[IDEA] Oberon, NSW Ski Field?

[Infinity Dawn]

Yesterday i read a thread back from 2008, which fascinated me for quite some time. That thread was from 2008 and we are now another 8 years into the future with technology for snow at its highest its ever been. I thought hard last night about how and if this is actually a possible idea. I think if cards are played right it could be very possible. First lets disregard money because thats not a factor in the idea stage.

Original 2008 Thread: https://www.ski.com.au/xf/threads/new-ski-hill-near-oberon-nsw.17665/ Highly Recommend Reading Great Content & Ideas

Location: Like in the thread from 2008, there are essentially 2 options to choose from, Mount Trikett or Mount Bindo

Mount Trikett Map:

Mount Bindo Map:

Natural Snow Fall: Over June / July / August, the mountains both recieve snowfalls going from 5cm to 30cm range. What people would need to understand straight off the bat it that this ski field would be spring like conditions with some powder days.

Snowmaking: To put it this way, without this technology it would not be possible to even consider a resort here. Temps from mid June to mid august dip into the wetbulb zone mostly every night and if the snowmaking is good, you would be able to produce some really good quality dry snow. Importantly thinking to leave guns on during the day if temps stay cold enough. #Side Note: Mount Trikett has a natural lake / dam within the area, easily dig this to become a dam and you could use the water from here to pump back onto the hill for snowmaking.

Runs: Im not very good at calculating runs and all that shenanigans but i presume with enough engineering a flat beginner slope could be created, along with some nice 1km blue runs and a fancy terrain park with jibs and boxes.

Roads: Already existing

Land: Most of it is private land with the ability to expand to national park territory through negotiations.

Final thoughts? Obviously i could put way more detail into this but i would be getting carried away. So lets keep to the basics and discuss some ideas for this to be possible! Maybe one day it might happen!!! (Shark Tank im looking at you )

 

[Ben Collins]

Great idea, would want to see it happen!

 

[cold wombat]

Is this before or after Mt WASTED gets done?

 

[Jellybeans]

In theory, great idea and in reality, poor idea....

 

[marv hucker]

Lot closer to Sydney than anything else.
But wouldn't it effectively be more like a Baw Baw type set-up ? Lower price, lower elevations, less facililties, easier runs. Is there much money in that?

 

[Infinity Dawn]

Honestly i think it could work, the temps are low, just a south facing slope and perhaps get "things" to cover the snow in the day (Sun shades) and install a 2 seater lift for the Flats, T-Bars for the rest of the slopes.

 

[cold wombat]

Honestly i think it could work, the temps are low, just a south facing slope and perhaps get "things" to cover the snow in the day (Sun shades) and install a 2 seater lift for the Flats, T-Bars for the rest of the slopes.

Capital investment required for that says no. Dat annoying ROI pest thingy.

 

[Legs Akimbo]

Water?

 

[Myazma]

Mate got turns in up there last year after a dump, well just, I think he straight lined the paddock

 

[Majikthise]

Would be more akin to Corin Forest. Snow play +.

Bindo is closer to a pub.

 

[Kieran]

Problem is it's not actually that close to Sydney, so the ability to tap that large population base probably isn't there.

 

[expatgm]

Happy to throw money on a bet with the OP it will never happen. ()

 

[cold wombat]

Happy to throw money on a bet with the OP it will never happen. ()

I'll join you for any odds up to 10^10:1.

 

[Infinity Dawn]

I made a model in a program called Unity 3D, The terrain is 1:1 scale and it would make some good blue / green runs with excellent opportunities for a terrain park. (Mount Trickett) I can do Bimbo Next, should be a hour or so.

 

[Jellybeans]

Would be more akin to Corin Forest. Snow play +.

Bindo is closer to a pub.

And the pub is the measure of snow resorts and snow places now
Agree with the Corin Forest alignment.

