The future of Mount Hotham and Falls Creek will be focused just as much on summer activities as the traditional snow season, as new board members deal with the impact of climate change.
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New Mount Hotham chair Maxine Morand and new Falls Creek chair Jo Shannon had an informal meeting last week to start discussions about the coming years of managing Alpine snowfields.
The Victorian government has directed the boards of all the state’s snowfields work together.
One of the big strategies will be to improve summer tourism opportunities.
“The minister wants us to focus on climate change, all the mountains are affected by that. I think there will be more emphasis on ensuring that it’s a place to go all year round,” Ms Morand said. “The whole year is important, not just for the mountain but for the local economy.”
A CSIRO-Bureau of Meteorology report last year predicted Falls Creek’s average maximum snow depth could fall from 150cm between 1980 and 1999, to between 20cm and 105cm between 2040 and 2059, depending on the level of emissions.
Mount Hotham’s average maximum snow depth could fall from 130cm to between 15cm and 95cm.
“The possibility is that the season may be shorter because there will be less precipitation and higher temperatures so investment in snow-making by the lift companies is important and providing some snow, even when the natural conditions aren’t conducive to making snow,” Ms Morand said.
She said they planned to build on last year’s “awesome snow season”, which involved bumper snowfall, but also encourage more hiking and cycling tourism.
Ms Morand, a former Victorian MP based in Melbourne, is joined on the board by members from Wangaratta, Myrtleford, Mansfield and Albury.
“I think that’s a really positive thing and it helps us understand the community even better than we already do,” she said.
“It’s a beautiful place, it’s got a stunning outlook, the skiing is fantastic and you meet a lot of people.”
Falls Creek was also looking to improve its efficiency and transparency under the leadership of a new board, conducting a review of resort services and costs.
“I am committed to taking an open and collaborative approach to deliver sustainable outcomes for all stakeholders,” Ms Shannon said.