Devastated tourists share memories of popular snow resort gutted by bushfires

A popular ski resort destroyed by bushfire has prompted hundreds of Australians to share their favourite memories of the holiday spot which has been left in ruins.

The Selwyn Snow Resort located in the NSW Snowy Mountains has been a favourite destination for families since 1966 and “suffered extensive damage” after a bushfire ripped through the region at the weekend.

The boutique ski resort posted images of the burnt-out property on their social media channels on Monday, showing the charred remains of the park.

“While we do not yet know the status of lifting and snowmaking infrastructure, we can confirm that the resort buildings have been severely damaged by the fire,” a spokesperson for the resort wrote on Facebook.

Devastated visitors of the resort reacted to the news by sharing wholesome memories of their time at the resort – including photos of children learning to ski, annual family holidays and even a proposal.

“So sorry to hear this has happened, my kids learnt snowboarding here and come back year after year,” one person responded.

“We went back last year for the first time in 36 years to reminisce and show the next generation where their parents learnt to ski,” one visitor said sharing a photo from 1983 and another from 2019.

“First place we ever skied. So sad... but hope you can rebuild,” one woman wrote.

“Devastating news. Our children had their first snow experience there a couple of years ago. We have such wonderful memories,” another said.

“So sad. We come every year,” a third woman said.

A man said he had asked his partner to marry him at the snowfields.

“So many fantastic memories that’s the place I proposed... absolutely heartbroken,” he said.

The resort staff were touched by the hundreds of comments from guests who had visited the resort and locals who expressed their concern.

“Thanks for your sentiments. This is home and a special place to so many people. We will rebuild,” the resort wrote.

Many promised to return once the resort rebuilds.

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“We will be back to support Selwyn, it’s the best for kids learning to ski,” a social media user wrote.

“I will definitely be returning once you guys are back up and running,” another added.

The resort reported all staff managed to evacuate safely and they were still assessing the extent of the damage.

“The safety of our staff is our highest priority, with all staff safely evacuated before the fire reached Selwyn Snow Resort,” the resort posted.

At the time of publication, the Facebook post had attracted more than 3300 comments and had been shared almost 2000 times.

Social media users praised the locals in the area and the staff at their beloved resort.

“The strength of Selwyn has always been the people. I'm sad to see the buildings go, but as long as the people are safe, it will be back,” one person commented.

Selwyn Snow Resort staff were overwhelmed with the support, but reminded people the bushfires were still raging through Australia.

“While we know the Selwyn community will be saddened by this news, it is important to remember that the fire situation is still active in the wider region,” they posted.

The resort will continue to post updates on their social media channels.

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