chalet was constructed at Mount Franklin in 1938 to service the Canberra Alpine Club. [13] Ski runs were cleared and ski tows were improvised. [14] The Club also cleared runs elsewhere, completing a new ski run and jump on nearby Mount Ginini in 1951 - then judged to be the superior slope. [15]

Built on leased land, the Mount Franklin Chalet reverted to the Government when Namadgi National Park was created in 1984 and later operated as a museum before being destroyed in the 2003 bushfires. [16] A new shelter designed and built by University of Adelaide students opened in 2008. Today, cross country skiing is possible in the area, when conditions allow. [17]

Corin Forest

In the 1980s and 1990s, limited downhill skiing took place at Corin Forest near Canberra (elevation 1200m). [2] The Namadgi National Park Draft Management Plan (September 2005) for the Namadgi National Park downplayed the future development of skiing as a sport in the Park: [11] However, in the 2010s, a ski lift was installed at Corin Forest offering a beginners' ski run and snow play area. [2] A development plan for Corin had been drafted following the 2003 Canberra bushfires which would see three 600m chairlifts installed together with snowmaking facilities and accommodation at this site. [18] New owners took over in 2013 and installed a beginners' magic carpet ski lift for the 2016 season, expanded snow making facilities, and invested in ski hire equipment, a ski school and ski first aid to service an 80-metre-long and 60-metre-wide slope, with capacity for a maximum of 150 people. [2]

Cross country skiing

Snow falls widely over the high country of the Namadgi National Park, being most common on the Bimberi and Brindabella Ranges. Brindabella Road, Mt Franklin Road and Boboyan Road access this snow country and can be hazardous in winter. [3]

According to the Namadgi National Park Draft Management Plan of September 2005, ski touring is a minor activity in Namadgi "as snowfall is only adequate for skiing for short periods in winter and spring. In most years, snow play can occur over several weeks, even if snow is present in small patches on the higher peaks..." [11]

Today, cross country skiing is possible in the Mt Franklin area, when conditions allow. [17] Cross Country skiing is also practised at Mount Gingera, which rises above the city of Canberra to an elevation of 1855m, and is the most prominent snow-covered peak above the city. [4] [5] The Australian High Country is populated by unique flora and fauna including wombats, wallabies, echidnas, and the Snow Gum. [19]

List of downhill ski areas

Current locations
Former locations

List of cross country ski locations

The city of Canberra looking towards the Brindabella Ranges. Canberra from Mt Ainslie.jpg
The city of Canberra looking towards the Brindabella Ranges.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Namadgi National Park</span> Protected area in Australian Capital Territory

Namadgi National Park is a protected area in the south-west of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), bordering Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales. It lies approximately 40 kilometres (25 mi) southwest of Canberra, and occupies approximately 46 percent of the ACT's land area.

The Kosciuszko National Park is a 6,900-square-kilometre (2,700 sq mi) national park and contains mainland Australia's highest peak, Mount Kosciuszko, for which it is named, and Cabramurra, the highest town in Australia. Its borders contain a mix of rugged mountains and wilderness, characterised by an alpine climate, which makes it popular with recreational skiers and bushwalkers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Kosciuszko</span> Highest mountain in mainland Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Alps montane grasslands</span> Ecoregion in Australia

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Alps</span> Bioregion in Australia

The Australian Alps are a mountain range in southeast Australia. The range comprises an interim Australian bioregion, and is the highest mountain range in Australia. The range straddles the borders of eastern Victoria, southeastern New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory. It contains Australia's only peaks exceeding 2,000 m (6,600 ft) in elevation, and is the only bioregion on the Australian mainland in which deep snow falls annually. The range comprises an area of 1,232,981 ha.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brindabella Range</span> Mountain range located in Australia

The Brindabella Range, commonly called The Brindabellas or The Brindies, is a mountain range located in Australia, on a state and territory border of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). The range rises to the west of Canberra, the capital city of Australia, and includes the Namadgi National Park in the ACT and the Bimberi Nature Reserve and Brindabella National Park in New South Wales. The Brindabellas are visible to the west of Canberra and form an important part of the city's landscape.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Alps Walking Track</span> Hiking trail in South East Australia

The Australian Alps Walking Track is a long-distance walking trail through the alpine areas of Victoria, New South Wales and the ACT. It is 655 km long, starting at Walhalla, Victoria, and running through to Tharwa, near Canberra. The track weaves mainly through Australian national parks, such as Alpine National Park and Kosciuszko National Park, although it is not exclusively restricted to national parks. It ascends many peaks including Mount Kosciuszko, Mount Bogong, and Bimberi Peak, the highest points in NSW, Victoria and the ACT respectively. The AAWT crosses exposed high plains including the Victorian Bogong High Plains and the Main Range in NSW. To walk the whole trail can take between 3 and 8 weeks. Food drops or a support crew are necessary as the trail does not pass through any towns, although it passes close to the ski resorts of Mt Hotham, Falls Creek, Mt Baw Baw, Thredbo, Charlotte Pass and Perisher.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Winter sport in Australia</span> Overview of winter sports practiced in Australia

Winter Sports in Australia encompasses a great variety of activities across the continent of Australia, including winter sports played in snow and ice such as ice hockey. Climate varies considerably from the tropical North to temperate South in Australia, and sporting practices vary accordingly. Ice and snow sports like Skiing in Australia are conducted in the high country of the Australian Alps and Tasmanian Wilderness. Australia has relatively low mountain ranges, but a long history of participation in recreational skiing and the Winter Olympic Games. Australians have won olympic gold in ice skating, skiing and snow-boarding events. Australia's generally flat geography and usually mild winter climate otherwise provide ideal conditions for international non-snow/ice winter sports and team games like rugby union football, rugby league football, and association football (soccer), which are all popular sports during the Australian winter and in which Australia has enjoyed considerable international success. Australian rules football is a home-grown winter football code with a wide following throughout Australia. Many other sports are also played or watched in Australia through the winter season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bimberi Nature Reserve</span> Protected area in New South Wales, Australia

