These cross country ski boots are part of the pioneer ski recreational sport in the Victoria Alps. The mid 1900's saw the Victorian Alps begin to be used for recreational skiing, especially cross country. The majority of skiers at this point in time were either from the SEC Vic. Kiewa Hydro Scheme or from Melbourne. International skiers had better ski fields (ski lodges etc.) in Europe, the U.S.A. and Canada. With greater and better coverage of the Winter Olympics and some medal wins, skiing became more interesting and rewarding for city dwellers in Melbourne and Sydney.These ski boots are of great significance to the Kiewa Valley as it demonstrates that winter sports in the region have and still do attract not only skiers but also provide an employment (even though seasonal) avenue which "livens up" a small rural community and provides for a diversity of land usage which did not exist in the 1800's. These brown cross country ski boots, "Grief" brand have "cherry" inserts with cream laces, within the main boot. The boots have red and black laces and crossover tie flaps (to allow for maximum front foot entry. These boots do not have any ski clips to hold firm those restraints (quick release) on the skis (like "modern boots and skis). The heel section has the red Greif "W" pattern.At the underside of the rubber sole in freehand script "Cresta"snow skiing, ski boots, winter recreational sports.

These seal skin straps and webbing were introduced into the Victorian Alps by European engineers, conducting survey work for the SEC Hydro scheme in the late 1930s. This period in time produced many immigrants from a war torn Europe with highly developed technical skills. Many of these immigrants provided articles that were well suited to the alpine regions of Australia, ones they used in their homelands. These were times when the home grown cultures of the Anglo Saxon heritage of the earlier settlers within the Kiewa Valley became interwoven with the various European cultures and this formed, what in later years became the beginning of the Australian multi-cultural society. The Kiewa Valley and its surrounding regions where the major rural areas which did not progress in a so typical Aussie "dinky-di", "she'll be right" fashion. The European influence was however not too strong, so as to obliterate the flavour of the home grown rural society.The major populated sections of the upper Kiewa Valley and the Alpine regions were accelerated by the SEC Hydro Development which brought into the slow growing rural regions a quasi multi ethnic society, however this was only noticeable up to the time when the final Power Station was commissioned in the 1960s. The slight variations to the typical Australian rural settlements of the time were in some food preparations, winter apparel such as these seal skin straps and soles and "langlauf" (cross-country skis). The sealskins were sewn so that their grain ran from front to back thereby allowing the skins to grip going up hill and glide going downhill.The gardens and varieties of flowering shrubs and trees where also more in line with traditional European "outdoor" settings. Seal skin sewn onto one side of a strap of webbing. There is a webbing loop on the front that slips over a small point at the front of the ski. There is a webbing strap attached to the back of the seal skin sole coming over the back of ski that clips metal fasteners onto a loop of webbing behind the ski boot. alpine sports, snow skis, winter clothing, mount bogong recreational activities, snow sports

Ice skates used to skate on Lake Catani. Ice skating was a popular activity for guest and visitors to Mt Buffalo. Ice skates were provided for hire by the the first Lessee of the Chalet, John Newton and also Norwegian born Hilda Samsing, who took over from him in 1919 and did much to pioneer and promote winter sports in the Victorian Alpine region . Ice cover on the Lake has not been sufficient for safe skating for many decades. 'After its initial popularity, skating at Mount Buffalo dwindled in the post-war years. According to Museum Victoria curator, Michelle Stevenson, few collections hold historic ice-skates, so any early examples identified in the Chalet collection will be important for their rarity." (Pg 94. Historica) 'Ice-skating was a popular recreational activity in the later nineteenth and early twentieth centuries...According to Michelle Stevenson, Australian Collections hold little material culture relating to its practice other than images and film. The few pairs of ice skates in the Chalet collection, which are in good condition, are important for their rarity as well as for illustrating the popularity of skating on Lake Catani prior to WW2.' Pair of black leather ice scates, mounted on wall. Skates feature white laces, metal blades and brown leather reinforcing area around laces and ankles.Boots are stffed with 1993 newsprint.On skate blade, "Made in Canada 11 1/3 CCM / Senior A" On boot sole , "Made by J Molony " plus worn name label.