A first trip ‘round the world, part 31

Bourke street was and still remains the heart of Mt. Buller, its mountain vital spine, the start of everything and all ski runs. Just like the planet gravitates around the sun, skiing used to be fully centered on Bourke Street.

In fact, that gentle, welcoming slope made the ski resort an ideal place to learn and, of course, teach. Its slope was and still is super gentle and could even be used in the evening or at night as a main pedestrian access boulevard to get to restaurants, entertainment or parties. 

Gérard remembers that this ski run was iconic to the resort: “For me, Bourke Street said it all and represented a postcard view of that place that you don’t find easily anywhere else. I remember the lift towers and eucalyptus trees loaded with frosted snow, which for the operators was a constant nightmare, but looked so unique to the visitors!" 

Since these days, the old double-chairlift has given way first to a detachable quad, and more recently to a six-pack, bringing even more folks to an already overcrowded beginners area. Bourke Street, takes its name after the Bourke Street Mall in Melbourne because of its high-traffic and hustle-bustle. 

It’s also nicknamed “The busiest ski slope in the whole south hemisphere” In fact, it can be a really challenging place to learn how to ski or ride considering the density of certain weekend crowds, and also that some people, who don’t wait sunset, think it’s OK to walk down the middle of the ski runs amidst skieurs and riders. 

Gérard also thinks that the run has since been widened: “I remember that the lower part was quite narrow, especially with beginners on it, plus on weekends, some visitors did not hesitate to slide down on trash bags right in the midle of ski classes..." 

Interestingly, the double chair serving the Blue Lifts on Bourke Street was very first Doppelmayr double chairlift in the world. Sure its 295 ft (90 meters) vertical was not impressive but its 14.5% average slope prevented any wanton speeding!

That old lift was replaced in 1984 with a high-speed quad (Blue Bullet 1) along with another one (Blue Bullet 2) continuing to the top where the Blue Lift had build a double chair. In 2008, the Blue Bullet 2 was replaced by a high-speed six pack called the Abom with its base located where the Austrian ski school used to gather. All these detachable lifts were made by Doppelmayr. 

So if you thought in 1971 that in your favorite resort the area for beginner skiers was particularly crowded, you would have only had to jump on a plane to sample the pleasures of Bourke Street, and you'd have changed your mind very fast. 

Well, in those days, we found this particular ski run to be extremely crowded, but, as Marcel points out: “Today, French beginner slopes often go far beyond  the density of skiers that we observed at Mt. Buller back in 1971! "