Rebuilding Selwyn Snow Resort from scratch

By Pam Zierk-Mahoney Taking time out from a very busy schedule, Lucy Blyton-Gray, general manager of Selwyn Snow Resort and Charlotte Pass, travelled to Mt Buller in Victoria to be a guest panellist at the annual Women In Winter event. The event was attended by more than 50 women (and some men) last week on an evening where guests in some places were climbing over mounds of snow with more threatening through the night. The snowfields across Australia are currently experiencing the best winter season for many years. For Lucy Blyton-Gray it was a levelling experience giving her views on what has been a journey of recovery following the 2020 bushfires in NSW and rebuilding a complete snow resort from scratch. Lucy described how devastating it was to view the remains of what had been a busy ski resort brought to ashes. Lucy took on her current role as general manager at Charlotte Pass earlier this year but is no stranger to this special snowbound ski area. She’s done almost every job there except for driving the over-snow. Her family bought Charlotte Pass back in 2007 so the connection for her is a deep and personal one. Lucy’s university studies were in business management and she went on to become a chartered accountant with stints working at Ernst & Young in risk and assurance, then with Westpac before coming back to the family business at Selwyn Snow Resort following the bushfires. She said there was absolutely nothing left and even the sewerage system had been destroyed by the intense fires. It took some three and a half years to rebuild the resort to what it is today – a thriving ski resort once again. She said the best years for a long time had been 2022 (with rebuilding still underway) and again this year. Getting people back to the resort had been a big effort, especially after a couple of bad snow seasons – 2023 and 2024 – but this year has seen a resurgence in visitors with plenty of snow. She told this publisher that the resort had gained a bushfire recovery grant of $1 million which restored the car park area only. The remainder of the rebuild had to come from insurances and family support. Lucy described her strengths gained from the experiences and how she had been supported by her husband, family and employees. “To gain strength you identify the gaps between what you are and what are related to you, and what you want to achieve,” Lucy said. “Identify the areas you are not familiar with and push through – you will get there in the end. “There is always a solution to a crisis – such was the case when Selwyn was completely wiped out in the 2020 bushfires.” During the question and answer time of the event all guests were asked what they thought about climate change and what the future holds. Lucy said that climate change was being looked at, predicting what each season may bring is impossible. “The years 2022 and 2025 have been the best years ever – we just don’t know; seasons could go either way, going to great or crappy,” she said. Lucy lives full time with her husband at Charlotte Pass, which is currently snowbound. “The only way we can get off the mountain is by over-snow vehicles,” Lucy said. “It is quite different to other resorts, which have road access.” And when asked what attracted her to the mountains and skiing? “I was privileged to have grown up in resort management – it’s infectious and it can be a lifetime course,” she said. Again, she reiterated “you just push through the hard times to achieve where you want to be and what you want to gain,” she said. Lucy talked about being called back to life in the mountains after a stint away and that is something many will connect with. She currently serves on a number of boards connected to her community and industry and leads the team at Charlotte Pass – which is not just her work, it’s her home.