It was all smiles and celebrations at the launch of the 36-bed backcountry Musterer’s Hut at Snow Farm on Saturday (July 23), but the internationally-renowned cross-country ski area is now in a race against time to raise money for a new base building before next winter.

Snow Farm is required to leave its leased base this October, handing it back to building owner and neighbouring business, Southern Hemisphere Proving Ground.

“We need to start building in October and to complete stage one over summer, so we are ready to go for winter 2023,” Pisa Alpine Charitable Trust (PACT) chair Samuel ‘Q’ Belk said.

“We are at a critical point in the Snow Farm’s history and we need as much help as we can get.”

PACT, which owns the Snow Farm, needs $1.7M to build its new base and is seeking help from funding partners and charitable foundations.

“We could never have built the Musterer’s Hut or paid for our groomer without the support of community trusts and lotteries grants and we are eternally grateful for their help,” Q said.

Approximately 150 people gathered for the opening of the Musterer’s Hut at Snow Farm.

“Now, as our time at the old Snow Farm base building draws to a close, we are calling out for help once again, to ensure we have space for all the needs of our communities, and to provide a functional home for Biathlon New Zealand and the sport of cross-country skiing.” 

PACT is about to lodge its resource consent application for the new building, which is intended to be built over two stages – stage one costing $900,000 and stage two costing $800,000.

Entirely funded by community grants and with the support of many volunteers, the $750,000 Musterer’s Hut project is the latest milestone towards the Snow Farm’s future-proofing efforts. 

More than 100 people attended the opening of the Musterer’s Hut in Tranquility Basin on Saturday (July 23), including Snow Farm founders John and Mary Lee.

Snow Farm patron the Right Honourable Helen Clark opens the new Musterer’s Hut.

Opened in 1989, Snow Farm was the inspiration of the Lee family which had farmed the property under a pastoral lease since 1924. In 2012 the Snow Farm was acquired by PACT, which then donated the land to Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC) in perpetuity.

QLDC subsequently leased the land back to PACT for 99 years.

PHOTOS: Supplied