Scotch College

Weekends of fun and friendship for boarders

Excited groups of boarders have set off each weekend for skiing at Mt Buller or Mt Hotham.

Words: David Ashton

The welcome return of excellent snow conditions at Victoria’s ski resorts during the winter of 2007 has been good news for Scotch’s boarders.

Excited groups of eight boarders have set off each weekend in the care of Activities Officer Tim Bence, heading for the thickly covered slopes of Mt Buller or Mt Hotham.

During the School’s winter sport season, the groups set off at about 2 pm after Saturday morning sport, bound for comfortable, warm accommodation at Gordon Owen Lodge in Mansfield. At the Lodge, boys are give tasks to do – collecting firewood, preparing meals and doing the washing up. The sense of anticipation builds for the day’s skiing which lies ahead.

As Sunday dawns, boys are bustling. Jobs are finished, the Lodge reaches spick and span order, and the group sets off for the slopes, aiming to reach the tows just as they open for the day. For beginners, there’s a compulsory ski lesson. Then a full day’s skiing and snowboarding is enjoyed, with the group keeping in touch regularly – gathering at pre-arranged meeting times; staying in mobile phone and physical contact. At 4 pm they head for home, pausing for pizza and soft drinks to satisfy activity-stimulated appetites, and by 8 pm they’re back at Scotch.

After winter sport finishes, there is the opportunity to depart on Friday evenings for one of the Scotch lodges at Buller or Hotham and a full weekend’s snowsports, once again under the supervision of Tim Bence.

Dean of Boarding Doug Galbraith says the snow weekends are full of fun and mateship. ‘The camaraderie is great. In particular, it’s a wonderful opportunity for boys from overseas and from country areas to see snow for the first time. And importantly, these weekends help them to get to know each other a whole lot better.’

During the weekend of 18 and 19 August, a party of boarders’ parents took part in a working bee at Gordon Owen Lodge, during which they removed exotic vegetation and planted indigenous trees and shrubs on the Lodge property. This complemented recent work by Scotch to upgrade the security, safety and comfort of the Lodge, including repairs to electrical wiring and plumbing. GS