 

[Legs Akimbo]

I made a model in a program called Unity 3D, The terrain is 1:1 scale and it would make some good blue / green runs with excellent opportunities for a terrain park. (Mount Trickett) I can do Bimbo Next, should be a hour or so.

Show me the water!!!!!

 

[Infinity Dawn]

Can anyone suggest a area to generate a 3D model of for the Corin Forest, lots of potential there, water is coming, hidden by the trees

 

[sly_karma]

Corin Forest is close to population and has struggled over the years in an on-again, off-again manner. I'd like to see the business case for something similar in the Oberon area, should make interesting reading.

 

[rollyz]

Awesome! Great to see someone bring this up again

Yes, it possible. There are different snow making methods that could suit. Only 2 hours from Sydney, gives 5 million people the opportunity the chance for day skiing. There is a few accomodation places out there, mainly tapping in on the Caves and National Park tourists. Mt Tricket, Mt Bindo, Shooters Hill, all around 1365m. Most is State Forest, so activities can be organised and land leased. Also Mt Tricket has a lot of private land above 1300. Water, Bindo has a small dam. Tricket has a natural spring, Shooters Hill has farm dams nearby. Dams to collect water throughout the year on catchments can be easily made, and pumped and stored in tanks. Tricket is quite flat up top, but better runs as you go down. Bindow has good steep runs, and a pub near by. Shooters Hill has a village at the bottom of the hill.

 

[robbo mcs]

I don't like to snuff out peoples dreams, but who is going to pay for this?

Say I had $20-30m sitting around looking to invest, I could find plenty of better places to invest it to get a good return. This would be incredibly capital intensive, and I suspect very few customers would ever turn up. Let alone the minefield of planning, council approvals etc etc The business case just does not stack up, and it will never happen.

It is interesting from a theoretical and pipedream point of view, but will never happen.

 

[1000m]

The hill I think would be good would be Mt Wayo near Goulburn. It's not as high but just off the M5 Sydney to Melbourne/Canberra. Great south facing slopes, great drops.2 hrs from Sydney, 1 hr from Canberra

 

[Jellybeans]

The hill I think would be good would be Mt Wayo near Goulburn. It's not as high but just off the M5 Sydney to Melbourne/Canberra. Great south facing slopes, great drops.2 hrs from Sydney, 1 hr from Canberra

Does it have snow?

 

[1000m]

Does it have snow?

Peak is about 1000m falls down to about 750m. It gets snow but not consistently. Whether snow guns would make it work or not? Goulburn is 5-10 mins away which gets very cold.

 

[Jellybeans]

It could physically work now... but not in the future and not from an economical perspective.

 

[rollyz]

With the Mt Tricket site, using the private land on the plateau, you could ask one of the local mining companies to come over and do some earth works, and create some designed slopes, raising the land an extra 50 meters to make elevations up to 1410m. In fact, say get Cadia mine to cart all their tailings up there and you could raise the plateau another 500m to 1865m

 

[Majikthise]

With the Mt Tricket site, using the private land on the plateau, you could ask one of the local mining companies to come over and do some earth works, and create some designed slopes, raising the land an extra 50 meters to make elevations up to 1410m. In fact, say get Cadia mine to cart all their tailings up there and you could raise the plateau another 500m to 1865m

Now we are thinking holistically... Dig out cadia, overburden and tailings to trickett, and cadia becomes Sydney landfill for the next 50 yrs.

 

[VSG]

Rollyz: are you talking to your alter ego (Infinity Dawn?)

 

[LMB]

With the Mt Tricket site, using the private land on the plateau, you could ask one of the local mining companies to come over and do some earth works, and create some designed slopes, raising the land an extra 50 meters to make elevations up to 1410m. In fact, say get Cadia mine to cart all their tailings up there and you could raise the plateau another 500m to 1865m

Oi! WASTED are already lobbying Twiggy to do that in WA - and given how bloody freezing its been here this loooooong Winter (hello...Spring...where are you?!) I think he's had a word with God in our favour also.

