www.thisweekinfallscreek.com.au Falls Creek & Mount Beauty PRICELESSTHISWINTER WEEKEDITION NINE FRIDAY 2ND AUGUST 2019 We Love Our Resort! Our fabulous Mim Ladies Program still attracts many participants. Pic - Mike @ Top Shots. Just enjoying the wonderful powder at Falls Creek. Pics - Jarryd Sinclair. FROM THE CEO Unsung Heroes But there’s a whole bunch of people for arrive a little late or need to leave early. whom the nights are their busiest and it’s If you’re staying on the hill and need here is absolutely nothing better worth a thought for all those who are just transport, then the 4pm shift at the ATS than waking to a crisp morning, starting their shifts as you switch to ‘chill’... blue skies and the promise of The list is long and varied and not just often works well into the morning hours Tknowing the mountain is going to be in relevant to ‘on mountain’ crews. (3am is typical on big nights) to make sure pristine condition to rip some tram tracks the arrival experience gets your stay off to a Let’s start with the ‘boys in blue’, who’s down your favourite run. great start. busiest shift starts just as you’re heading Well, there is, it’s waking to 20cm plus off the hill. The local crew, staffed by a Then of course, the groomers and of fresh pow and getting the full ‘white terrific bunch from across the region and snowmaking teams. They’re the real unsung room’ experience before you’ve had your supplemented by the Operational Response legends, because without them, the product first coffee! Of course, you won’t need that Crew (ORU), are specially trained for the we all come here for wouldn’t be the same. caffeine because the thrill of a powder alpine environment and often in conditions Plus, when Mother Nature doesn’t play morning will give you a rush like little else. that few would consider going out in, can nice, their ability to manage the terrain, You’ll need that coffee a little later when the be found actively on duty across the village, make snow out of thin air (literally) and impact of that early morning wake up, that with safety, community engagement, plus ensure the snowpack is ready for first lifts is ensured you grabbed first lifts, or first turns law and order, their top priorities. absolutely paramount. So, whilst you start after the ‘pow hike’ begins to take its toll! getting ready to head out at 8am for first Then, the restaurant crews, the managers, lifts, they’re pretty much all just finishing Now, a mountain resort is a tremendously the chefs, the kitchen hands, the ‘dish pigs’ interesting place to work (for a whole lot their shifts… or grabbing dinner (what you’d (term of endearment), the wait and bar call breakfast), before a well-earned sleep. of reasons). Also, because it is basically staff similarly begin to ramp up to make 24/7 nonstop ‘everything’, there’s always sure your evening experience is just as Speaking of food… something going on. Days are full of memorable as your day on the slopes. awesomeness and night times are either Foodie Tip of the Week: “Fast Food”… spent recounting the day’s great moments, The snow clearing teams, they don’t just Munchski’s – try their pretzels (they’re not catching up with mates, or wishing come out to move tonnes of snow from what you think), and get the loaded fries, you’d got a massage because your legs are car parks and the roads when it’s snowing, with a huge range of toppings. Need a sugar burning, or for some going straight from but they manage and monitor the roads hit – Snonuts – better than the Colonel, après to dinner (…just ‘cause). to ensure your safety when you’re likely to everything is finger licking sensational. Easy Eats in the Village Bowl - the brekkie OPENING HOURS panini is a great start to the early morning 12noon – 4pm Tuesday to Sunday first lifts. Fancy something a little more European, hit Jerry’s Stall on Parallel Street Volunteers Needed Ph: Margy 03 5758 1200 – gourmet goulash soup, goulash pies, Panabode Building, Slalom Street, Falls Creek Czech pastries and piping hot gluhwein Map Ref: E4. Look for the Harvey Kat. (proclaimed to be the best on the hill). For Further Information: Enjoy…now get out there and carve some Wb: www.fallscreekmuseum.com.au corduroy. • Em: [email protected] Fb: facebook.com/fallscreekmuseum Stuart Smythe, CEO Ph: 03 5758 1200 Falls Creek Resort Management Resort Entry Tickets may also be purchased on-line at www.fallscreek.com.au Visitor Information Centre Child Care – Hours & Rates Rates The Falls Creek Visitor Information Centre is located Falls Creek Child Care is located in the St Falls complex, Adult: One Way $24 Return $39 in the Resort Management Office, up stairs on the at the base of the Halley’s Comet chairlift – open from Child One Way $18 Return $24 corner of Slalom Street and Bogong High Plains Road. 8:30am to 5pm, seven days a week for children from 12 Season Pass: Adult $200 Open 8am – 5pm daily for Visitor Information and Gym weeks to five years old. Kids Under Five: Free Memberships. Ph: 03 5758 1202. (Map Ref: E4) Hours & Rates Luggage Allowance Resort Entry Morning: 8:30am – 12:30pm $90 Afternoon: 1:30pm – 5pm $75 Two pieces of luggage, one pair of skis & boots or Resort Entry is located at Howman’s Gap, approx. 