PRICELESS WINTER EDITION EIGHT FRIDAY 27TH JULY 2018 Wonderful Winter Wonderland! • Top: Cassie and the kids prepare for next weekend’s Sled Dog Classic. Pic - Peter Hull. • Left: Race Club Head Coach Bernie Haider. See Page Six. Pic - Struan Jones. • Right: You too can ski like this – See Page Three. Pic - Nathan Fenton FROM THE CEO Drop it… and You’ll As for the relevance of this topic to the type of plastic – cellulose acetate that can resort, well, the Australian High Plains, take up to 12-15 years to break down, and Drink It! particularly those around Falls Creek, many are consumed by numerous species as Mt Hotham etc. are a major part of the they make their way into the environment ho can remember the ‘Do the Murray2017 Darling GRAVITY Basin catchment area. ENDURO (WARNING: NATIONAL stat being used for dramatic SERIES right thing’ ads of the 70’s & Approximately 50-70% of the water effect: There are currently estimated 80’s which compelled people thatRound makes itsOne way to - your Falls tap inCreek metro toRound be between One of 15 the TRILLION GE National and Series 51 toW put their rubbish in bins and ‘Keep will be staged this weekend, beginning Melbourne,he National the townships Gravity along Enduro the Seriesway TRILLION pieces of plastic littering Australia Beautiful?’ Apart from showing with practice sessions from 11am Friday. and rightacts through as the qualifyingto Adelaide, series originates for the the world’s oceans - that’s 12 zeros… your age if you do remember, I suspect you from theEnduro High Plains.World AreSeries. you See starting mention 51,000,000,000,000).During the course of the weekend, several are just as stunned as I am regards how toTin seethe thearticle connection? with Ben So McIlroy. next time you of the trails will be closed to general riders Warning - more stats: Then, there are quickly that message has been lost given the see someone incorrectly dispose of their although Blue Dirt will have shuttles running Mountain Bike Australia in conjunction with apparently 24 billion cigarettes sold every amount of debris that is left in car parks rubbish, or worse - cigarette butt… call on Friday from 11am to 6pm and again on Falls Creek Resort Management are pleased year in Australia. Of this, an estimated and communal areas at the resort. them out. Particularly here at Falls Creek… Saturday from 9am to 5pm. Cost is $50 per to present Round One of the 2017 Gravity sevenday or billion $90 for butts 2 days. never Go find to www.bluedirt. their way because you’ll only be drinking it later! Rubbish, litter, trash, garbage… call it Enduro National Series. The series is Australia intocom.au a bin! to book.That’s On 280 Sunday butts for the every trails will Gross - yeah? what you might. In this pristine alpine wide with Round Two being held at Stromlo Australian…be closed to the butt general according public, to Quit.com, but will No time to be smelling the roses during this weekend’s Forest ACT in May. Round Three will be at environment, failure to properly dispose of The resort has an industry leading recycling onlyprogressively 13% of Australiansopen as the smoke. different Not sections that Gravity Enduro. Pic - Jiri Cech. Balingup WA in June; Round Four will go to it – i.e. put it in one of the more than 60 and resource recovery rate and diversion Iof want the eventto tar areall smokerscompleted. with Pretty the same Valley Rockhampton in July and the final round will Point on the Frying Pan Spur. The aim of the bins or rubbish receptacles throughout the to landfill program that has dramatically brushRoad will(yes, also intended), have closures it appears, and be allegedly, subject to game is to ride each section no faster than the village, has consequences that bear some be held on Woodford Island, on the Clarence delays should anyone be travelling back from reducedRiver in northernkgs of rubbish NSW inper August. Visitors, so we that of the 2.4m Ozzie adults who smoke fastest time allowed, and no slower than the set consideration and perhaps prompt you to take rubbish very seriously. But we need cigarettes,the horse yards you’re or each Pretty dropping Valley Pondage. 