Calling all ski enthusiasts, history nerds and collectors of off-beat memorabilia: there is finally, finally a chance to own a slice of Australian snowbound history.
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The Perisher Ski Resort will be auctioning off 70 of its original chairlift double chairs, complete with splintered wooden seats and piece of wire separating you from the snowy elements far, far below.
The Mt Perisher Double Chair has been decommissioned to make way for a new high-speed six seater for the 2025 season.
It was Perisher's first ever chairlift, a two-seater, fixed-grip chairlift that first opened to skiers in 1961.
Before that, skiers made do with a handful of T-Bars and rope tows.
According to the Perisher Historical Society, the Mount Perisher Double came about thanks to "the appetite for longer runs and the interest to open up new skiing areas on the Perisher Range".
At the time, the double chair represented a major step forward in Australian skiing.
The original chairs were eventually replaced in 2016, and kept in storage, where they have been waiting for their rightful owners.
Could one of them be you?
Around 70 of the original chairs will be auctioned across two days, with a live auction on Saturday, June 8, and an online auction on Sunday, June 9.
General manager of Perisher Ski Resort Nathan Butterworth said the weekend would be a chance to highlight the region's history.
"This farewell auction will provide a wonderful way to think about the history we have at Australia's largest ski resort," he said.
"It will allow Perisher history to be preserved, especially as we look towards welcoming the new Mt Perisher 6, with a planned opening in the 2025 snow season.
"We are proud that the proceeds from the auction will benefit local charities and organisations that make a difference for the environment, here in our community, and for our youth."
- Visit perisher.com.au for more info.
Sally Pryor
As features editor at The Canberra Times, I love telling people things they didn't know - or even things they've always known - about the city we live in.
As features editor at The Canberra Times, I love telling people things they didn't know - or even things they've always known - about the city we live in.
