Ellis Collection – Kosciusko Chalet 1930s

This significant collection documents the day-to-day construction of the “new” Kosciusko Chalet in 1938-39.

The original Chalet was built in 1930 by the NSW government and additions were gradually added over the years. In August 1938 the Chalet burnt to the ground. The government decided to immediately rebuild the Chalet, which was completed in time for the snow season of 1939.

These photographs were taken by Jim Ellis who was born in 1914 and lived in Sydney.  Jim worked on the construction of the ‘new’ Chalet in 1938-9 and as a keen photographer, he was in a unique position to document the construction of this historic building which still stands today.  Jim spent most of his working life at the NSW Government transport department workshops at Chullora, building and maintaining trams and buses.   His great passions were his family, photography, camping and fishing, and it was apparent from the photographs that he had visited the Snowy area prior to the rebuild of the Chalet.

Perisher Historical Society is most grateful to Jim’s step-grandson Glen Crawford who has kindly passed on this excellent collection.

Please click on the individual images for a larger view.