 

[VSG]

Rollyz. Has anyone done weather data at a location near Trickett? long term? Is it cold enough, often enough, to make snow? to a commercially viable extent?

 

[DPS Driver]

Anythings possible.

I can't wait to ski Lennox Heads. Nice pitch, short runs (well run) and a good pub nearby and a great right hander. Oh and it's got a pool.

Just got to dodge the bities out the point. They've been on the nibble again.

 

[LMB]

Lot closer to Sydney than anything else.
But wouldn't it effectively be more like a Baw Baw type set-up ? Lower price, lower elevations, less facililties, easier runs. Is there much money in that?

As much as I think the investment may well out weight the return it is interesting to consider. If you were competing with Thredbo, Perisher and the likes - it's a no go. Why compete with Baw Baw, why not think outside the box.

People are looking for fun activities for their kids to do in the great outdoors, schools are looking for excursions that are engaging but educational, corporates are looking for team building activities.

Why not market the snow play aspect. Build amazing infrastructure and exploit the shit out of it.

Tiny tots snow play and cafe:
Indoor/outdoor cafe for caregivers to bring thier little charges where they can play indoors and outdoors in the 'snowpatch'. Themed food - hot chocolates, snowman ice cream bowls, poutine, Apple strudel ...

Snow play zone:
Areas specifically set up, maintained and gear hire/purchase available to make legendary snowmen (buy a bucket with all the bits and get 'free' entry to the area), snow angels, snowball fights in zones set aside with forts and walls and dug outs etc.

Igloos - how to make - even if they had to be indoors in refrigerated warehouses in staged construction. Educationally could be used by schools, or just for interest with holiday makers.

Snow shoeing/sled dogs: chargeable activities. Short walks, longer walks, short sled rides, longer sled rides. Course to equip people for proper long snow shoeing and sledding that they are heading to elsewhere.

Basic Avie training courses:
Theory with a search and dig component.

Global warming/weather studies/forecasting etc: you could hold classroom courses here with the novelty of snow play in breaks, relate it all together and you have engaging education.

Ice skating/ice hockey: why not tie it in.

Beginner ski and snowboard lessons: if the hill isn't huge why not use that as a positive and focus the ski instruction on beginners. Second to none safety and beginner instruction. Make it very beginner friendly. And have awesome Cafes with brilliant viewing points so non Skiing families bring thier kids for the day just for fun.

Sled tracks and tobbogans and tire tubes - all on thier own tracks safely separating each other, pay per use or per timed session like in amusement parks.

Anything else?

Yes it's huge capital investment, but look at Ski Dubai. If you try to do stuff on the cheap the paying customers don't come back. If it's a carnival like atmosphere they come from vast distances for it.

Pipe dream. Yes.
But it's a fun one.

 

[DPS Driver]

As much as I think the investment may well out weight the return it is interesting to consider. If you were competing with Thredbo, Perisher and the likes - it's a no go. Why compete with Baw Baw, why not think outside the box.

People are looking for fun activities for their kids to do in the great outdoors, schools are looking for excursions that are engaging but educational, corporates are looking for team building activities.

Why not market the snow play aspect. Build amazing infrastructure and exploit the shit out of it.

Tiny tots snow play and cafe:
Indoor/outdoor cafe for caregivers to bring thier little charges where they can play indoors and outdoors in the 'snowpatch'. Themed food - hot chocolates, snowman ice cream bowls, poutine, Apple strudel ...

Snow play zone:
Areas specifically set up, maintained and gear hire/purchase available to make legendary snowmen (buy a bucket with all the bits and get 'free' entry to the area), snow angels, snowball fights in zones set aside with forts and walls and dug outs etc.

Igloos - how to make - even if they had to be indoors in refrigerated warehouses in staged construction. Educationally could be used by schools, or just for interest with holiday makers.

Snow shoeing/sled dogs: chargeable activities. Short walks, longer walks, short sled rides, longer sled rides. Course to equip people for proper long snow shoeing and sledding that they are heading to elsewhere.

