Skating on sea ice
For most Sydney residents, winter is a time for complaining rather than celebrating. Last week’s 4.3 degree morning – the coldest since 1949 – had early commuters cursing into their scarves rather than savouring the chilly season.
Thankfully, Martin Kratky and Chris Doerfel have different ideas.
The Austrian-born directors of the Alpine Winter Festival have brought some of their alpine-expertise to our beach city to demonstrate to Sydneysiders how those in the know go about enjoying the colder months.
From June 24, the forecourt of St Mary’s Cathedral was a picturesque host to a giant replica of a European winter wonderland. The Sydney Winter Festival will now be also moving on to the unlikeliest of destinations – Bondi Beach.
Named after the highest point reached by ski lifts in European ski resorts, the Bondi Bergstation will feature a giant 600m2 ice-skating rink, the first ever outdoor rink to be set up beside a beach.
And like its namesake, this icy outpost will be nestled alongside an Alpine Ski Hut, complete with an open wood fire, hot chocolate with marshmallows, and hearty winter fare from Austria, Switzerland and Bavaria.
For those who would prefer to wile away a toasty evening with something a bit stronger, but don’t feel like clutching a frosty schooner glass, the Ski Hut will also serve up mugs of Glühwein, or German mulled wine.
Now in its second year, the Winter Festival continues to draw enthusiastic crowds who aren’t too proud to look a bit silly on the ice while they get used to their skates.
The festival has undergone a rapid expansion after last year’s event, which sold out in only 48 hours. It now tours through three sites (it will venture south to Melbourne in August) and boasts ice-rinks four times the size of its predecessor.
Entry to the Bondi Bergstation is free, and skating tickets are $17 + $5 skate hire for adults and $12 + $5 skate hire for kids, and will get you 45 minutes on the rink. They can be purchased from www.winterfestival.com.au. Patrons are also welcome to bring their own skates, and can save on the $5 booking fee by using the code ‘nohire’ when reserving tickets.
