General

Did you know that Jindabyne will soon have a World Class Ski and Snowboard Training Centre?  The 5 million dollar complex had the Development Application passed by The Snowy Monaro Council back in August 2020 and Stage 1 is well under way!

The NSTC (National Snowsport Training Centre) will attract winter sports athletes from around the world and put Jindabyne firmly on the map internationally in the Winter Sports Development world.

As the name suggests the high-performance airbag jump is for Snow Australia’s elite athletes with access restricted to OWIA (Olympic Winter Institute and NSWIS (NSW institute of sport) athletes and selected Snow Australia Emerging Talent Program athletes.

However, a smaller “progression” airbag jump is part of Stage 2 of the development and will have two smaller take-offs of four metres and seven metres. The progression airbag is targeted to resort pathway programs like Perisher’s Winter Sports Club and Thredbo’s Mountain Academy.

The centre is located at the Jindabyne Sport and Recreation Centre along the Barry Way and will be open all year round, enabling our athlete’s to be at their peak at all times.  The construction of the dry slope airbag jump and the upgrades to the Sport and Rec centre (Stage 1) is a significant step towards establishing a permanent base for snow sport in Australia and will allow athletes access 365 days of the year.

Minister for Sport Geoff Lee said the NSW Government is committed to improving the quality and quantity of sports infrastructure in regional NSW.

“The dry slope at the National Snowsports Training Centre is going to give Australia’s best athletes the chance to train in their own backyard 365 days a year,” Mr Lee said.

“This project is part of a sports infrastructure construction boom across the State that is boosting employment in regional NSW as part of the NSW Government’s multi-billion-dollar infrastructure pipeline.”

The really exciting part of Stage 1 is the airbag technology.  This addition will allow Slope Style and Big Air competitors an outlet to perfect their tricks before going on snow which will greatly reduce the risk of injury. With the facility based in Jindabyne athletes can train on the safety of the dry slope and then just a short drive away they can be on snow.  It is a really appealing option for everyone.

There are big things planned for along the Barry Way.  The growth of Jindabyne and the Snowy Monaro area will see increased infrastructure and economic growth.  There is an Education Campus planned for nearby the NSTC comprising of a High School and Primary School hopefully opening in 2023.  The jobs created by these new developments will assure the continual growth of the region.

Jindabyne has so much to offer.  Natural beauty, access to two of the biggest ski resorts in Australia, the beautiful Lake Jindabyne, great restaurants, shops and shopping and now the addition of a World Class Training Centre!  With Stage 1 planned to open in 2021 the future looks exceptionally bright for our lucky athletes!

Information source: Mountainwatch /NSW Gov media release

We are saying goodbye to Winter 2021.

Winter 2021 was not without its challenges.  Unfortunately, we missed many of our regular clients who were not able to come and visit us and our cancellation folder was a bit full.  However, we all got through it as best we could even though it was not easy for many of us on both a personal and professional level.

So here we are, at the end of the ski season.  Perisher and Thredbo worked really hard to make the best of the ‘lockdown’ and stayed as open as they could and provided some of the most memorable days for the lucky ones that actually did make it down to see us and managed to get ‘up the hill’.

The snow in 2021 was on point with a solid base of over 150cm for most of the season. Both of our premier ski resorts worked hard making snow and delivered some world class groomers and park runs .  We are very lucky here in Jindabyne to have the choice of these amazing facilities less than a 30 minute drive away.

We don’t want to make you sad, we want you to be excited for 2022!  While covid has thrown us some curve balls we are all hopeful that learning to live with it and opening our fabulous region in 2022 is on the cards.

Don’t forget Epic Australia passes have gone on sale NOW.  You can lock in your season pass right now for a crazy $49 upfront.  If you get in before the 20 October 2021 you will secure your pass for the low price of $859.  An Epic pass gives you access all season long to Perisher, Falls Creek and Hotham and due to recent events Epic Coverage is included with every single 2022 pass so you can plan your visit with confidence, knowing you are protected from unexpected events.

While Thredbo Winter Passes are not on sale until a bit closer to next season, they have a range of 24/7 and summer passes coming soon and it is definitely worth a look at their website to find the best deals all year round!

Back country touring was a highlight of winter 2021 and many a snowshoe was purchased.  If you would like to turn your hand at this next winter, please let us know, we would love to help you out.  The experience is not only stunningly beautiful, but peaceful and serene. It does not have to be hard work, we can help get you out on the snow with very minimal effort.

Next year we are also pumped to be welcoming the reopening of Mt Selwyn.  The upgraded facilities promise to cater for everyone with a focus on families and beginning sliders.  How much fun will be had at this beautiful resort!  We are very excited about that.

The Jindy Inn was definitely a lot quieter this winter than most, but we have been working hard to make sure we are ready to go when those borders lift (not long now) and we are all shaking off those lock down blues.  Our amazing staff are waiting to welcome you back with open arms and we want to welcome Renae and Jen to the team.  The ladies will be manning reception and look forward to meeting you all very soon.

