They say “many hands make light work” and so it was when approximately 20 volunteers turned up at Mt Mawson ski field today to help prepare the ski field for the coming winter. It was a very social event too, with a number of regular volunteers joined by a new group of young helpers, including four from the Wellington Ski Club.
A number of attendees had in fact come up a day early to make the most of a spectacular sunny day on Saturday, with several ski clubs carting in tonnes of firewood ready for the coming winter. At Oldina Ski club the five tonnes of wood was transported, split, and stacked by lunch time, providing the opportunity for a stroll on the Tarn Shelf.
Rodway Range from the Lake Seal lookout 21 Feb 2026
Rodway ski tow and Tarn Shelf
At the STSA working bee it was a similar story, although the weather on Sunday was not as good with clouds and rain building for the afternoon.
A key achievement was selecting and preparing a location for a new pole for the upper part of the Mawson run. This pole will hold a new uphill pulley to avoid the need to excavate the “Mawson trench” every time there is a good snowfall. There was a pole already on site which had been pulled over approximately 20 years ago, and so it will soon be put to good use!
Another task quickly accomplished was the relocation of two panels of snow fence on the Mawson run which had managed to “walk forward” about two metres towards the ski run. Application of a good burst of labour by the volunteers saw the panels put back in line, with plenty of rocks added to keep them in place in future!
Rod Stolorz with rock-work on the Mawson snow fence
Meanwhile Tim Metcalfe, Craig Larsson, Paul Vince and Nick Truchanas worked on improving the pulley systems in the Mawson motor hut, while Karen Davis, Liz Koolhof and Liv Grover-Johnson undertook an inventory of the STSA tool set which had become dispersed around three locations (the Mawson motor hut, Uni motor hut and downstairs workshop).
STSA Volunteers enjoy a well-earned lunch in the Mawson day shelter
Overall it was another great day at Mt Mawson ski field, with good company, and good progress made on the job list. The next STSA working bee is scheduled for the 21-22nd March.
