A change of crane, with the new Mawson Day shelter taking shape

Observant web-cam watchers will have noticed the crane being used to build the Mt Mawson day shelter has changed colour and shrunk a bit – all part of having the right sized machine to lift the pre-cast concrete panels into place. The builders have been working hard to get the basement works complete, and we should now see the public day shelter, toilets, and STSA ticket office and Ski Patrol First Aid Room becoming more apparent as the first (ground) floor is constructed. The weather is starting to close in a bit as winter nears, and it will be a relief to all to see the roof go on (hopefully in the next couple of weeks). Please note that the building site is off-limits so you will have to rely on the camera images and this blog to see how it is all shaping up.

Mt Mawson Day Shelter under construction April 2018 – view from STSA Belt Issue Hut

As can be seen from this image there is a substantial amount of engineering in the building to allow it to withstand the extreme weather conditions at this altitude. It is clear that it will be a wonderful addition to the visitor infrastructure at the Mt Field National Park for decades to come, providing a safe shelter for visitors year round.

As advised in a previous update, this month’s STSA working bee was shortened due to inclement weather on the Sunday. There is still quite a bit to do to prepare the ski field for the coming season, and so Peter and Karen Davis took advantage of a good weather window this week to head up the mountain to continue the repair work on the damaged snow fences on the Mawson run. We have quite a good system now for constructing robust replacement snow fences, but it is time consuming work to ensure the tripods that support the snow fence slats are properly seated on the ground so that they don’t blow away in gale force winds, or collapse with the weight of snow on them. It is a bit daunting when one first arrives and sees the bits of broken and twisted fence, but judicious demolition followed by careful new construction ultimately leads to a good result.

Tackling the gap created from a broken snowfence

During the afternoon Forestry operations provided a distraction from the task of bolting treated pine beams together, and placing rocks on the tripods:

View from snowfence worksite – 4 April 2018

but by late afternoon Peter and Karen had completed the construction of the third snow fence panel, ready for slatting at the next working bee (scheduled for the weekend of 28-29 April). Stay tuned for further updates on Southern Tasmania’s only operating ski field.

STSA President Peter Davis with framed -up snow fence panel at Mt Mawson