Our focus for 2022 will be working on for Spring/Summer are packages and adventures.  As we all know, it is not JUST about the snow here in Jindabyne and our region has so much to offer.  Have you thought about a helicopter ride? We are teaming up with Snowy Mountain Helicopters to bring you the most amazing experience.  There really is nothing as breathtaking as the Main Range from the air!  Stay tuned for more info on that one!

Would you like to hire an e-bike?  Take a picnic hamper to a special site on the lake?  We can organise this all for you, just ask us at reception and keep an eye on our blogs for some more detailed information about our upcoming packages.

Jindabyne is the best place in the world in any season and we can’t wait to share our love and passion with you!  See you soon at The Jindy Inn!

A rogue wombat dubbed ‘Mr Bat’ has been detained after terrorising a community for 12 months in a series of home invasions via cat flaps.

The furry animal’s rampage through Longford, a small close-knit community in Tasmania, ended on Monday when authorities managed to catch him.

For a year, Mr Bat has entered homes and ransacked them. The looter would raid fridges, make beds out of cushions, tunnel under fences and just before exiting the premises he would eat all the cat/dog food.

One of the first clues in the “who done it” investigation of the home intruder came from Bev McGee who was first visited by Mr. Bat about a year ago.

Mr. Bat made his way into the back entrance of her house where a couch was set up. He pulled off all the cushions he didn’t like, and made a comfy bed for the night amongst his chosen cushions.

“We got up the next morning and there’s cushions and rugs strewn everywhere and muddy paw prints on the cushions,” she said.

As Mr. Bat got more confident in his pursuits and started coming into more resident’s homes, eventually he was spotted in the act. In the middle of the night local residents were awoken by the sound of rustling noises inside their homes only to be greeted by a wombat in the hallway or at their fridge snacking on lettuce and carrots.

Northern Midlands Councillor Matthew Brooks is one of the many victims who had their home broken into, he told authorities that the male wombat was named Mr. Bat by fellow residents. Mr. Brooks said the wombat was living in council pipes during the day and visiting residents’ after dark, entering homes through cat and dog flaps.

Mr. Brooks said his well-manicured lawn was a favourite snack of Mr. Bat’s. He had his first run-in with the wombat 3 months ago when he caught Mr. Bat snacking on his lawn

Despite his behavior, Councillor Brooks said the wombat was not aggressive at all and the four-legged thief was ‘quite a cute sight’.

It didn’t bother the residents in Longford having the mischievous wombat making himself at home in their small community, however they were all concerned that he may get run over by a car or attacked by a dog. With animal welfare in mind, Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Service caught the wombat and relocated him to Cradle Mountain where there is an abundance of fellow wombat buddies.

Mr. Bat is now living at Cradle Mountain, but he has left behind a trail of ruined pillows, empty pet bowls, raided fridges, muddy paws and fond memories.

Meet Claire + Eric’s latest wildlife rescue – Bubba Rosso.

Bubba Rosso’s mum was unfortunately hit by a car on the road up to Guthega [more than likely when tourists where told to evacuate national park due to bushfires in the region] and was rescued from mum’s pouch by some local firie’s [who also named him].

At just 250 grams [approximately 3.5 months old] he came to us covered in dirt but was in good health. After just 2.5 weeks in our care he already weighs almost 500 grams and is getting more stronger and determined by the day.

At this time in his life the most important thing he needs is lots of sleep, to be fed every 4 hours and kept in a quiet and calm environment to give him every opportunity to grow, become strong and thrive in his new home. It is also crucial for his well-being to spend as much quiet time with him-  giving him hugs close to the heart – as the soft sound of the heart-beat is very reassuring for all baby animals.

Being un-furred, he can not regulate his own body temperature yet so his bedding is constantly monitored using a thermostat to ensure it sits around 29-32 degrees – this can be adjusted with extra bedding, a heat pad and sometimes a hot water bottle. Because the heat-pad can dry out his skin he needs to be oiled once a day.

The purpose for caring for all wild-life is to give them a second chance. A chance for them to return to the wild where they can live out their natural lives. Bubba Rosso will be encouraged to live as much of a normal wombat life as he can, without becoming a pet, as the main goal with all wild-life entrusted in our care is to always ensure that we are looking and working towards their release.  As cute as he is, we do not want Bubba Rosso to fully imprint on us, as this can jeopardize his life. The best way to ensure he doesn’t get to attached to us is to buddy him up with another wombat [or 2 or 3]  of similar size and age – this will probably happen in 3 months or so.

Wombats are not fully independent until 2 years of age – so he has about 20 months with us [along with his fellow wombat buddy – whoever that may be]. We will soft release him on our property, which involves having him in a fenced area with a burrow, feed and fellow wombat buddies. Over time the gate to this fenced off area is kept open and the wombats can come and go as they please. Eventually they find their own burrow and move out of the enclosed area, and depending on the wombat we may never see them again [which is very sad for us humans – however we are happy for their independence] or they may wander up and around the house to say hello every now and then, with some females even bringing their babies with them.