Hotham Community News March 2015

t a n a g e m e nBt o a r d ' sm i s s i o ni s t o d e l i v e r
T h e M o u n t H o t h a mR e s o r M
A u s t r a l i ap' sr e m i e ra l p i n er e s o r t -t h r o u g ht h e o p h m a lm a n a g e m e no tf t h r s
u n i q u eC r o w nA s s e t ,
Consultationbegan in 2013 with
t h e G u n a i k u r n aLi a n da n d W a t e r
AboriginalCorporatronand other
TraditionalOwner groupsto develop
an interpretivesignageplan and
o
f
M
t
L i n k i n gt h e t w o a l p i n ev i l l a g e s
traditional
trail name, promoting
H o t h a ma n d D i n n e rP l a i nt h e t r a i l i s 1 2
significant awarenessof the ongoing
kilometresin length,with a surfaceof
A b o r i g i n ahl e r i t a g ei n t h e a r e a . T h e
compactedcrushedrock.The project
graiw
l a sa p p r o v e d
w a s i m p l e m e n t e dt o p r o v i d ea S r e a t e r n a m e B r a b r a l u n T
by GLaWACin December2014.
rangeof recreationalopportunity to a
B r a b r a l u n gi s, t h e n a m eo f t h e
rangeof participants,i e , cyclingand
G u n a i k u r n iC
a l a nf o r t h i s r e g i o no f
w a l k i n gd u r i n gt h e s u m m e rm o n t h sa n d
G
i
p
p
s
l
a
n
d
t
,
r
a n s l a t e da s M a l e ,B e r r y
cross-countryskiingduring the winter.
'the people'.
Worcat (female),meaning
It was a joint project,co-funded
pathway
between the Mt Hotham Aloine Resort This ancient mountain
its
length,
is
interpreted
along
M a n a g e m e nB
t o a r da n d A l p i n eS h i r e
e n c o u r a g i nagl l t o l e a r no f t h e p a s t ,
with assistancefrom ParksVictoria
understandthe present,and discover
a n d t h e G u n a i k u r n aLi a n da n d W a t e r s
"first
the
future of the Aboriginal
AboriginalCorporation(GLaWAC)
p e o p l e s "o f t h e A l p s .
Constructtonof the trail commenced
Due to its accessibilityto a range
in 2004 under strict environmental
o f u s e r sa
, n d w i d e a p p e a tl h r o u g h
guidelines. In 2005 a cultural heritage
n a t u r a la n d c u l t u r a lh e r i t a g ev a l u e s ,
assessmentidentified 25 aboriginal
the BrabralungTrailhas the potential
sites in vicinityof the trail Thesesites
t o b e c o m eo n e o f t h e m o r e p o p u l a r
w e r e i n c o r p o r a t e di n t o t h e p l a n n i n g
recreationaltrails in the area
f o r t h e t r a i lt o e n s u r et h a t t h e i r
M t H o t h a ma n d D i n n e rP l a i na r e a b o u t
t o l a u n c ht h e o p e n i n go f a n e w i c o n i c
t r a i l t h a t w i l l h i g h l i g htth e i m p o r t a n c e
of Aboriginalheritageofthe region.
historicalsignificancewas preserved.
Trailconstructionwas recommencedin
2 0 1 1w i t h t h e a p p r o v aol f a n A b o r i g i n a l
t lan
C u l t u r aH
l e r i t a g eM a n a g e m e n P
( A C H M Pf)o r t h e t r a i l .I n a c c o r d a n c e
w i t h t h e A C H M Pi t w a s r e c o m m e n d e d
t h a t t h e H o t h a m- D i n n e rP l a i nT r a i lb e
g i v e na n a p p r o p r i a t eA b o r i g i n anl a m e .
T h e B r a b r a l u n tgr a i l a l s oc o m p l i m e n t s
a growing ranSeof iconictracks & trails
i n t h e M t H o t h a ma r e a ,i n c l u d i n gt h e
Razorbackand Mt FeathertopTrack,
T h e F a l l st o H o t h a mA l p i n eC r o s s i n g ,
T h eA u s t r a l i a n
A l p sW a l k i n gT r a c kT
, he
C o b u n g r aD i t c ha n d t h e H u t sW a l k .
The Board reviewsits Emergency
M a n a g e m e nP
t l a na n n u a l l yt o e n s u r ei t i s
current and that the risk mitigation strategies
we have in place are appropriate.
The current review is in preparationof
our three yearly audit by Emergency
ManagementVictoriaand requiresa
comolete overhaulin accordancewith
the recent changesmade to Emergency
ManagemenL
t e g i s l a t i o nT.h i sw i l l i n c l u d e
reviewingour existingrisk assessments
to
evaluateif there are any changesto be made.
Sincethe 2013 fires the Boardhas develooed
and implementedthe BushfireEmergenry
M a n a g e m e nP
t l a n( B E M P l w i t ht h e k e yf o c u s
on human life and safety.
Eachyear we contact stakeholdersto
m i n i m i s eb u s h f i r er i s ka r o u n dt h e i r l o d g e s
a n d b u i l d i n g sa s p a r t o f o u r o n g o i n gf i r e
managementprogram
We would liketo thank you all for your
ongoingcommitment to the safetyof our
Resortparticularlyduring the fire season
each year.
