MOUNTAIN NEWS

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 1, Issue 4, 28 June 1983, Page 5

MOUNTAIN NEWS

Last Thursday evening Television One's local news programme, 'Today Tonight' featured a story about Mt Ruapehu's two skifields: Whakapapa and Turoa. The film had been made by Aucklands 'Top Half' team in perfect weather conditions the previous Friday . . . just before the weekend snowstorm set in. * * * Twenty five senior teachers from schools within the Wanganui Education Board area (including Palmerston North and Dannevirke) visited Ohakune last Friday to assess the viability of introducing skiing into their schools' curriculums. They assembled in the Ruapehu College Hall where they were met by College and Turoa staff who were able to explain the programmes that had been run ^for the past two years with ^Hie Waimarino schools. * * * Thirty five travel agents, sponsored by Trans Tours, visited Ohakune earlier this month to check out. facilities, both on the skifield and in the town. They were surprised and impressed said Turoa's saies manager Terry Drayton. * * * The Turoa Ski Academy has proved so popular this year that the original programme for both July and August are already fully subscribed. The demand

has been so great said Terry Drayton, that Turoa has decided to introduce two additional academies to cope. The first, a junior one, is for children, from 3rd - 7th July and the second one, for adults, from 15th - 19th August. * * * Turoa's new Pomagalski T-Bar known as 'The Jumbo' is also expected to be ready soon — about mid July is the expected completion date depending on the weather. The Jumbo will have a lifting capacity of 1400 people per hour. * * * The new 120 seat Alpine Lodge cafeteria at the base of Turoa Skifield is all but completed. It is now entirely closed in with double glazing and just requires finishing touches — decorating and furnishing — before it is in full operation. This is expected to be in the first week of July. * * * Mt Ruapehu's two skifields, Whakapapa and Turoa, are to have their own radio station for a month this year subject to a licence being granted by the Broadcasting Tribunal. To be known as Ruapehu Radio (2XR) it will broadcast during the month of August on two transmitters — one in the Ohakune/Raetihi area on a frequency of 1233 Khz, the other from National Park on 1269 Khz. * * *

2XS in Palmerston North will not be setting up a local station this year as they have done in the previous two years but they have established an up-to-date ski report arrangement with all Europa Service Stations throughout the lower half of the North Island. These service stations will display current informaiion about conditions on both Whakapapa and Turoa Skifields. * * * Mr John Lowrie, a regional liaison officer for the Tourism Advisory Service which is a division of the government's Tourist and Publicity Department is coming to Ohakune to discuss tourist potential and finance with local authorities, promotion associations, National Park staff and Turoa Skifield. . . * * *