The 26th Anniversary of the Opening of the Birkie Clubhouse on the 1st June 1996 is presented here as a youtube video. Note — It plays automatically and comprises slides (as a movie) and an embedded 10-minute video. It plays for 16-minutes.
Jim Crebbin has written a short report on the origins of the clubhouse project.
Read the Proposal (put together by Allan Marsland) that was presented to the Alpine Resorts Commission (ARC) in early 1995 to get the go-ahead for the project.
The Clubhouse was officially opened on Saturday 1 June 1996. Note: See below for a report by Phil Evans that appeared in the 1996 June issue of the ‘Bulletin’.
Birkebeiner is the first specialist XC Ski Club in Australia to have its own clubhouse.
Jim Crebbin was the driving force in seeing this project through to completion, achieving this in only 8 months. Jim, thanks for your foresight, building and design skills, determination and organising ability. All Birkie members will benefit from having such a wonderful facility to use.
When the Clubhouse project was first envisaged in early 1995 the then-president Barb Lipscombe worked tirelessly to make sure it happened. She chaired many meetings, sub-committee meetings and informal meetings during this time to coordinate the ‘behind-the-scenes management and finances. Thank you, Barb.
From the spring of 1995 to June 1996 the club constructed a club day facility above Windy Corner Falls Creek at a cost of $75,000. It was constructed with mostly voluntary labour with funds coming from member loans, long-term memberships, specific fundraising activities, and funds acquired from conducting the Kangaroo Hoppet Ski Race since 1991.
2015 Renovations
Work included replacing all windows with double glazing and aluminium frames, and re-cladding the outside with Colorbond.
Click a photo to enlarge then you will be able to click through the photos
using the small arrows underneath and to the side of the photo.
(look at the bottom left or right of the ENLARGED photo)
Early days (spring 1995)
Under Construction (spring/summer 1995 & summer/autumn 1996)
Clubhouse complete (June 1996)
Clubhouse Opening (Saturday 1 June 1996)
The below description was written by Phil Evans for the June 1996 issue of the ‘Birkie Bulletin’.
After 12 months of bargaining, negotiating and plain hard work, the Birkebeiner NSC finally has a home at Falls Creek.
The Club was formed in September 1977, and despite running one of the world’s most famous cross-country ski races, the Kangaroo Hoppet, it has never had a real home. President Barbara Lipscombe officially opened the double-storey clubhouse in front of 80 members (adults and kids) and thanked every member who contributed to the impressive club rooms.
Neil Tappe, General Manager of ARC Falls Creek, was congratulated for his assistance in finalising a site adjacent to the cross-country ski trails. Barbara also thanked Jim Crebbin for his outstanding contribution to all aspects of the planning, design, construction and final completion of the eight-month building program. Jim’s chief assistants were Phil Evans and Alex Chapman (electricals), who also devoted much time and effort to coordinating and organising the many working bees. They were greatly assisted by local tradespeople, Juhani and Uli Rousu (interior painting), Peter Kiene (plastering), Dermot Meaney (building) and others – Jack Slocombe, Dave Chew and David Batt. The beautiful kitchen was planned and constructed by Bob and Jenny Flower. Others included Keith Smith (paint selection), Barb Lipscombe, Barb Slocombe and Marg Smith (floor coverings and furniture).
Another group of Birkebeiner members have worked extremely hard in raising finance. The money necessary to build the clubhouse has accumulated over the years from club memberships, 10-year memberships, the Kangaroo Hoppet and other events the club conducts, raffles, street stalls and the generosity of a number of club members.
The Club is now expecting more members to be able to enjoy the atmosphere of a ski village instead of battling shoulder-to-shoulder with the many tourists and skiers in the Windy Corner Day Shelter. Some members dream about coffee breaks whilst admiring the snow-covered Spion Kopje and evening dinners watching the sunset over the Frying Pan Spur before driving home to Mt Beauty. Mid-week night skiing on moonlit nights will be civilised occasions now that the new clubhouse is available to warm up in. All up, the project will cost close to $75,,000.
Congratulations to the Birkebeiner committee, its enthusiastic members, and the Falls Creek and Mt Beauty communities for supporting this relatively small group in finally becoming a permanent part of the Falls Creek ski industry.