4km snowboard & boots and one piece of hand luggage Full Day: 8:30am – 5pm $135 before reaching Falls Creek. Day and Night passes are per person. Excess Luggage: $8 per item. $56.50 on arrival per day, (or $51.50 on line). If arriving Bookings are strongly recommended as places are limited. Ticket Sales – On Mountain & On Line after 5pm and departing prior to midnight on the same Make your booking at: www.fallscreek.com.au/childcare. From 27.06.19 until 09.09.19 all visitors will be required day, entry is free. Visitors over 65 years of age receive Accommodation Transfer Service a discount. to use the Accommodation Transfer Service. Operating from the Terminal Building on the Bogong High Visitor vehicles will not be permitted into the village Season Passes are available at $555 (or $475 on line). Plains Road, the Accommodatin Transfer Service will during this period. An ‘All Resorts’ permit, valid at all Victorian Snow move you, your family and your luggage comfortably to Resorts is available for $787.00. Enquire at the Visitor your lodge or apartment. Information Centre desk. Hours of Operation Resort Entry Fees fund the essential services of: Mon – Thurs & Sat: 8am – 10pm • Ski patrol • Car Parking Friday: 8am – 12 midnight Sunday: 8am – 10pm • Snow Clearing • Water Supply A Taxi Service is available in the Village during these Falls Creek Resort Management • Waste Management • Visitor Information Services hours. Ph: 03 5758 1203 General Enquiries: Ph: 03 5758 1200 2 Falls Creek & Mount Beauty THIS WEEK - Winter 2019 Edition NINE FROM THE GM Using Your Head last year, with the split between alpine skiers and snow-boarders being 70.8% vs 29.2% f like me, you grew up in the 70’s and 80’s respectively. Now I’m not about to cast any you’ll remember carefree days whizzing dispersions about this split (I’ll leave that around local neighbourhood streets on to you to debate over the dinner table) but Iyour bike (mine was a blue Malvern Star with what I will say is that overall, I reckon that a very glittery seat and a particularly flowery makes our Falls Creek’s skiing and boarding basket). In those days, nobody wore a helmet community pretty smart! and we so loved that sense of freedom of just having the wind in your hair. Resort 2019 % with Helmets Skiing was very much the same, however Thredbo 83.1% whilst Australia’s cycling industry became regulated in 1990’s and helmets became Perisher 83.1% mandatory, the skiing industry has never Mt Buller 86.8% been regulated and the right to choose to wear a helmet (or not) is still very much Mt Hotham 84.5% As it says in the Medical Centre advert on page yours today as it was yesteryear. Falls Creek 90.1% thirteen: “You’ve only got one head – put a lid on it!” Recently there has been a move to Pic – Tim @Top Shots Mt Baw Baw* No data* deregulate bicycle helmet laws in Australia, • Helmets help grow your on-snow advocating to allow those over the age of Charlotte Pass 86.8% confidence. 17 the right to choose whether or not to protect their heads when riding. Seems Mt Selwyn 66.0% To be honest, I was a late adopter of the helmet. I felt self-conscious and crazy given the statistics showing the impact Corin Forest 100.0% of helmets in saving lives! unfashionable. I have my skiing ‘wing-man’ Total Guests 84.2% and ‘snow-sister’ to thank for encouraging In stark contrast however, the Australian me (read into that… knock some sense into ski industry is seeing continued growth and Helmets save lives, no question, but here are a me) to buy one on a trip we took to Japan voluntary take-up of helmet wearing. Each few added bonuses the remaining 10% of our in 2015. I haven’t looked back. year, Australian ski resorts participate in a mountain population may like to consider: helmet survey and this year’s recent survey To all those helmet wearers, thank you for showed helmet use continues to trend • Helmets are warm.