BY SUE McDONALD
In 1949, a Lodge painted orange appeared at Mt Buller.
Chamois Ski Club had been granted a site when Cow Camp was subdivided in 1948.
Celebrating 100 years this year, Chamois was founded in 1925, by a group from the Ski Club of Victoria (SVC).
Founding president, Gordon Langridge had also been founding president of SCV.
Mansfield local and 60-year Mt Buller skier, Sue McDonald has been writing the centenary history of Chamois.
She said: “We are fortunate to have the original minutes and Lodge diaries.
“Our history can be traced.
“It took a year to settle on the Club’s name, with members emulating the small mountain goat, the Chamois. They jumped nimbly, ran on skis quickly and feared nothing,” she said.
Originally skiing at mountains Buffalo, Feathertop and Hotham; access to the snow was by foot or ski, sometimes by horse.
Skis were home-made, accommodation was at Buffalo Chalet or in cold cattlemen’s huts.
World War 2 put an end to club activities.
Gordon Langridge wrote in the minutes “at this stage War intervened and no more meetings were held for some time.”
He re-gathered club members soon after the war and the lodge at Buller was quickly constructed.
During the first winter in 1949, bunks had not been installed and the toilet was a 3-sided corrugated iron building to the south – ‘a loo with a view’.
During King’s Birthday Weekend 1950, 100 visitors celebrated the official opening - now opened and operating for 75 years.
Since then, Chamois members have participated in mountain life: Ski Rescue, Disabled Wintersport Australia (as participants and guides), developing the National Alpine Museum of Australia.
Others have worked as carpark attendants and ski instructors.
Notable amongst past members include Martin Romuld (Ski champion and Kiewa hydro worker), Edwin G Adamson (photographer of the 1920s-1950s), Tom Mitchell MLA, Hilda Samsing (WW1 nurse at Gallipoli and Mt Buffalo Chalet manager), Gen Sir Thomas Blamey, John and Marjorie Hilton-Wood.
In 2025 the footprint remains, the club laying claim to the oldest building on Buller - and it is still orange.
Sue said: “Mountain Goats for 100 Years” is a collection of pictures, stories, records and memories from the archives of the Chamois Ski Club, a club of which I have been a member of for 60 years.
“Mountain Goats for 100 Years” is in production,” Sue announced last week.
It will have a strictly limited print run. Pre-orders can be made by emailing marksbysue@gmail.com for details.
