Coolibah Ski Club Thredbo

Coolibah Ski Club was formed in 1959 to promote comfortable, low-cost holidays in the Snowy Mountains of NSW for a group of young Sydney families. The recently-founded Thredbo was chosen over the larger-established Charlotte's Pass and Perisher Valley because of its stunning location at the foot of the renowned Crackenback slopes, its easy access and its sheer beauty. Already, it had become a picturesque, European-style alpine village.

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This formed a problem for the Coolibah Committee as the first subdivision was sold out and mostly built on. But by good fortune, literally minutes before they were to settle on a steep and difficult block in the second subdivision, "Lot 47" was "handed back" to the Kosciusko Thredbo company. It was offered to Coolibah.

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This block, in the centre of the first subdivision, was much flatter, close to the action, and enjoyed panoramic views of the mountain. Coolibah was off to a lucky start.

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The architect selected was Max Gregory. He was the doyen of ski club architects, well known for his work on the glamorous Sun Deck and Man From Snowy River hotels at Perisher. Because there were so many children in Coolibah, Gregory designed a timber lodge, all on the one level, with three double bedrooms and two dormitories providing 16 beds. All were small and had bunks. The builders were Steve Szeloczky and Bela Racsko who had built much of early Thredbo. Construction began late in 1959 and was completed just in time for the superb 1960 ski season. The members transported and installed most of the furniture and furnishings in the June long weekend.

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Halcyon days and years followed. A number of great seasons meant that you could often ski from Coolibah’s front-door to the bottom station. For decades, it seemed, this low-cost but ever-so comfortable Coolibah Lodge provided idyllic winter and summer holidays for the members and their numerous children (it was the baby boom era) and their friends.

But children grow up and twice the lodge was expanded to provide better facilities. The parents were also growing older and, finally, the children took over. In 1990 Coolibah was virtually rebuilt. What had been adequate for the 60's, 70's and 80's was not enough for the coming millenium.

En-suites, queen and twin beds, individually-controlled underfloor heating, six-person spa, sauna, glamour kitchen, log fire, deep-leather seating, double glazing, spacious drying room - it's all there, in graphic contrast to the simple version of the early dreamers, 45 years ago.

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Justin and Helen White.