Avalanche Training Australia (ATA) is the Australian arm for avalanche training courses of Whiteroom in Australia. ATA as a brand is new over the past few years but Whiteroom has been running courses in Australia for many years.
Avalanche Training Australia is licensed by Avalanche NZ to offer accredited 2-day Avalanche Awareness and 4-day Backcountry Avalanche Avoidance courses during the Australian winter.
Yes, Australia does have erratic winters.
Yes, the forecast was suggesting that the season would start late and be mediocre to average.
And yes, we just had two awesome winters, so we would have been very lucky to have three in a row.
But the first month of winter 2019 has been the sort of winter you would expect under climate change scenarios.
Climate change poses an existential threat to the mountains and winter environment that we love and rely on. In Australia, winter snow is already in decline, and has been since 1957.
And climate scientists keep warning us that we are running out of time to cut greenhouse emissions and head off future climate impacts. With the Coalition being re-elected, Australia now has no leadership on climate change (and our carbon emissions continue to soar), so we need everyone to put their shoulder to the wheel.
With the failure of the federal government to act, there is a huge need for the states to continue their work on energy policy. In the ACT, the Government has legislated a target of sourcing 100% renewable electricity by 2020. States around the world, from California to Colorado to New York are also showing leadership and setting deep emission reduction targets and high renewable energy targets.
And now we have a fantastic opportunity to see Victoria take the step towards transforming its energy system and economy. We have just four weeks to send in submissions to the Victorian government on the state’s first interim Emissions Reduction Targets. The state government must announce targets for 2025 and 2030 by March next year. Targets which are based on climate science, rather than what is deemed ‘politically expedient’, will drive down emissions and start the transition from coal to renewables.
Continue reading “Victoria’s best chance to lead on climate action”
For those who are wishing to experience one of the best alpine winter adventures in Australia, Alpine Walking Guides and the Mt Hotham Volunteer Ski Patrol are teaming up to offer small group, three day/two night ski/boarding tours between Falls Creek and Mt Hotham.
You will be carrying only a day pack, so you can get the most out of the skiing/boarding on offer. Alpine Walking Guides staff will be setting up and staffing camp sites and all your gear will be provided for warm and comfortable nights in the Alpine Wilderness. Food and wines from the North East will be prepared by quality chefs and cooks. No one goes hungry on these trips.
Continue reading “A fully supported winter trip from Falls Creek to Mt Hotham”
In February this year, the Central Highlands Council in Tasmania rejected the Lake Malbena tourism development.
The controversial ‘helicopter tourism’ development planned for Halls Island in Lake Malbena on Tasmania’s central plateau had previously been approved by state and federal governments. The local Council was the last government authority which needed to sign off on the project. It had been hoped that the rejection by Council would be the end of the proposal.
However, the developer has lodged an appeal against this decision. Hearings are currently underway in Hobart.
Continue reading “Lake Malbena developer appeals refusal of project”
Wild horse populations pose a significant threat to alpine and sub alpine areas across the Alps. However in NSW, a campaign to have the horses protected because of their ‘cultural’ status means that impacts are growing significantly within Kosciuszko National Park. Now horse removal from the park has stopped for a second year in a row because of an intervention by NSW Deputy Premier, John Barilaro.
Andrew Cox, the Invasive Species Council CEO, has called this a “shameful back-down for a government claiming to prioritise protection of the environment.”
Continue reading “‘Kosciuszko National Park is lurching towards a crisis’”
The long campaign against a cable car that has been proposed for kunanyi/ Mt Wellington, in Hobart, has entered a pivotal moment, with the developers having lodged a development application for the proposal.
In response, local group Residents Opposed to the Cable Car has issued a statement outlining how they will be ramping up their campaign against this unpopular and destructive project.
Continue reading “Campaign against Mount Wellington cable car keeps growing”
As the issue of feral horses in Kosciuszko National Park demonstrates, winning protection of an area in a park is only the first bit of protecting wild places. They need adequate funding to allow land managers to protect their ecological values. This has been highlighted recently by the Victorian National Parks Association (VNPA), who have pointed out the many threats to parks (weeds and pest animals such as deer, pigs, foxes and cats, and human visitation, plus climate change).
The Coalition cut funding for parks while they were in power in Victoria and while funding has increased under the current ALP government, the VNPA believes funding needs to double if parks are to be adequately managed.
Continue reading “National parks need ‘at least one per cent of state expenditure’.”
She Went Wild intends to “inspire, educate and connect women to live adventurously in the outdoors” and does this through offering training and trips across many outdoor activities. They say “for too long, female adventurers have been underrepresented in the outdoors industry. She Went Wild journey started in an effort to overcome the barriers faced by women who want to spend more time out and about”.
Mountain Sports Collective will be running a series of FREE Introduction to Advanced Backcountry sessions this season. These events are for participants who are eager to step beyond the patrol lines and learn the skills required to pursue extended ski touring (both skiing and split boarding). This is nominally everything you need to know to travel over a variety of alpine terrain (Skiing / Skinning and ALPINE Climbing) and overnight (the eDVANCED bit).
The ranges have been hammered by the rain. Going from a good cover of dry fresh snow that stayed around for opening weekend, the ranges have seen up to 140mm of precipitation since then. This has had a devastating impact on backcountry snow conditions.
While the resorts are operating, with limited terrain, the backcountry is not looking so good at present. With a patchy base that has been firming up in cooler conditions, it’s probably a better move to enjoy a few beers indoors or go for a walk at present. The immediate forecast still isn’t good, with mild conditions and a few days of ‘snow showers’ without any major falls expected. But once the snow does come in again, make sure you check the Mountain Sports Collective (MSC) backcountry conditions bulletin before you head out.
In huge news, it is being reported that a formal application has been lodged to develop a cable car on Hobart’s kunanyi/Mount Wellington. This divisive project has been the subject of a long and determined campaign from local residents who oppose the cable car.
The full scale of the project has not yet been released by the proponent. Local government councillors could vote on the future of kunanyi /Mount Wellington as soon as August.
Continue reading “Development application for cable car on kunanyi lodged”
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