I found a photo that my Dad took at Thredbo many years ago. I put a date of 1973? on the photo but was wondering if anyone here could give me an accurate answer as opposed to my guess. Thanks in advance!
Yes this is definitely Thredbo. My guess would be looking back towards the village on the old Crackenback Chair. You can see the old Ramshead base station at the base (to left in the picture). You can clearly see Valley Terminal, which hasn't changed much over the years (for good or ill). Great photo by the way!
I started skiing Thredbo in '73 or '74. My memory is that it was more built up than in that photo, but memory is a funny thing.
The only way to date it within a few years is to identify which buildings are in the photo and which are not. That could be done in a few hours by sitting down with a list of past and present buildings and photos of them... but I doubt it's worth the effort. Of course, there's the chance that someone will recognise a building that was built or demolished in the 60s or 70s and the date could be narrowed down that way.
My dad took this photo in 1975. Comparing it to the above photo I can't see any great difference in the buildings so I would guess your photo is from the same period. Another indicator is the patterning of your print. It was printed on textured paper that is "bumpy" - i can't remember what its called but I remember many of our photos were printed on it. It was very popular during the 70's
I reckon you are pretty close with '73. Combined with the state of the village, those boots plus the fashion colour maroon say early 70's to me. Those leather boots could be anywhere between late 65 & 75, but skins style ski pants in the late 60's were mostly dark colours - plus that guy is channeling Gough Whitlam with the haircut so I reckon it's 71~74 probably at the closer end to 1970. Uncut image URL here https://ski-forum.imgix.net/2018/08/61275_3e1bb8347787cd1d93b39ec0ab9d79bd.jpg
I ski occasionally with step-bro and his spouse they have sort-of matching outfits, prob from late 70s and very much in the style and colours of that time amusingly, they claim they're Gore-tex
Only 123cm depth in 1973, looks about right by lack of any coverage and having to upload skis in hand.
It was before snowmaking. Top to bottom was rare - maybe 2 or 3 events a season. You almost always had to carry your skis from the bottom and download at the end of the day.
