Happy New Year

It has been very warm in Thredbo. Locals would call it hot but those from the capital cities would laugh at such a suggestion. Fresh breezes have helped maintain sanity.

There is still a little snow around. The ever-diminishing Summer Drift was a popular playground for children under the midday sun. There is little of the cornice on Mt Kosciuszko while the odd speck can be seen elsewhere on the main range.

The village was pretty well fully booked for an extended weekend. Thanks to Mark Travers and his mates, the village square was rocking last night and well into the early hours of today. Mark’s staying power was well beyond many of the revellers as he blasted us into the New Year with hardly a break.

Last Friday evening I was stuck in a traffic jam trying to enter the Kosciuszko National Park on the Alpine Way. While sitting for a ridiculous amount of time I kept asking myself: “Why are National Parks spending vast amounts of money to widen the entrance to the park when they simply can’t man the two toll gates already in place on what had to be expected to be a very busy start to a very busy weekend?”. Widening the entrance and installing more tax collecting booths appears to be a cynical exercise and waste of funds if the booths are not going to be open at busy times.

New Basin hut, Summer Drift, bobsled, snowmaking reaches mid station

Mt Kosciuszko, Mt Carruthers and the Club Lake chutes

Lush green in the height of the alpine summer

Lynne traversing the fields of wild flowers

Where bush fires raged only a few years ago

Annie surrounded by the natural beauty of the mountains

Floral spectacular – as brilliant as any fireworks display

Last snow on Signature Hill

Mark Travers and mates playing to an enthusiastic crowd

Would you let your NPWS destroy these wild brumbies?

Happy birthday to Deirdre (whose girls brought a cultural evening to Thredbo by springing a surprise cocktail birthday party last Saturday). Happy birthday to many others including Acacia whose birthday is generally lost amongst the hangovers and resolutions on New Year’s Day.