A model of the original Hotel Kosciusko has been donated to the Jindabyne Library by the Perisher Historical Society as they share their passion for the alpine legacies with the community and visitors to the area.

The model was built in 2019 and recently donated to the Jindabyne Library by its maker, Donald Johnston A.S.T.C. (Arch. Dip.), who is a retired heritage architect, ski lodge historian, award-winning author and committee member of the Perisher Historical Society.

The 1:100 scale model depicts the first stage of the original Hotel Kosciusko built in 1909 to the design of Walter Liberty Vernon, government architect.

By 1951 the Hotel Kosciusko had been expanded to twice the size of this model.

Managed by the NSW Tourist Bureau, it became Australia’s first planned alpine resort and was for 42 years a popular year-round located at Diggers Creek in the Kosciuszko National Park at 1500 metres.

The entire timber accommodation building was destroyed by fire by 6am on the April 18, 1951. All guests escaped with little injury.

Remnants of its historic original foundations can still be found today in the forecourt area of Sponars Chalet, being the former 1926 Hotel Kosciusko staff quarters, the only structure to have survived.

The hotel’s detailed history and its legacy, published by the Perisher Historical Society in 2020, received an award from the International Skiing History Association USA.

The publication was also authored by Donald Johnston.

Perisher Historical Society committee member, Brian Farmer, said the group has been searching for a place where the model would be well looked after and could be viewed by as many people as possible.

“We had a few options in mind, however once we approached the Jindabyne Library staff, they were excited about the opportunity of showcasing it right there in the centre of Jindabyne,” Mr Farmer said.

“The library staff will kindly hold onto the replica and look after it and it seemed fitting that the replica call the library home since that is also where Donald A. Johnston’s more than 300-page book ‘Hotel Kosciusko’ along with other Perisher Historical Society published books were donated back in 2023.”

The original Hotel Kosciusko was built by the NSW Tourist Bureau to address the demands of emerging alpine tourism. The hotel in the Diggers Creek valley of the Kosciuszko National Park, became a vibrant year-round playground for many decades.

Maker of the model, Mr Johnston, said his interest to build this model occurred during his eight-year research period and writing of the manuscript, which started in 2012 and was eventually published as a 300-page hardcover in January 2020 by the Perisher Historical Society, titled “Hotel Kosciusko- The History and legacy of Australia’s first planned alpine resort”.

“Over those eight years my research was aided by the wonderful contribution of some 150 families and individuals who donated not only their families’ historic association with the hotel over its 42- year life, but also their photo albums,” Mr Johnston said.

“Majority of those contributors had enthusiastically responded to the former Sydney Morning Herald’s Saturday RSVP column (when owned by Fairfax newspapers) thanks to their generous promotion of the Perisher Historical Society’s research project at the time.

“The publication received a shortlisting in the NSW Premier’s History awards in 2020 and was the winner in 2021 of the International Skiing History Association USA, Outstanding Regional History Award.”

Copies of this publication are available in the Jindabyne Library and can be purchased through the society’s website bookshop portal at www. perisherhistory.org.au.

The book has been its second most popular publication and is now in its second print run since 2020.