Turnak Co-operative Ski Club Limited

Turnak Co-operative Ski Club Limited (Club) maintains Turnak Ski Lodge (Turnak) in Guthega Village, Kosciuszko National Park.  Turnak is above the snowline and overlooks Guthega Dam and the Great Dividing Range.

The Club is a not for profit organisation and was founded by a group of friends in the early 1960's who built Turnak. Many of the founding members still actively use Turnak and over time the membership has grown to include many of the original members' friends and children.

Turnak is a multi-level ski lodge constructed of weatherboard and timber on stone covered block-work and concrete foundations. Turnak was designed in 1962 by John James who had a clear vision to blend the Lodge into the unique alpine surroundings. The Lodge's design reflects the period in which it was constructed and the subsequent improvements made by its members over the years.

Members and guests are encouraged to use this new website which includes a new interactive booking form, updated Club policies and a photo gallery.    

  
Early Memories of Turnak Ski Club - from Ray Kidd (one of the still-active founding members)

"I think it was 1960 after staying at the Sydney University Ski Club ( demolished a year or two later) Keith Okey and I were driving back to Sydney when Keith first suggested building our own ski club.  When the concept sank in I had to agree with him. "What a good idea!"
 
Liking the design of an "A - frame" office in Pymble, Keith approached the architect, John James,  who agreed to design  a ski lodge for us in return for some membership rights.
Keith spread the word amongst his other medical students and friends and we were soon getting people together and forming committees etc.  
 
At this time I think it was the Kosciusko Park Trust that was in charge of the area. The Trust at that time had not finalised their lease arrangements, so we only had to pay about four dollars a bed for some years (now our lease costs thousands !)
They said the club had to have so many unrelated members and be a non-profit co-operative society. So, as such, we amended a standard constitution to have a membership of seventy three persons.
Each membership had one hundred  £1 (one pound = two dollars $2) shares initially paid up to 12/6 ($1.25).  
The remaining 7/6 (75¢) was called up a year or so later.
We also had a loan from the bank to make up the difference and Ziggy Tietz (Ziggy's Joinery)  from Berridale won the tender and built the lodge for about twelve thousand pounds.
 
In the early years we had many money-raising functions, cheese tastings, car rallies, wine tasting - bottling - sales, fashion shows etc.
There was no annual fee for the first few years but with rising costs for wood, oil, lease and general maintenance etc, we eventually had to cover these expenses with a fee.  
Do-it-ourselves work-parties have been in place since the beginning. I know myself and my family went down for the Easter Work-Party every Easter for the first sixteen years and then about every second one for about another sixteen years. Over later years I'm afraid I have left it mainly up to Sue and Jenn to represent the family. They're younger than me!
 
Because of my feeling for the lodge I have spent at least one week every year except one since we built it, staying there to ski in Winter as well as some Summer visits for bush-walking.
 
I'm sure I speak for the other members when I say I have enjoyed being a member of this club with exciting, positive times ahead to be carried on by the members and directors.  I have also enjoyed every minute of being down there at the lodge at Guthega.
 
Being a member of Turnak has been a major part of my life.
 
HAPPY SKIING !              Ray Kidd."
 
 
President: Roger Lucas
Secretary: Kylie Williams
Booking Secretary: Jenn Kidd