An artist’s impression of the redeveloped Selwyn Snow Resort (Photo – Sissons)

Businesses in the Australian Alps usually welcome large snow dumps early in the season, but the dumping of more than a metre of the white stuff is unwelcome news for Selwyn Ski Resort. It will now force the entire season to be closed with the operators looking to open in 2023.

Selwyn was destroyed during the 2019-20 bushfires and was due to open in early July after undergoing a complete rebuild and an expansion. However, significant early dumping of snow has forced the business to push that date back again, which Blyton Group general manager Lucy Blyton said was “devastating”.

“Mother Nature has not been our friend over the past three years,” she said. “There’s so much snow up there so we’re at a point where we cannot clear it to keep going.”

Selwyn is a family-friendly resort and attracts people from areas like the Riverina, the ACT, and along the NSW coast.

Every building, except a barbecue hut, was burned down during the Black Summer fires.

Since January 2020, COVID-19 and consistent wet weather has delayed the reconstruction process.

“Power and sewerage are the main two things at the moment,” Ms Blyton said. “Given those are pretty important things to install in dry weather, it’s a bit hard when we have over a metre of snow on the ground.”

The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said some areas had seen the best start of the season due to the heavy snowfalls.

Customers who were planning to head to Selwyn this season would receive a refund, according to Ms Blyton, while staff would be transferred to Selwyn’s sister site at Charlotte Pass.

Reconstruction work will restart this year in order to reopen next season.

“We’re aiming for a fresh start in 2023,” Ms Blyton said. “Third time’s a charm.”