The Bimberi Nature Reserve is a protected nature reserve located in the Brindabella Range of New South Wales, in eastern Australia. The 10,868-hectare (26,860-acre) reserve is situated approximately 30 km (19 mi) south west of Canberra, which is in the Australian Capital Territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bimberi Peak</span> Mountain in the Brindabella Range, Australia

Bimberi Peak or Mount Bimberi with an elevation of 1,913 metres (6,276 ft) located within the Brindabella Ranges is the highest mountain in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT). It is located on the border between New South Wales (NSW) and the ACT, the NSW portion in Kosciuszko National Park and the ACT portion in Namadgi National Park. It is accessible by bush walking trails and requires no specialised climbing skills, although there is no marked trail to the very summit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Ginini</span> Mountain in the Brindabella Range, Australia

Mount Ginini is a mountain with an elevation of 1,762 metres (5,781 ft) AHD in the Brindabella Range, located on the border between the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales, Australia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Gingera</span> Mountain in the Brindabella Range, Australia

Mount Gingera is a mountain with an elevation of 1,857 metres (6,093 ft) AHD  located within the Brindabella Range on the border between the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales in Australia. The summit of the mountain is located within the ACT, and is the second highest peak in the territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skiing in Australia</span> Overview of skiing practiced in Australia

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The Ginini Flats Wetlands Ramsar Site, also known as the Ginini Flats Subalpine Bog Complex, is a wetland in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) that has been recognised as being of international importance by designation under the Ramsar Convention. It was listed on 11 March 1996 as Ramsar Site 793, and is the only such site in the ACT. It lies in the Australian Alps, close to the boundary of the ACT with New South Wales.

Mount Franklin is a mountain with an elevation of 1,646 metres (5,400 ft) AHD  in the Brindabella Ranges that is located on the border between the Australian Capital Territory and New South Wales, Australia. The summit of the mountain is located in the Australian Capital Territory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Skiing in New South Wales</span>

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian Alps National Parks and Reserves</span> Protected area in Australia

The Australian Alps National Parks and Reserves is a group of eleven protected areas consisting of national parks, nature reserves and one wilderness park located in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales and Victoria and which was listed as a "place" on the Australian National Heritage List on 7 November 2008 under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The listing which covers an area of 16,531.80 square kilometres (6,382.96 sq mi), contains the vast majority of alpine and sub-alpine environments in Australia. The listing includes the following protected areas - Alpine, Baw Baw, Brindabella, Kosciuszko, Mount Buffalo, Namadgi and Snowy River national parks; the Avon Wilderness Park, and the Bimberi, Scabby Range and Tidbinbilla nature reserves.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Corin Forest</span> Australian ski field and tourist destination

Corin Forest Mountain Resort is a commercial ski field and tourist destination located in the Tidbinbilla Range, south-west of Canberra. Situated in a mountain ash forest near the Namadgi National Park. In winter, it offers Australia's most northerly lifted ski area, and the closest to the national capital of Canberra. A 1.2 km mountain slide operates in the warmer months.

Scabby Range Nature Reserve is a heritage-listed protected area at Sams River Fire Trail, Yaouk, New South Wales, Australia. It was established on 3 December 1982 and added to the former Australian Register of the National Estate on 30 June 1992. It was added to the Australian National Heritage List as part of the Australian Alps National Parks and Reserves on 7 November 2008.

References

  1. 1 2 "Highest Mountains - Geoscience Australia". Archived from the original on 6 April 2010. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Back, Alexandra. "Corin Forest ski field brings skiing and snowboarding back to the ACT". Canberra Times. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  3. 1 2 "Namadgi National Park". Environment.act.gov.au. 23 April 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  4. 1 2 "Namadgi National Park, ACT - Tourism Australia". Archived from the original on 21 February 2012. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  5. 1 2 INSTRUMENT NO. 111 OF 1999 ACT Legislation
  6. ↑ "Skiing & Highlands", Totaltravel Website, archived from the original on 10 October 2009, retrieved 4 May 2010
  7. ↑ Australian Bureau of Meteorology, "Climate Education", BOM Website, archived from the original on 17 March 2009, retrieved 4 May 2010
  8. ↑ See "Kosciuszko National Park: Contemporary Management". New South Wales Department of Education and Training, Riverina Environmental Education Centre.
  9. ↑ "XC - The Australian cross country skiing site". Hoppet.com.au. Archived from the original on 16 August 2018. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  10. ↑ "Australian Alps - Tourism Australia". Archived from the original on 21 February 2012. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
  11. 1 2 3 [ permanent dead link ]
  12. ↑ [ dead link ]
  13. ↑ "Australian Alps National Parks - Parks in the alps - Bimberi Nature Reserve". Australianalps.environment.gov.au. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  14. ↑ "What's On". 25 January 2014. Archived from the original on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  15. ↑ "Ski Run At Ginini". Nla.gov.au. 4 May 1951. p. 2. Retrieved 16 August 2018– via Trove.
  16. ↑ "Canberra Alpine Club". Archived from the original on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 5 April 2014.
  17. 1 2 "Australian Alps National Parks - Parks in the alps - Namadgi National Park". Australianalps.environment.gov.au. Retrieved 16 August 2018.
  18. ↑ "Corin- Future Plans". Archived from the original on 12 September 2009. Retrieved 25 July 2009.
  19. ↑ "50 reasons to love Australian snow". The Sydney Morning Herald. 6 June 2009.
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