Charlotte Pass

Although recreational skiing in Australia began in the little mining town of Kiandra (1861), the sport only developed after the NSW Government Tourist Bureau (NSWGTB) built the Hotel Kosciusko (1909) at Diggers Creek, 27 km from Mt Kosciuszko. The ’Old Hotel’ provided very comfortable lodgings for many more than could be accommodated at Kiandra and it was much easier to reach. Skiing really began to take off.
Despite their very limited technique, skiers at the ‘Old Hotel’ rapidly explored the surrounding area as far south as Mt Kosciuszko. At Charlotte’s Pass they not only discovered more challenging slopes in a protected little valley but also excellent, close access to the southern end of the Main Range. They began to lobby the NSW Government to build accommodation at Charlotte’s Pass.
Though slow to move, the NSWGTB was undoubtedly prodded into action by the Seaman/Hayes tragedy of 1928. Caught in very bad weather at the summit of Mt Kosciuszko, Laurie Seaman and Evan Hayes lost their lives. It was apparent that a much more efficient search for the men could have been organised from Charlotte’s Pass than from the Hotel Kosciusko.
The NSWGTB built the first Chalet at Charlotte’s Pass in 1930 and it underwent several additions before burning down in 1938. It was rebuilt for the 1939 season and a separate building, the Ski Club of Australia Annexe, was added in 1940. The Annex was connected to the Chalet by an enclosed overhead walkway.
In 1935 the NSWGTB brought to Australia the first overseas ski instructor, Ernst Skardarasy, from Zürs, Austria. Ernst taught beginners at the Hotel Kosciusko and advanced skiers at the Chalet for three years.
In 1938, the NSWGTB built at the Chalet the first large ski tow in Australia. It resembled a modern T-bar with a steel cable passing over pulleys which were suspended from seven sturdy wooden towers. The cable carried J-bars rather than T-bars.
For almost 30 years the Chalet was the major centre of skiing in NSW. State, National and International race meetings, both alpine and cross-country, were held there on a regular basis.
Private enterprise finally came to the Chalet in 1962 when NSWGTB leased it to Kosciusko Chalet Ltd. Since then the Chalet has had a succession of owners, the most recent being Charlotte Pass Resort Ltd which took over in 2007. Charlotte’s Pass is now a little village containing one hotel, four commercial lodges and eight ski clubs. The village has one chairlift, one T-bar, two Poma lifts and two ‘magic carpets’.
The advent of Perisher (1950) and Thredbo (1957) resorts, with their greater variety of terrain and steeper slopes, combined with easier access, has to a limited extend pushed Charlotte Pass into the background. Nonetheless, it is a wonderful resort for beginners and intermediate skiers and provides an unmatched base for ski touring. There remains a generation of skiers (ageing) who have very fond memories of learning to ski there.
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The NSW Government opens the Chalet at Charlotte Pass
Further reading: https://perisherhistory.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Chalet.pdf Some Notes on the Chalet Opening, Aust Ski Yr Bk, 1930, p.57.
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First Interstate Race
The first interstate race between NSW and Victoria was at Charlotte Pass. The NSW Team was L-R: Venn Wesche, Cam McFadyen and John Collins.
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Sverre Kaaten sets Ski Jump record
Sverre Kaaten sets an Australian Ski Jump record of 43.5 m at Charlotte Pass.
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NSW Mens Ski Team at Charlotte Pass
L-R: George Lamble, K. Kvist, Sverre Kaaten (c), Colin Gilder, Ray Utne and George Day. Reg Gelling was later substituted for Gilder.
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Ernst Skardarasy instructs at the Chalet and the Hotel Kosciusko
The NSW Government brings Ernst Skardarasy (Austria) to Australia to teach the Arlberg Technique.
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The First International Skiing Competition in Australia
The First International Skiing Competition in Australia was held at Charlotte Pass between teams from Australia, New Zealand and the USA. Pictured are the USA Team L-R: David Bradley, Steve Bradley and Dick Durrance (USA Captain). Durrance, who was the US Slalom and Downhill Champion, won the Slalom, the Jump, was second in the Downhill…
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The New Zealand Inter Dominion Team
The New Zealand Inter Dominion Team was the first to visit Australia for the International Competition at Charlotte Pass.
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Chalet Transport
George Day experimented with various forms of oversnow transport during the thirties. Here are two versions of the Citröen Kegresse, a half track vehicle.
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The NSW Government builds the ‘ski hoist’
The NSW Government builds the first large mechanical ski lift (‘the ski hoist’) in Australia and the second after the Cresta Run lift at Mt Buffalo, Victoria.
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The first Chalet burns to the ground
The first Chalet burns to the ground on 7 August, 1938. Further reading: The Chalet Fire Charlotte’s Pass by J.E. Biggs et al., Aust and NZ Ski Yr Book 1939, p.2.
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The NSW Government opens the second Chalet
Further reading: The New Chalet, Aust. Ski Yr. Bk., 1939, p.117.
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The Allied Services Meeting
The Allied Services Meeting, the second international competition held in Australia, was held at Charlotte Pass between teams from Australia, New Zealand, England and Norway and individuals from China, France, Canada and the USA.
