AUSTRALIAN skiing champion Steve Lee once told journalists his top tip: never turn your skis. To do that is to admit defeat, advised the World Cup winner. But different situations change one’s style.
I savour the words of one of Falls Creek’s most famous residents as I’m about to drop in to a rolling, untouched valley from the top of Shangri-La – a peak to the side of the main Falls Creek ski area.
Lee was schooled at Falls Creek Primary, and raised by hoteliers at the Attunga Hotel, which still maintains his cabinet of trophies and named its bar after him. The slopes of Falls gave Lee the taste for speed that sent him on to compete in downhill skiing World Cups and the Winter Olympics in the ’80s and ’90s.
Who better to take us to the secret spots on the mountain that we would otherwise have to hike to?
Spending the morning on Lee’s tour brings memories of European skiing. Admittedly, Australian conditions don’t often deliver 30 centimetres of dry, cold powdered snow but on a bright blue-sky day such as this, even a small dusting of fresh snow is enough to get the feeling.
My group of four, guided by Lee and his daughter Layla, are zipped to the top of Shangri-La on a specially built sled pulled by a Ski-Doo, so we can ski, snowboard shred and swoosh down to a pickup point at the bottom. Rewind, repeat.
‘‘Right now, this is my playground,’’ Lee says, speaking about an area where plans to build a new lift stalled after the Kennett government lost power.
What is always an exciting trip to Falls is enhanced by Lee’s effortless charm, camaraderie with his daughter, and his need for speed. Lee’s tour ($159, ski pass needed) soon advances from Shangri-La to the top of Mount McKay, where breathtaking views of Mt Feathertop, the Kiewa Valley and even Mt Hotham (on a clear day) are up for grabs.
We are led from the old communications shed at the summit down untouched terrain past great curls of windblown snow and sleeping forests to a cat track and, finally, back to the Ski-Doo.
This fantastic tour came at the end of an action packed weekend of snow and good food at Falls. Our group stayed in a four-bed apartment with kitchen at the Falls Creek Country Club ($1140 per weekend in peak season), which was pine-furnished and plushly upholstered with enough room for a family.
Down the road, nestled between snow tracks and gums, Winterhaven lived up to its name. Barry Iddles’ restaurant serves hearty dishes with superb flavours that are perfect for sub-zero temperatures. Grilled scallops with smoked pineapple and chilli relish ($16.50) deliver a heat kick and expand flavour horizons with Vietnamese mint and thyme. We also try the three cheese fondant with beetroot carpaccio ($16), which is lighter than it sounds.
Main dishes such as a yellow duck curry, pork belly and poached chicken breast sound familiar on the menu, yet chef Marcus Levy turns the flavours inside out. An eye fillet ($39.50) is served with creamy thyme polenta, sugar-baked tomatoes and two tiny smoked garlic cloves. The meat is tender, cooked rare, with added nuttiness from the smoked garlic. The lamb shoulder ($36) is a rich cut of meat with flavours highlighted by mint yoghurt and a chick pea smash.
As the snow falls outside, a dessert of chocolate fondant with salty caramel and a dome of lavender ice cream arrives at the table, followed by a cheese plate of fine cheddar, blue and camembert from the nearby King Valley. The cheese is served with figs preserved with peppercorns and crispy crackers. The fondant is a hit, the lavender a cooling influence on the rich chocolate and caramel.
This year Falls Creek had a snow dump late in the season taking cover to a reported 170cm. All the lifts were open at the end of August, and the terrain parks had a good base to mould kickers from.
Getting to Falls takes about 4.5 hours by road, resort entry costs $39.50 per car per night, ski passes are $106 for adults or $185 for a weekend in high season. Lee keeps a Facebook page and Layla reports regularly on the conditions and weather outlook.
Details: visit Skiing with Steve Lee.
Dan Moss travelled as a guest of Falls Creek Resort.