Basic Avie training courses:
Theory with a search and dig component.

Global warming/weather studies/forecasting etc: you could hold classroom courses here with the novelty of snow play in breaks, relate it all together and you have engaging education.

Ice skating/ice hockey: why not tie it in.

Beginner ski and snowboard lessons: if the hill isn't huge why not use that as a positive and focus the ski instruction on beginners. Second to none safety and beginner instruction. Make it very beginner friendly. And have awesome Cafes with brilliant viewing points so non Skiing families bring thier kids for the day just for fun.

Sled tracks and tobbogans and tire tubes - all on thier own tracks safely separating each other, pay per use or per timed session like in amusement parks.

Anything else?

Yes it's huge capital investment, but look at Ski Dubai. If you try to do stuff on the cheap the paying customers don't come back. If it's a carnival like atmosphere they come from vast distances for it.

Pipe dream. Yes.
But it's a fun one.

A winter wonderland. Your idea would have greater pulling power but be incredibly capital intensive therefore you'd need someone with deep pockets and a high risk threshold to take it on.

If something like that was done and used it as a feeder to the established resort. Come and learn close to Sydney and progress to the real McCoy. You'd have greater hope of a return but jeesh it'd be a risk.

I would X out the avi course. Manmade just doesn't cut it. The only thing you could do is have a beacon search area for practice.

Add in a ski jump hill. That'd be fun. I'd pay just to watch people launch. Give those Scandies a run for their money. Move over Eddie it's Bevan the Bat.

 

[snowduck]

Critical question.

Will the Trikett season pass have reciprocal benefits with any ski resorts in the US/Canada ?

 

[LMB]

I would X out the avi course. Manmade just doesn't cut it. The only thing you could do is have a beacon search area for practice.

Add in a ski jump hill. That'd be fun. I'd pay just to watch people launch. Give those Scandies a run for their money. Move over Eddie it's Bevan the Bat.

That's all I was thinking of - classroom stuff and beacon search.
I've played 'find the beacon' with kids I was minding - they loved it, and learnt something through play.

Ski jump hill - w00t!!
From baby hill up! Would be nuts

 

[Wardy]

Gotta love the dreamers. And I am one. But this is not viable on every level

 

[bengarden]

Geezus. Considering worldwide temp trends which continue to be hottest on record year after year could anyone be nuts enough to dump cash into such a marginal location in Australia? Even the big resorts, especially Selwyn, are going to struggle in the next few decades to come if things continue the way they are. Chalk this up as possible good idea 20 years ago but definitely not now.......

 

[1000m]

Rollyz. Has anyone done weather data at a location near Trickett? long term? Is it cold enough, often enough, to make snow? to a commercially viable extent?

If they end up putting a decent road across from Taralga to Canyonleigh (there is currently a goat track from Marulen to Taralga) it may be a lot more accessible and quicker through the Tablelands Way from Sydney rather than through the Blue Mountains - about 2 1/2 hrs. I know Australian Bauxite have discovered a huge rich deposit at Taralga and they have been looking at options to get their product to Port Kembla.

http://www.abnnewswire.net/press/en/67438/

 

[sly_karma]

Awesome! Great to see someone bring this up again

Yes, it possible. There are different snow making methods that could suit. Only 2 hours from Sydney, gives 5 million people the opportunity the chance for day skiing. There is a few accomodation places out there, mainly tapping in on the Caves and National Park tourists. Mt Tricket, Mt Bindo, Shooters Hill, all around 1365m. Most is State Forest, so activities can be organised and land leased. Also Mt Tricket has a lot of private land above 1300. Water, Bindo has a small dam. Tricket has a natural spring, Shooters Hill has farm dams nearby. Dams to collect water throughout the year on catchments can be easily made, and pumped and stored in tanks. Tricket is quite flat up top, but better runs as you go down. Bindow has good steep runs, and a pub near by. Shooters Hill has a village at the bottom of the hill.

