Locals have welcomed back Mount Beauty’s slide “It’s been missed. It’s good to have a big, fun slide for kids but it’s also a beautiful sculpture – one where people stop in the town.”

Mount Beauty’s teardrop slide has been out of action since December 2017 when it was closed off due to safety concerns. 

Alpine Shire Council had earmarked Easter as a desirable date to re-open the slide but didn’t make the holiday timing, resulting in missing the peak tourism periods of Christmas and Easter. 

In January, the council’s acting manager for asset development, Francine Stacey said users had experienced “discomfort” and “friction burns” in sliding.

She said it was suspected the white paint added to the slide may have been a trigger for the problems.

Ms Stacey said it was also believed the angle of the slide may need to be adjusted because users speed up rather than slow down as they descend. 

The slide, which was designed by Yackandandah sculptor Benjamin Gilbert, had complied with all safety standards, Ms Stacey said. 

The teardrop entry cage and pipe form of the slide reflects Mount Beauty’s hydro-electricity history.