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Colin Wyatt’s painting of a possible village at Charlotte Pass
Ken Murray commissioned Colin Wyatt to paint a possible ski village at Charlotte Pass. It hung in the Chalet for about 10 years.
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The Day Family
George and Eve Day, pictured here with sons Gordon and Bill, were managers of the Chalet from 1932 to 1949.
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The Studebaker M29 Weasel
The Studebaker M29 Weasel was used as an oversnow vehicle from 1946 for about 20 years .
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Patsy Finlayson instructs at the Chalet
Patsy Finlayson becomes the first ever female instructor in the Kosciuszko area.
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Sasha Nekvapil instructs with Tony Sponar at the Chalet
Sasha Nekvapil instructs with Tony Sponar at the Chalet and remains until 1957.
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Bill Day selected for the first of his three Winter Olympic Games
Further reading: Billy Day: A Profile by Donald Maclurcan
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Marie and Stan McGuinn
Marie and Stan McGuinn were managers of the Chalet from 1954-1962.
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Christine Davy selected for the first of her two Winter Olympic Games
Further reading: Christine Davy by George Chisholm, Aust Ski Yr Bk,, 1962, p.56.
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The NSW Government leases the Chalet to Kosciusko Chalet Ltd
The NSW Government leases the Chalet to Kosciusko Chalet Ltd (KCL) whose major shareholder was Broken Hill Holdings.
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Kosciusko Chalet Ltd builds the Guthrie Poma at the Chalet
Kosciusko Chalet Ltd (Broken Hill Holdings) builds the Guthrie Poma at the Chalet.
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Kosciusko Chalet Ltd replaces the Pulpit Rock Lift
Kosciusko Chalet Ltd replaces the Pulpit Rock Hamilton duplex Lift with a Poma lift 200 metres to the north along the line of the former Chalet Ski Jump.
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Kosciusko Chalet Ltd opens the ‘worlds longest chairlift’
Kosciusko Chalet Ltd opens the ‘worlds longest chairlift’. It was actually two chairlifts, one commencing on the Alpine Way, the other at the Chalet and both meeting under a restaurant on the top of the Crackenback Range.
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The Ramshead Restaurant of the Worlds Longest Chairlift
The ‘Worlds Longest Chairlift’ (between the Alpine Way and the Chalet) was actually two chairlifts whose bull wheels were housed under the Ramshead Restaurant on the top of the Crackenback (Ramshead) Range.
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Charlotte Pass Interclub competition begins
Charlotte Pass Interclub competition begins initially involving Kosciusko Alpine Club, Southern Alps Ski Club and the Chalet Social Ski Club.
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Kosciusko Chalet Ltd goes into receivership
Kosciusko Chalet Ltd goes into receivership and Moteliers Ltd (later Noah’s Ltd) takes over the lease.
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The Cell Block
The Cell Block, now staff quarters, was formerly the bottom station, (Charlotte Pass end) of the ‘world’s longest chairlift’.
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Geoff Nott and Rex Cox start Charlotte Pass Race Carnival
Geoff Nott and Rex Cox start Charlotte Pass Race Carnival which consisted of a Slalom, Giant Slalom, Downhill, Cross-Country, Jump, KAC Open 10 km Cross-Country and the Stilwell Downhill. The carnival continued annually until 2004 before relocating firstly to Perisher and later to Thredbo.
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The Chalet Band
The Chalet Band L-R: Marty Moonie, Keith Jenkins, Willy Qua and Chris Qua.
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KAC begins the KAC Martini and Rossi Cross-country Classic
At the suggestion of Ross Martin and promoted by Club Captain Geoff Nott, KAC begins the KAC Martini and Rossi Cross-country Classic, a point-to-point race from Perisher Valley to Charlotte Pass.
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Charlotte Pass Village (Len Markham chairman) takes over lease from Noah’s Ltd
Charlotte Pass Village begins to sell lodge sites the first of which went to Knockshannock Ski Club in 1976.
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Charlotte Pass Ski School
L-R: David Mead, Chris?, Dick Oldfield (Head), Martin Walkers, Rick Walkom, Paul Hynes, Tom Robinson, Bruce Smith, Ashur Hart.
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Spencer’s Creek and Tar-Gan-Gil Ski Clubs and Alitji Lodge (commercial) open
Spencer’s Creek (pictured) and Tar-Gan-Gil Ski Clubs and Alitji Lodge (commercial) open
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Chalet Instructors
Standing L-R: Paul Hynes, Dick Oldfield, Ron ‘Tosca’ Toscano, Dugal Mackie, Martin Walkers, Dr Tony Delaney, Rick Walkom, Ashur Hart, Tom Robinson. Seated L-R: Megan Thomas, Tracy Ellis, Linda Vanderfield, Carolyn Foote.
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Charlotte Pass Ski School
L-R: Jeremy Valencour, (Director), Beau Emanuel, Daniel Wilton, Liz Riley, Knut Lechenbusch, Kate Overton, Natalie Campbell, Ben Woods (front), Roberto Ireland, James Halliwell, Absent, Alan Rissman, Jake Ivatts.
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