Equipment & Clothes

The first 100 years – 1861 to 1961 Contributed by Wendy Cross When the first skiers of Kiandra schussed Township Hill, none would have dreamed that in less than a century, a multi-million dollar international industry would have grown up in response to a demand for not only ski equipment but also special clothing to…

Australian Timbers used in Skis Most skis used in Australian ski resorts today are overwhelmingly imported from North America and Europe.  However, prior to post-war globalisation and the development of light-weight synthetic laminates, most skis were crafted in Australia from local timbers. Early skis were generally carved from a single piece of wood, the properties…

Unlike today’s society, where electronics occupy our evenings, many women previously would spend their evening knitting or sewing. This was also a cheaper way of obtaining the latest styles, and in the absence of online shopping made a range of styles more accessible    

The latest styles on show  

Advertisements for ski equipment and clothing from the Ski Year Books.  

Skiing in Australia began at Kiandra in 1861, and until 1909, Kiandra was the only place in the country where skiing occurred. The skis were made from mountain ash and the bindings were a simple leather strap into which one kicked one’s boots. Hence the skis were known as Kiandra kick-ins. The size of the strap could be adjusted by leather thongs…