Lodge Roles and Responsibilities
To reflect the different management of Lodges the following structure applies. Role descriptions are posted on the Club website.
Senior Party Leaders
Senior Party Leaders represent the USC Committee in “on-mountain” situations and receive priority booking points in return for volunteering their time and energy while on holiday.
The Senior Party Leader is appointed at Mt Hotham and during the Summer Season at any lodge where there is no resident Lodge Manager. The Senior Party Leader has ultimate authority in the lodge, as representing the Committee and must be supported by all residents.
Party Leaders
The Party Leaders support the Lodge Managers at Falls Creek and Mt Buller and are required to coordinate the volunteers. This includes Club dinners and ensuring that the cleaning and other task duty rosters are notified to Members using the lodge and that those Members actually do the tasks allocated to them during their stay at the Lodge and on departure. This is an important role and will often mean that a party leader is one of the last to leave on a weekend. Please note, difficulties experienced with party leaders not properly discharging their role have resulted in those individuals not receiving priority points. At Mt Buller and Falls Creek, whether or not an individual has discharged his or her role as party leader will be determined by the Lodge Manager who will make a report to the Bookings Officer. At Hotham the incoming party leader can make this determination. An unsatisfactory performance may well impact on your ability to be a Party Leader in the future which will impact on your ability to earn priority points.
Deputy Party Leaders
Deputy Party Leaders are appointed at Hotham. They coordinate food deliveries and assist the Senior Party Leader. As for Party Leaders, entitlement to Priority Points is dependent on discharge of the obligations as Deputy Party Leaders.
Lodge Managers
Lodge Managers live in residence at the lodge at Buller and Falls. They are responsible for managing the lodge in terms of incoming and outgoing Members and their guests, lodge maintenance, in-season providoring and ensuring Party Leaders discharge their responsibilities. They are important ambassadors for the Club. Please note, the Lodge Managers are not there to keep the lodge clean and tidy or complete the duties missed by Members. Those tasks are the responsibility of the Party Leaders to organise and ultimately, the responsibility of the Members using the lodge.
Lodge Manager in Residence
Mt Buller
| Role | Key Contact | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Lodge Manager | Sally Rodden | Day to day management |
| Lodge Administration | Felicity Koch | Sub-committee leader |
Falls Creek
| Role | Key Contact | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Lodge Manager | Liz White | Day to day management |
| Lodge Administration | Fiona Hellier | Sub-committee leader |
No Lodge Manager in Residence
Mt Hotham
| Role | Key Contact | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Party Leader | Volunteer Member | Day to day management and duties roster |
| Deputy Party Leader | Volunteer Member | Coordinate food orders and deliveries |
| Lodge Administration | David Cleland | Sub-committee leader |
Porepunkah
| Role | Key Contact | Responsibility |
|---|---|---|
| Party Leader | Volunteer Member | Day to day management and duties roster |
| Lodge Administration | Kate Abel | Sub-committee leader |
Contacting Lodge Management
Contact lodge management by completing the member feedback form, select the type ‘lodge management’ and select the lodge of your choice.
Arriving before 5pm
All luggage should be placed out of the way in the luggage room at Mt Buller or basement at Mt Hotham and Falls Creek and as directed by the Lodge Manager or Senior Party Leader until changeover at 5pm.
Early arrivals should report to the Senior Party Leader or Lodge Manager as soon as practically possible. Early arrivals are entitled only to tea/coffee and biscuits. At all times, consideration for the comfort and amenity of existing lodge occupants is a primary requirement. Members entering rooms before 5pm without the permission of the Lodge Manager or Senior Party Leader and unreasonably consuming pantry items, may have their booking immediately cancelled.
Members and guests visiting the lodge when not staying
A Member who is not booked into USC lodges should only use the lodge by prior arrangement with the Bookings Officer, Senior Party Leader at Hotham, or Party Leader at other lodges. Any such visits must not inconvenience those staying and factors to consider are how full the lodge is, time of day, etc. Catering is as per early arrivals. USC does have a tradition of occasionally welcoming guests for a drink or meal and there is no reason why this tradition should not continue when the guest is invited and if the above considerations are met. If a non-staying member or guest wishes to stay for a Club dinner, a fee of $30pp is payable. This can only be done with the approval of the Lodge Manager/Party Leader and Booking Office.
