6 replies to this topic

[Cameron]

I grew-up skiing at Mt Buller outside of Melbourne Australia and I still feel much sentimental attachment to the place, even though it can't compare to the massive resorts in Colorado. I now live in Chicago, and Buller is far more exciting than anything in the mid-west! :)

Anyway, while replying to the "Detachable Chairlift Midstations" thread, I came across this proposal for improvements at the mountain. I'm pasting a link here assuming it's of interest to people - I know most of you guys have never been to the resort, but it does outline a few new lifts and personally I appreciate the detail!

http://www.mtbuller...._15_SEPT_10.pdf

Cameron.

[flmmaz]

There are some serious dollar figures attached to that project.

[Bogong]

Hi Cameron. I visit several Australian ski resorts each year and keep an eye on ski developments down here, especially lift related stuff.

That plan came out about when the last ski season closed in October or so. People in Australian ski forums generally welcomed it, especially the proposed gondola from the car parks to the town centre which would break the monopoly of the pirates driving troop carriers. (A mile long detachable quad already takes skiers to the slopes from the car parks). The only thing that people generally opposed was the plan to remove the ancient and much loved Tirol T-bar. This general approval of the Buller plan is in marked contrast to the reaction to master plans for resorts like Mt Hotham, which attracted a lot of cynical comment.

The big news from Buller this summer is about the Burnt Hut triple chair. (Which was destroyed when it got zapped by lightning last summer. There was a thread discussing it last year). But now it won't be replaced with a fixed grip Dopp quad as was previously announced. No one knows why, but planning permits haven't been issued and it's getting a bit late to start building if they want to have it ready before winter. So it looks like another season using the long carpet lifts on Burnt Hut Spur that were hurriedly installed last autumn on Buller's most used beginner slope.

This post has been edited by Bogong: 10 January 2011 - 07:17 PM

[Cameron]

Wow .. sucks about Burnt Hut chair .. and I didn't know that the Village T-Bar was gone too. The Chalet Creek area must get really busy now with just Tyrol and occasionally Horse Hill taking people out. I remember "back in the day" it could get almost unbearable down there, and that was with Village running. It also makes the "around the maintain" tour a little more difficult (unless you end down there, I suppose :) ).

When was "Tirol" renamed, and why?

Cameron.

[Bogong]

I'm not sure why Tyrol was renamed Tirol in about 2004. The first lift built along that route was the "Tyrol" nutcracker lift in 1957 and the name survived when the nutcracker was replaced with the current mile long T-bar in 1972.

I guess the reference to a European ski region was very chic in the 1950's but was much less trendy in more recent years, so the change of spelling was a useful way to remove the daggy "olde style" name from it.

Tirol/Tyrol is the last remaining long distance T-bar in the state of Victoria and it must be getting a bit worn out by now. But as it only serves black and dark-blue runs, skiers don't seem to mind. Personally I prefer T-bars and Pomas over chairlifts because they keep beginners and snowboarders away. :P

I'm happy to answer any other questions about lifts in Australian ski resorts or click on the link below to look at my list of every Australian ski lift.

[missouriskier]

Cameron,

Thanks for posting this. I try to keep up on what's happening with the resorts in Australia. I'm not really sure why, but I have an interest in Australian ski resorts.

It is surprising that thay did not replace the Burnt Hut lift this year. I would have thought that they would have wanted to get a new lift in there as soon as possible.

[Bogong]

I found a pic of the old Tyrol nutcracker lift, probably taken in the late 1950's.



While I'm at it, a few other antique pictures of Mt Buller.



The summit of Mt Buller before there was a single lift in the area, people used to either walk up or get towed up there behind big snow cats.



The first Doppelmayr double chairlift built in the world.

There are over a hundred other historic photos of Buller on this Australian forum thread and of course there's my listing all of the 60 lifts that have run at Buller in the link below.

This post has been edited by Bogong: 19 January 2011 - 06:51 AM