By CHRIS EPSKAMP
THE days of battling steep icy surfaces and sheltering from the frigid winter storms behind your car to get into ski gear at Mt Hotham’s Loch Car Park appear to be numbered.
Anyone familiar with the car park will have noted excavation works completed prior to winter, significantly leveling its difficult surface.
For the 2022 winter season a new development will transform the area between Mt Hotham alpine resort’s snow making dam and the Great Alpine Road into a purpose built visitor centre and car park, providing comforts that most users of the current car park will have only dreamt of.
Called ‘Alpine Gateway’ and supported by $4.2 million in funding from the Victorian Government, the new two–storey facility will provide year–round benefits to visitors.
With a completion target of summer 2021/22, the new building incorporates a top deck with a large level space for 135 cars (an increase of 45 car spaces on the current number of around 90 …. on a good day!) and a viewing platform with a fully enclosed lower level providing visitors to the ski area with change rooms and toilets plus safe and direct ski field access for the skiers and snowboarders of all abilities.
Interpretive facilities will welcome visitors and showcase the resort.
Significantly, Alpine Gateway provides a real alternative to the Corral Car Park, reducing vehicular congestion in the heart of the Mt Hotham village.
Images of the finished project reveal that the Alpine Gateway building will be stepped into the slope, reducing its visual bulk and minimising the impact of the regular and intense prevailing weather. The colour palette and building materials have apparently been selected to reflect the natural tones and textures found at Mt Hotham and draw inspiration from high country huts.
The car park level appears to provide easy entry and egress from the Great Alpine Road for 2WD and 4WD vehicles, something that has been sorely missing.
It is anticipated that the village bus service will extend to include the Loch car park during the 2022 winter season, providing day visitors with simple, safe access to the resort village.
Outside the snow season, Alpine Gateway will be the trailhead for the proposed Falls to Hotham Alpine Crossing multi–day walk and a range of other signature walks.
The project is part of the resort’s efforts to support climate change adaptation and sustained community resilience by providing a year–round facility.
Whilst improving the visitor experience, it is also hoped the development will stimulate new commercial opportunities in the village and local communities.
“The Alpine Gateway is a strategic enabling project that will create a new visitor hub and parking facility with capacity for further public and private investment within the resort in support of a new visitor precinct,” said Amber Gardner, CEO of Mount Hotham Alpine Resort Management Board.
“This facility will provide a much–needed boost to Mt Hotham’s year–round offering and the local visitor economy.”