Lodge Dinners & pre-dinner drinks
Please note the different arrangements at lodges for dinner or pre-dinner drinks. Club Dinners at Falls Creek are are generally Saturday night only as are pre-dinner drinks at Buller. Hotham holds Club dinners each night given the size of the kitchen, the joint provisioning of fresh food and as this is an important Club tradition in that lodge. People travelling to Hotham should inform the Booking Officer if they want dinner at the lodge on the first night of their arrival.
Lockers
A limited number of lockers may be available. Lockers are only allocated to active members of the relevant Lodge. A waiting list is maintained and allocation is in order of receipt. A $100 deposit is taken for lockers and the key should be returned with a locker in good condition to receive a refund. An annual fee is charged for each locker, currently set at $25. The Club takes no responsibility for the contents of any locker. If a Member has not stayed at the Lodge at which their locker is located for more than two seasons they may be required to return the locker to the Club. The Club will make their best effort to have any contents returned to the owner. Any contents not collected by the start of the following Ski Season following a request to do so, will be given to a charity.
Internet Access
Wireless broadband internet connections are available in all lodges. From 2023, both Mt Buller and Mt Hotham have Stalink installed to increase the speed and accessibility of internet access for Members at those resorts. The Committee looks forward to receiving feedback from Members about this addition. The Club endeavours to maintain a working internet in communal areas but it may be limited by the quality of on mountain connections and the number of users. For this reason the Club reserves the right to limit or block access to movie and gaming applications. Details to connect to the internet are provided with the door codes and in the lodge. Please do not disconnect or interfere with the Club’s routers, wi-fi or connections.
Falls Creek Flats and Use
Configuration and use of the wider lodge:
- The flats have a single bedroom containing a double bed and three single bunks and are comfortable for four people, or a family of 5.
- Cooking equipment includes hot plates, microwave oven and electric frying pan.
- Flat occupants have access to the lodge pantry and communal refrigerator for foodstuffs.
Cleaning Flats and vacating
Occupants are required to keep flats clean and tidy. Check out is strictly 5pm. Regular commercial cleaning is no longer able to be provided for the Falls Creek flats. It is the Member/guest responsibility to ensure the flat is clean upon departure for the next guests. Contact the Booking Office for a cleaning quote if self-cleaning is not practicable.
A surcharge will be charged should your flat not be left in a suitably clean state. A cleaning checklist will be in each flat which will need to be signed and returned to the Booking Office upon completion of your booking.
Duties for Flat occupants
As users of the flats are entitled to, and usually do use, communal facilities as well as their flat, the Party Leader will assign lodge duties to all flat occupants. Names of all flat occupants should be confirmed to the Party Leader. If flat occupants do not complete assigned duties, a fee will be levied against the Member making the booking.
Transport
Members are responsible for their own transport. The Booking Officer will try to help people who require transport by seeking if any other Members might have a spare seat available. It is the Member’s responsibility to make appropriate arrangements.
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Club Security Systems , Lodge Access
Members and guests must never convey door codes to people other than Members and their accompanied, staying guests. Members and guests are to assist in maintaining safety and security by ensuring that all doors and ground floor windows are secured (locked) to prevent unwanted access by strangers. Lodges may have security surveillance systems installed.
Mt Buller
The building has a security access number keypad that operates in winter. This number is for use by Members and paying guests only. The number is changed on Sunday night. Door codes are distributed with booking confirmations. There is a year-round security and fire system installed. There is also a camera system installed in the communal TV/Movie/Pool room areas. Codes will no longer be displayed though out the Lodge for security purposes. Members MUST ensure they have the code and are not reliant on obtaining it from the Lodge Manager or other members to access the lodge. In an emergency situation only, they can call the Lodge Manager (number available in the lodge foyer and other locations around the lodge or the bookings officer during office hours.
Mt Hotham
The building has a keypad security system, which is operated during the ski season. Members will be advised of the door code with their booking confirmation.
Falls Creek
There will be a separate keypad code allocated to each flat and for Club lodge access. Members will be advised of this with their booking confirmation.
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