Mount Hotham ResortManagementBoard
proudly supportsthe eventsthat occupyour
s u m m e rc a l e n d a ra n d d r a w v i s i t a t i o nt o o u r
resort during the green season.Thankyou
to The GeneralStoreand their team for the
successof the Cool Summer Festival.Also
t h a n k y o u t o G r a n tS e a m e ra n d h i st e a m w h o
brought the AdventureKidsFestivalto the
resort for the first time this year.The event
was a successin its first year and the Resort
Managementis hoping to build on this in the
comrnSyears.
accommodationafter the successof the
Mountain DreamingApartments, with
the addition of 4 more apartments.
The buildingwill have improvedaccess
for guestswith a network of external
walkways,and refurbishmentofthe
existingkitchen. Guestscan now access
their accommodationwithout the need to
walk through the pub and eatingareas.
New developmentsand ertensionsare
underwayaround the resort this summer
includingthe rebuild of KoomerangSki
Club, additionsto The GeneralStore's
Mountain Dreamingapartmentsand
a number of smallerscaleworks being
carriedout on a number of lodges.
Kongoolahave added a new lobby and
manager'sroom to their lodge. Works
beganin 2014 and should be completed
before winter this year.
Blue Rlbbon todge haveinstallednew
steel emergency stairs.
LawletsCar Park area has been upgraded
to includea new entry point, extensionto
accommodatean additionalten parking
spaces,sealingofthe car park surface
Koomerang Ski Oub rebuild kicked off
to incorporatedrainagerequirements,
after severalyearsof planning- the rebuild upgradeof existingsewer pipework,
commencedin November2014. The first
public lightingand pedestrianaccess.
step was to demolishthe old Koomerang
buildingto make way for the new, large6
The ResortManagementBoard upgraded
two storey lodge. Equippedwith 8
the sewer before winter 201.4and Lawlers
bedroomsall with en-suitet this lodge can have engageda companyto completethe
now sleep up to 30 people. A large ramp
remainderof the works.
allowsaccessfrom DavenportDrive into
the lodge with communal areasof drying
The project is set to be completed before
room, loungeand dining areasand a fully
this winter.
functionalkitchen
lf you would like to speok to our propefty
We all look forward to seeingthe final
deportment regording Property Leoses,
product which is due for completionbefore
Building Permits ond oll other
the beginningofthe 2015 winter season.
development enquiries pleose antoct our
The General Store decided to expand their ofice on 0j 5759 3550.
ln 2O1O,a 700 yeor storm event thot
'volley
creoted o
woshout', highlighted
the need to replace the Swindler's Volley
pipeline. The Mount Hothom Resort
Manogement Board hos been monoging
the constructionand replocement of the
Swindler's Volleystormwoter pipe since
thot event.
a rangeof positionsincludingsurveying,
contractsupervisors,transport logistics,
pipelineand outlet construction,and
installationof snowmakingpipesand
serviceswhich run under the valleyfloor,
assistingthe eight member team from
Extons.
The main pipelinehas been completed
ahead of scheduleand a total of 204.
2.lm diameter pipes made of reinforced
concretewith a storm flow capacity
of 45,000 litres per secondhave been
The S7.5 million pipelineproject was
installed.(Thisflow would fill the
funded by the StateGovernment
s n o w m a k i n gd a m a t L o c hC a r P a r ki n 5
allocatingthe money to the Department
of Environment,Land,Water and Planning m i n u t e s ) .
(DELWP).
A six-wheeldrive ex-armytruck with 23
tonne grossvehiclemasswas purchased
Mt Hotham ResortManagementBoard
and fitted with a cradleto transport pipe
and DELWPformed an agreementwhich
sectionsto the valleyfloor.
allowed the funds to be used for the
project.
Mt Hotham ResortManagementBoard
The storm createdsignificantdamageto
the alreadydegradedpipelineand the
VillageChairliftloadingstation.
Followingthe tender application,Benalla
excavatingand earthmovingcontractors,
Extons,was awardedthe contractto
installthe major pipes in the valley.
ResortManagementhas had up to 1.3
employeesin
ManagerTechnicalServices,Tom Pelly
said "The project team has been highly
motivatedand there has been a high
degreeof cooperationbetween the
MHRMBstaffand the contractors."
Insteadof transportingthe largeamount
of crushedrock neededfor the project,
ResortManagementBoardwas able to
utiliselocal resourcesto acquire material
for fill around the pipe from Whitley'sCar
Park.
The new Whitley's Car Parkwas
constructedwith an extra 50 per cent
parkingcapacity.
ResortManagementBoard said
revegetaionon all constructionareaswill
be completed prior to the 201.5snow
sea50n.
Along with servicesin the valley,
snowmakingpipes were installedin Slalom
Gully.
Mt Hotham SkiingCompanywill also
be purchasinga new PB400 Winch Cat
Grooming machinefor the upcoming
winter.
mhar@mthotham.com.au
mthotham.com.au
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