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Buller Wraps Season, Laurie Blampied Wraps Career

snow action team 03.10.2021

Today Buller draws the curtains on another pretty forgettable covid affected snow season – surely 2022 has to be back to normality thanks to vaccines!

It’s also popular Buller General Manager Laurie Blampied’s last snow season, after a remarkable 26 years during which he’s made an immense contribution. 

Here’s a quick Q & A with him from Buller. He has done a great job and steered major transitions and upgrades at Buller the thave improved it out of sight. From all of us at Snow Action we wish you all the best for a long and fun retirement!

Retiring Buller ski Lifts General Manager Laurie Blampied
Good on you Laurie Blampied! © Mt Buller

Laurie was due to retire at the end of the 2020 snow season. But he agreed to stay for another 12 months when the pandemic hit and we needed his steady, experienced hands at the wheel – which provides some insight into his character and passion for the place. The coronavirus restrictions have prevented us from giving him an appropriate send off – for now. In the meantime, we asked him a few questions on the countdown to the end of his last snow season in charge. 

How did you find your way to Mt Buller? 
After studying Civil Engineering at University, I worked in Australia and abroad. My passion for skiing and the Victorian Alps inspired a lifestyle change as the assistant GM at the Fall’s Creek Lift Company in 1994. This led to a later opportunity at Buller Ski Lifts and I’ve been here ever since.  

What are some key achievements that have occurred during your career at Mt Buller? 
– When I first came to Mt Buller we had 100 guns covering 28 hectares. Now we have 330 guns, covering 75 hectares. This has been critical during periods of low natural snowfall.
– We acquired or built more than 24 buildings including Buller Sports Central and the Kooroora redevelopment.
– Ticketing has gone from paper wrapped round pieces of wire to our current system that integrates lift access, ski school products, retail, rental, and food and beverage options.
– We installed snowcams and developed mtbuller.com.au, which replaced recorded telephone messages and snow reports in newspapers. Footage from our snowcams during the recent earthquake was shown on news reports in Australia and around the world.  

What are your plans after the 2021 snow season? 
I’ll remain living in Mansfield working on my fishing technique and improving my golf handicap. I also plan to spend more time with my three grandchildren, two of whom live in England and one in Geelong. I’ll also continue to work as a consultant for BSL for the next 12 months focused on project work. 

It’s a huge thanks to you, Laurie, on behalf of everyone at Mt Buller. We hope you enjoy your semi-retirement, and look forward to seeing you enjoying the slopes next winter – without your Guest Services yellow jacket!

Surely 2022 has to be back to normality! © Mt Buller

2022 BULLER SEASON MEMBERSHIPS 

Who’s ready to get back to ‘normal’ and ride as many days as possible in 2022? The 2022 EARLY BIRD SALE is ON NOW and we’ve frozen the price!

You know the drill. This Early Bird will fly away soon. 

Get in before 31 October, 2021 to lock in the best value on unlimited riding in 2022.

ON-MOUNTAIN DISCOUNTS:

  • 10% off Ski & Snowboard School Private Lessons, Adult Class Lessons & Buller Kids (7 to 14) Class Lessons. (Not Applicable for Bunyip and Season Programs)
  • 15% off Rental from Buller Sports & Altitude outlets
  • 15% off Tunes & Services from Altitude Tune Shop
  • 10% off Retail from Buller Sports, Altitude & Freeride outlets.
  • 10% off when dining at the Abom Bistro, Abom Food hall, Moosehead Whisky Bar, Tirol Café, Spurs Iron Maiden Smokehouse & Bull Run Cantina
  • Free access to Twilight Skiing & Boarding

OFFERS AT INTERNATIONAL RESORTS:

MOUNTAIN COLLECTIVE 
Get 50% discounts on single day passes at participating Mountain Collective resorts (including Thredbo, Coronet Peak, The Remarkables and Niseko) during the 2021/22 northern hemisphere seasons, and the 2022 southern hemisphere snow season (excluding affiliates). For more details visit the Mountain Collective website here.