The return of mild temperatures and a continued lack of snow prompted some Cardrona Alpine Resort staff to swap the skifields for green fields yesterday.
Seven lift operators spent much of the day at Wanaka’s Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs clearing dead trees and bushes, chopping and stacking firewood, sorting plant containers and installing rabbit protection around new plantings.
Cardrona and Treble Cone head of operations Ewan Mackie said the businesses approached Friends of Bullock Creek to ask if it could do with some more volunteers.
‘‘We were keen to find alternative work for their staff so that we could keep paying them while we waited for more snow to enable us to open up additional lifts and terrain at Cardrona,’’ Mr Mackie said.
Lifting and clearing bush at Wanaka’s Bullock Creek Hatchery Springs yesterday are (from left) Otago Fish & Game officer Paul van Klink, of Wanaka, and Cardrona Alpine Resort lift operators Hugh Yiu (25), Hugo Lam (26) and Chris Davies (26), all of Auckland.PHOTO: KERRIE WATERWORTH
