Working bee at Apex Magic Castle

FORMER members of Wellington Apex Club joined a working party at the Apex Magic Castle at Smiggin Holes.

In the late 1970s, the Association of Apex Clubs held a national service scheme to raise a large amount of money to aid handicapped children.

Apex was a service club for young men aged 18 to 40 years. At the time it boasted over 18,000 members nationwide.

With the money that was raised a chalet was built at Smiggin Holes in the Kosciuszko National Park. The chalet could accommodate 28 people and was specially designed to be wheelchair friendly and to cater for the needs of children with a variety of disabilities. It was opened in 1980 by then Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser.

In the ensuing 40 years nearly 40,000 children have enjoyed a holiday in the snow country, something they could only have dreamed about without the assistance of Apex.

It goes without saying that 40 years and 40,000 kids would create considerable wear and tear and depreciation on the building. Over that time members of Apex have formed working parties to go to the chalet (popularly known as the Magic Castle) to do maintenance during the off season. In recent PRE-COVID years, more and more people are going to the mountains to escape the summer heat.

The most recent project was carried out during January this year when 16 members of the Braidwood Apex club spent a week renewing the timber flooring.

A week later, a group of older retired Apexians (mainly from NSW with a few current members from Victoria) arrived to paint worn surfaces and do minor maintenance. There are some jobs which will require skilled tradesmen. When completed, the Magic

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Castle will be ready to welcome the groups which have already booked for the coming winter.

The Magic Castle can now accommodate 24 which includes children and carers. The charge is $500 for a week irrespective of how many are in the party. If there were only 20 in a booking this equates to just $25 per head for a week’s accommodation. In winter, the building is centrally heated and all hot water and cooking is gas-powered. The $500 barely covers the cost of gas. Rates, insurance, building maintenance and other sundry costs are all covered by Apex. Guests have to bring their own food as there are no shops at Smiggin. The nearest shops are at Jindabyne, 30km away.

Pictured above are John Fettell and Terry Hoffman, both former members of the Wellington Apex Club who attended the recent work party at the Magic Castle.

Information about the Magic Castle can be found on the website apexchalet.com.au or phone 02 9253 7775.