Thredbo, New South Wales
From Biocrawler, the free encyclopedia.
Thredbo (36°29′ S 148°18′ E (http://kvaleberg.com/extensions/mapsources/index.php?params=36_29_S_148_18_E_region:AU-NSW)) is a village and ski resort in the Snowy Mountains of New South Wales, Australia. Thredbo is located about 500 kilometers south of Sydney. It is accessible by the Alpine Way. Thredbo village is built in the valley of the Thredbo River, formerly known as the Crackenback River, at the foot of the Ramshead Range.
When the mountain is fully covered by snow, Thredbo has the longest ski runs in Australia, and has around 700,000 visitors. In summer, Thredbo is a hiking and summer sport destination, and hosts a blues music festival, and has around 300,000 visitors.
Thredbo was developed by a syndicate of people who were working on the Snowy Mountains Hydro-Electric Scheme. In 1957 this syndicate was granted a head-lease over the area that Thredbo now occupies. Development occurred in following years under Lend Lease Corporation. In January 1987, Amalgamated Holdings Limited (AHL) purchased the head lease from the Lend Lease. AHL operates the Thredbo village, services, real estate, and lease arrangements as a public company.
Thredbo landslide
Eighteen people died when the Bimbadene and Carinya Lodges collapsed at Thredbo Alpine Village at 11.30pm on 30 July 1997. John Cameron, a member of Brindabella Ski Club, and 17 residents of Bimbadeen Ski Lodge lost their lives when Carinya (owned by the Brindabella Ski Club) and Bimbadeen Lodges collapsed when the slope under Carinya Lodge slipped downhill. Bimbadeen Staff Lodge was then hit, and it too collapsed. Witnesses reported hearing "a whoosh of air, a crack and a sound like a freight train rushing the hill". One survivor, Stuart Diver, was pulled from the wreckage. He had lain trapped for 3 days in a small space between two concrete slabs beside the body of his wife, Sally, who had been trapped by a concrete beam that collapsed across their bed.
Brindabella Ski Club opened its new lodge on 5 June 2004.
Alpine Training Centre
The Alpine Training Centre, opened in 1996, houses a 50m and 25m indoor swimming pool, wading pool with waterslide, two full size basketball courts, squash court, fully equipped gymnasium, physiotherapist and traverse climbing wall. It has been used by the Australian Institute of Sport for high altitude training for athletes for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.
External links
- Lend Lease Corporation (http://www.lendlease.com.au)
- Amalgamated Holdings Limited (AHL) (http://www.ahl.com.au)
- Thredbo village (http://www.thredbo.com.au/)
- Facts and Figures (http://www.thredbo.com.au/about/factsandfigures.asp)
- Brindabella Ski Club (http://www.brindabellaskiclub.org.au/home.html)

