In 1959, Ken Murray built the first Sundeck Hotel. It was the first hotel in Perisher, contained 32 beds and cost £50,000. It was close to most of the existing ski club lodges and provided a centre where all skiers could gather, chat, have a drink and listen to music. Ernst Laresse and Len Harrison were the first joint managers of Sundeck. Sundeck’s first season was a great success.

In 1959, Ken Murray built the first Sundeck Hotel. It was the first hotel in Perisher, contained 32 beds and cost £50,000. It was close to most of the existing ski club lodges and provided a centre where all skiers could gather, chat, have a drink and listen to music. Ernst Laresse and Len Harrison were the first joint managers of Sundeck. Sundeck’s first season was a great success.

Catastrophe struck Sundeck in January 1960 when it burnt to the ground. The fire was fanned by a bitter alpine wind and the hotel was destroyed in two hours. Barking by the hotel dog, ‘Chilla’, raised the alarm at about 2.15 am and all 38 guests and 10 staff were saved. A fire engine sent by the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority from Island Bend reached the burning hotel within 45 min but it was too late to have any effect.

Catastrophe struck Sundeck in January 1960 when it burnt to the ground. The fire was fanned by a bitter alpine wind and the hotel was destroyed in two hours. Barking by the hotel dog, ‘Chilla’, raised the alarm at about 2.15 am and all 38 guests and 10 staff were saved. A fire engine sent by the Snowy Mountains Hydroelectric Authority from Island Bend reached the burning hotel within 45 min but it was too late to have any effect.

Encouraged by his loyal, first-season guests, Ken Murray immediately set about the rebuilding of Sundeck. However the rebuild was complicated by snow and almost continuous blizzards in May and June. Also Murray had already started to build the Man from Snowy River Hotel on the other side of Perisher Valley. In the event, both hotels were completed for 1960, a year Murray described as “the most trying of my whole life”.

If you compare photos 1 and 3 in this sequence, you will notice that, in the new Sundeck Hotel, the building on the right has been turned through 90 degrees compared to the first Sundeck.

Encouraged by his loyal, first-season guests, Ken Murray immediately set about the rebuilding of Sundeck. However the rebuild was complicated by snow and almost continuous blizzards in May and June. Also Murray had already started to build the Man from Snowy River Hotel on the other side of Perisher Valley. In the event, both hotels were completed for 1960, a year Murray described as “the most trying of my whole life”.

If you compare photos 1 and 3 in this sequence, you will notice that, in the new Sundeck Hotel, the building on the right has been turned through 90 degrees compared to the first Sundeck.