2,829 butts slowest time. Then they do the competitive bit, The popularity of mountain biking continues think before you inadvertently drop that everyone to help… otherwise to quote Pogo ANow YEAR… this Gravity hence Endurocigarette is butts a different are the sort before riding to the start of the next competitive to grow. From the great efforts of some Mount piece of litter! of mountain bike racing to what we know bit without beating or exceeding the times –Beauty “We havelocals met in the the 90’s enemy - to hosting and he theis us!” largest source of litter in the WORLD. as Downhill or Cross Country. The Gravity permitted. At the time of going to print, the Nationals in Feb 2000 - to the point where The worst offenders… smokers (sorry to So,Enduro my messageis both. toThe all athletes the smokers will start (and with final course had not been set, but they look like we have some of the best tracks in the country Hoppet Ready Clinics single you out- butt!). Cigarette butts leach litterbugs)a warm up outride there from is…Slalom put Plaza, your buttsout the taking in High Voltage and Wishing Well, then - both in Mount Beauty and in Falls Creek. the toxic chemicals that smokers inhale, inBogong a bin orHigh carry Plains a vessel Road, to put up thethem Pretty heading to Flowtown, completing that before Focusing on technique, speed, The growth and the success means we can such as cadmium, lead, arsenic and zinc inValley and Roaddispose and of thenthem across properly, to the later. Trig heading to Thunderbolt and then to Generator fitness and endurance continue to host fabulous events. Get advices from our international coaches: into water streams. They are made from a Dropping them or flicking them once and Vortex before finishing in Slalom Plaza. Aurelie Dabudyk, Iris Pessey and Rob Jones Sound like a pretty easy day!! Sign up : [email protected] The weekend’s program sort of goes like this. (03)57583408 OpenOpening by Hours Appointment Saturday: 9am to 16:00 is compulsory practice. 10am to 18:30 is rider registration and Info For11am Groups, – 3pm Tuesday Clubs -etc Sunday Tent open. 17:00 to 17:30 is rider briefing. From 18:00 on there is a social evening at Last Panabode Building, Slalom Street, Falls Creek Hoot Restaurant and Bar in Slalom Plaza. Phone:Map Ref: E4. Look 03 for the 5758 Harvey Kat. 1200 Sunday: 8am to 9am Rider Briefing and Timing PleaseFor Further try to Information:allow 24hours notice. Wb: www.fallscreekmuseum.com.au activation. 8:30am to 1430pm Trails Open for ForEm: further [email protected]: GE competition.1500 to 1630 Presentations. www.fallscreekmuseum.com.auFb: facebook.com/fallscreekmuseum If you’re into biking and would like to enjoy [email protected]: 03 5758 1200 some good action, be at Falls Creek this Facebook/fallscreekmuseum weekend. Further detail from 03 5758 1200. • Resort Entry Tickets FALLS CREEK Openmay also For be purchased Business on-line at www.fallscreek.com.au www.fallscreek.com.au QT Hotel Falls Creek Accommodation Rates Outdoor Activities Visitor Information Centre Child Care – Hours & Rates Apartment style luxury rooms, Pool & Jacuzzi, Sauna & Mountain biking, road cycling, hiking and all other Adult:Steam Room.One On-site Way $23 restaurant andReturn bar. Open $37 all year The Falls Creek Visitor Information Centre is located FallsAlpha Creek Child Lodge Care is located in the St Falls complex, activities, visit the Visitor Information Centre (above the Open 365 days a year. Self cater accommodation $56 Childround - availableOne Way for group $17 bookings Returnand functions. $23 in the Resort Management Office, up stairs on the at the base of the Halley’s Comet chairlift – open from Slalom Street Day Shelter) for maps and info. Open p/p p/n twin/dbl. $42 p/p p/n bunk room. Parallel Street. SeasonPh: 03 5732Pass: 8000 Wb: www.qtfallscreek.com.auAdult $200 corner of Slalom Street and Bogong High Plains Road. 8:30am to 5pm, seven days a week for children from 12 9am - 5pm weekdays. Ph: 03 5758 1202. Open 8am – 5pm daily for Visitor Information and Gym weeksPh: to5758 five 3488 years or old.visit: www.alphaskilodge.com.au KidsSnowski Under Five: Apartments Free Memberships. HoursAltitude & Rates Apartments LuggageSelf contained Allowance accommodation open all year round with Shopping Ph: 03 5758 1202. (Map Ref: E4) Morning:Spacious fully self-contained8:30am accommodation– 12:30pm open$85 all Twoon-site pieces management. of luggage, Located one pair in of the skis Village & boots Bowl. or snowboardPh: 5758 3356, & boots or visitand www.snowskiapartments.com.auone piece of hand luggage per Falls Creek Foodworks Resort Entry Afternoon:year round. Bike storage1:30pm and free– 5pm wi-fi. On site$60 bar & For all licensed supermarket lines - located in lower level, Fullrestaurant Day: - Be Foodstore.8:30am – 5pm $130 person. Resort Entry is located at Howman’s Gap, approx. 4km Summit Ridge Lodge St Falls West. Open 10am - 5pm daily. Ph: 03 5758 3009. Ph: 03 5758 3811 Wb: www.altitudefallscreek.com.au Excess Luggage: $7 per item. before reaching Falls Creek. Day and Night Passes are Bookings are strongly recommended as places are limited. Open for comfortable bed & breakfast accommodation. at $54 on arrival per day, (or $49.50 on line).