By LISA LOGAN, president of Falls Creek Chamber of Commerce

AS I write this, I am looking out on a winter wonderland.

The magic of falling snow: coating the snowgums that are bowing under the weight of the snow, street covered in snow and people walking along with rosy cheeks and child–like wonder and delight in their eyes.

Yet, it is the first day of the five–day circuit breaker lockdown in Victoria.

The lifts are not turning today due to the announcement and will not run until regional Victoria’s restrictions ease.

We have seen hundreds of guests leave – fleeing – to deal with the consequences of the lockdown and border closures in their own homes or quarantining hotels.

Operators like myself have been fielding calls, and responding to the disappointment of yet another holiday cancelled or postponed.

It is hard to turn people away when your job is welcoming them, especially when the very thing they are wanting to see is building up before your eyes.

Up until today our visitation has exceeded all expectations and records.

According to the statistics from Alpine Resorts Coordinating Council, the year–to–date visitor numbers are up 89 per cent on the 10–year average, and the visitor days exceeds 100 per cent increase. COVID–19 requirements have enabled a more accurate counting of the numbers through the gate but we know this year is exceptional.

Accommodation businesses would tell you the numbers would be greater if we had more beds.

We have turned away potential guests and have been turning them away for weeks.

This is what recovery looked like and we were hopeful for the sustainability of both snow and hospitality industries in the region.

These businesses are reporting that the majority of visitors are new Australians travelling from Melbourne to experience the snow for the first time, or are still relatively new to snowsports.

After years of stagnation, this trickle has become a welcome flood of interest, knowing that there are new generations of people wanting to experience the snow this will sustain and reinvigorate the industry.

Hopefully, by the time you are reading this we will have reopened from the circuit breaker and be able to welcome back the next wave of visitors to the mountains and the region, and if the excitement that is building from the expected metre of snow this week is anything to go by, it is going to be busy, very busy!

EDITOR'S NOTE: Lisa operates Diana Alpine Lodge in Falls Creek