Corin Forest is 45 minutes from Canberra (Civic). That's about 400,000 people within an hour, and they're still marginal as a day ski area. Sydney has far more people to be sure, but they're all more than an hour away, many of them double that. Show us the business case though, maybe there's something we're missing.

 

[climberman]

I know Australian Bauxite have discovered a huge rich deposit at Taralga and they have been looking at options to get their product to Port Kembla.

http://www.abnnewswire.net/press/en/67438/

Other than the Hume Highway, Picton Road and the M1?

 

[1000m]

Other than the Hume Highway, Picton Road and the M1?

Well getting from Taralga across to the M5/Hume rather than going through Goulburn. Wombeyon Caves Road is goat track not suitable for trucks, but the road through Swallow Tale to Marulen could be upgraded, bridge over and that would make access to Oberon, Shooters Hill, Black Springs etc much easier.

 

[climberman]

Well getting from Taralga across to the M5/Hume rather than going through Goulburn. Wombeyon Caves Road is goat track not suitable for trucks, but the road through Swallow Tale to Marulen could be upgraded, bridge over and that would make access to Oberon, Shooters Hill, Black Springs etc much easier.

I guess if they want bauxite to market that bad.... it'd be an expensive exercise!

 

[Untele-whippet]

Would you get a discount on your ticket if you play the banjo or can count to 12?

 

[rollyz]

Once your snow is down with a good base it will stay for a long while. Most of your snow would have to be man made. About 10 snow falls happen each season, usually good blizards will top your snow up. A guy who lives in similar elevation not far away has been doing weather recordings for years with a good average of -2.C to less than 5.C degrees the season.

 

[Infinity Dawn]

Im back from my holiday, WOW! What a discussion Lets keep it rolling because if we put our mind to it, anything is possible

 

[sbm]

The killer here is that it really isn't that close to Sydney. 2hrs? Ha, try at least 3 hours in reality.

And if it's dumped enough that the snow around Oberon is looking good, instead of driving 3 hours why not drive 5 hours and be in Jindy.

 

[rollyz]

The killer here is that it really isn't that close to Sydney. 2hrs? Ha, try at least 3 hours in reality.

And if it's dumped enough that the snow around Oberon is looking good, instead of driving 3 hours why not drive 5 hours and be in Jindy.

ha, try at least 6 hours to Jindy

 

[sly_karma]

The only way something like this works is lots of local population with no better options for real snow. You don't have that.

 

[Nidecker]

Huh? I

ha, try at least 6 hours to Jindy

live northern beaches, even with traffic on Fridays its only 5.5hrs, most of the time its between 5 and 5.25, I can't imagine where in Sydney it would be 6 from

 

[rollyz]

Huh? I

live northern beaches, even with traffic on Fridays its only 5.5hrs, most of the time its between 5 and 5.25, I can't imagine where in Sydney it would be 6 from

Not everyone goes over the speed limit. Anyway, you may get to Jindy in your time, but you still have half an hour to yet be on the snow, so still a 6 hour drive. It's 2.25 hours from Bathurst to Parramatta (geographical centre of Sydney). Oberon is closer so is really only 2 hours to get to. Mt Bindo ski filed will be even less (1hr 49m). With the Bindo Ski field, you can day trip to and back to Sydney and not worry about somewhere to stay over night, meals, etc

 

[Nidecker]

Not everyone goes over the speed limit. Anyway, you may get to Jindy in your time, but you still have half an hour to yet be on the snow, so still a 6 hour drive. It's 2.25 hours from Bathurst to Parramatta (geographical centre of Sydney). Oberon is closer so is really only 2 hours to get to. Mt Bindo ski filed will be even less (1hr 49m). With the Bindo Ski field, you can day trip to and back to Sydney and not worry about somewhere to stay over night, meals, etc

16 weekends this winter, not a road to speed on ever