You couldn’t ask for a better day for a private media tour of the build of the Mt Perisher 6 seater chairlift, due to open next year, than the day we got this week. Sunshine, blue skies, and access to all the key players that have helped make this 20 + year project happen.
Michael Fearnside, Shaun Turner, Nathan Butterworth and Andrew Rae gave a select room of snow lovers some insight to both the history of the original plan for the chairlift and the recent build challenges and highlights over refreshments.
Then it was choose a ute and a driver and head up the 40 degree gradient road that has been built to access the top tower works. It’s this road that concrete mixers transport batch concrete made in a concrete pop-up site in Jindabyne to the site when required.
We grabbed Shaun from Doppelmayr, and not just because he had a swanky luxe 4WD with air conditioning, ok, it was because he had that, but we also got to chat all things engineering on the way up.
The new chair is full automated and super high tech. Built specifically for Australian wind conditions the rope gauge is able to monitor weather. If there’s wind then the cable adjusts accordingly for user safety (hello less wind holds). All the tech, or at least most of it, is housed in a top tower bull wheel station with an impressive six metre diameter wheel.
The original plan back in 2000 (if not before) had marked out Mt Perisher chair to also include a restaurant or cafè. That’s been put on hold now due to the $26million cost of building the chairlift alone. However, new food and beverage offerings are being developed for both Eyre Kiosk and Powder Inn.
By the time it’s ready to roll, it will have taken two off seasons and one winter to complete and will give skiers and boarders full access along the ridge line and beyond. Chairs will have foot rests (yay) and be padded (double yay)
Stand at the top and you’ll see both Freedom and Ridge Chairs and the terrain below will be expanded as the 30 plus previous towers of the two former chairs below the new 6 seater will be replaced with only 10 towers. The Eyre T Bar has been repositioned to ensure the run is now wide and accessible.
It will take a mere five and a half minutes to reach the top, almost halving the former ride time and chairlift capacity will be significantly increased ensuring quick dispersement of skiers and boarders.
At the end of the day at a push of a button the chairs are automatically put to bed for storage so no de-icing required.
Bring on winter 2026.
