IT was circa 1973-74 when Terry ‘Speaky’ Lyons decided to venture up to Mt Buller from the coastal township of Torquay.
His good mate Don Morgan was working up at Buller, having made his way to Mansfield by steam train.
Brian Singer had also made his way to the resort from the west coast. They were all surf buddies.
Don was a plumber who was looking for a gig with the lift company. However, lift company boss Hans Grimus wouldn’t employ him because he had long hair (different times eh).
Don finally settled on a job with the Forest Commission.
Back then Mt Buller had two lift companies, Orange Lifts and Blue Lifts. Speaky started part time with Orange Lifts.
The deal was simple: if you did lunch breaks you got a free lift ticket. Speaky did shifts on the three Bourke Street pomas (which started from Helicopter Flat), Howqua poma, and the two Summit pomas.
In 1975 he joined the ski school.
However, his mates Don Morgan and Brian Singer had joined the Ski Patrol by this time, and Speaky liked the idea.
So in 1978 he started shadowing them.
From 1979 he became a full-time member of Mt Buller Ski Patrol, which at the time was led by patrol aptain Don Chamberlain.
Ski Patrol was based out of an old container on Bourke Street just down from the Ski Club of Victoria (SCV).
Sandy Jeffcoat was chief for the Forest Commission and he decided it was time for a proper Ski Patrol base to be built.
It was great foresight and they had the ideal location.
Operations were located downstairs and staff accommodation upstairs, as it still is today.
In the late 1970s and into the ‘80s, the Mt Buller social scene was alive and well for all patrollers.
SCV was like a second home and Koflers Hutte was the breakfast bar.
In fact Bob and Chris Fleming treated all the patrollers as family (and still do).
And of course late at night there was always the comforting stench of the Kooroora Hotel.
It would be remiss not to mention the Grimus bar as well… fortunately the walls can’t speak.
One great initiative was an early version of the ‘Buller Ball’.
It was held in the old Comfort Station, ie the concrete toilet block that also doubled as our visitor day centre.
In order to hold the function a liquor licence had to be granted.
So organisers explained to the Victorian Liquor Commission that it was for a formal Mt Buller prize giving ceremony to be held at the Village Town Hall.
Nothing could have been further from the truth.
Melbourne celebrities such as Shirley Strachan joined resort staff for a no holds barred occasion.
Suffice to say it was a novel event brought together by imaginative minds.
In the 1980s Speaky developed the concept of an exchange program for patrollers.
It was a great initiative that allowed our patrollers to gain great experience and exchange ideas around rescue techniques, mountain safety and equipment.
Many resorts participated across North America and Europe.
The extension of this initiative saw our patrollers doing regular training on Mt Stirling where search and rescue missions were practised.
Through these efforts strong relationships evolved with Police Search and Rescue, and Air Ambulance Victoria.
In 1981 Speaky became Mt Buller Ski Patrol captain and was an active patrol member until 2014 - 33 years of incredible service.
Speaky’s son Nathan joined Ski Patrol in the mid ‘90s.
Nathan also now operates ‘Speakys’ in Geelong, and for many years operated an apparel and accessories retail outlet called Off Piste in the Mt Buller village.
However, the Speaky story had another chapter to run.
For the 2015 winter, he joined Mt Buller Guest Services (the yellow jacket brigade).
He was quickly appointed Guest Services Ambassador and worked with Brett Cooper from the Ambulance Service Victoria to introduce nine defibrillators around Mt Buller.
It is testament to the co-operative spirit shown by all stakeholders including Buller Ski Lifts, Resort Management Board and the independent commercial operators.
At least one life has been saved as a result of this.
Many have asked as to the origin of Terry’s nickname ‘Speaky’.
Well it dates back to 1969 and his good mate ‘Long John’ Peterson.
As with most Australian communities, ‘everyone’ in Torquay had a nickname.
Long John reckoned Terry never spoke much.
And so when Speaky was looking to open a surf shop in Torquay, it was Long John that made the call that it had to be called ‘Speakys’.
Back then Rip Curl was launching under Brian Singer and Doug Warbrick.
Alan Green and John Law had started the Quiksilver company.
All were mates from the surf coast and passionate skiers.
Back in those days not many people surfed in winter.
Wetsuits weren’t what they are today.
Most importantly they loved the freedom of surfing and quickly discovered snow provided that same feeling of freedom… only this time in a winter wonderland.
BREAKOUT:
Mountain Memories Trivia:
Q: Why is Cut 73 called Cut 73?
