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New innovations improve skiing

AS USUAL there has been frenetic activity in the off-season at all the ski fields in Australia, with lots of innovations for the season ahead.

Here are some of the most significant developments.

Perisher Blue, New South Wales

Australia'S biggest ski field, comprising Perisher, Blue Cow, Guthega and Smiggin Holes, celebrates its 10th birthday this year with a variety of events including the Australian Snowboard Challenge, the Pub to Pub race, an outdoor music spectacular, comedy nights and a spring carnival, to be held in September-October.

There's a new snow tube park at Perisher and a super terrain park at Blue Cow, while about $1.4 million has been spent on boosting the snow-making system and another $1.2 million on equipment for grooming the snow.

REX - Regional Air Express - has begun flying from Sydney to nearby Cooma with good quality planes able to transport more people to the snowfields, with skier-friendly schedules for Friday afternoon arrivals and Sunday afternoon departures.

About $4 million has been spent on improvements in the off-season, and much of that has been directed towards keeping kids happy.

Improvements have been made to the Friday Flat beginners'and children's area. The under 15 Wombat World area has had a facelift and a beginner's tree run will be launched.

The World Cup trail has been extended, resulting in a longer tree-lined run, and $500,000 has been spent on a new winch cat to groom the steeper trails.

This smaller, family-friendly field has beefed up its snow-making capability with the addition of 10 new tower guns.

There have been many initiatives at what is perhaps Australia's most delightful ski resort.

A First Tracks programme will be in place, enabling 20 skiers on to the snow each day at 8am, an hour before rope drop, to put down the day's first tracks.

Guests will also be able to take 40-minute grooming tours on one of the resort's three Kassbohrer groomers which could be pretty exciting considering how steep they can operate at, while snow making tours are available, too.

Fox Trail terrain park for beginners has expanded its activities.

In addition, seven plasma screen television sets have been installed around the village to keep guests up to date with snow and weather conditions.

This is the only Australian resort to have installed a new lift over the summer, having invested $2 million on a new Doppelmayr quad chair from the bottom of the Shakey Knees run to the popular Tyrol Cafe on the northern side of the resort.

The new lift will move 2400 people an hour and offers low-intermediate to advanced skiers access to some of Buller's best terrain.

Dropped the "Mount" from its previous title and extra flights have been scheduled to Australia's only fly-in snowfield.

Also, possibly in an attempt to attract more beginners to Australia s steepest mountain, a new program has been introduced whereby those taking part get to take home their Hossignol skis, boots and poles.

Charlotte Pass, New South Wales

This quaint snowbound resort has improved power supply to avoid the disruptions of the past.