Koomerang Ski Club Lodge – Building with Steel at Elevation

Project: Alpine Ski Lodge – Steel Frame Construction
Location: Mount Hotham, Victoria
Elevation: Over 1700 metres
Builder: Bright Alpine Builders Pty Ltd
Director: Steve Graves
Cabinet and Kitchen Designer: Adam Williams, Wilko Cabinets
Completion: 2017

Overview

Perched at over 1700 metres in Victoria’s alpine region, the Koomerang Ski Club Lodge at Mount Hotham is a masterclass in building with steel in extreme environments. Designed to endure harsh snow loads, freezing winds, and punishing temperature shifts, this elevated alpine lodge exemplifies the expertise of Bright Alpine Builders, known across the High Country for tackling structurally complex, high-performance projects.

Building at Altitude

Constructing a building in alpine conditions demands a deep understanding of climate, logistics, and resilience. As Steve Graves notes, “The challenge at Hotham is always the unpredictability of the weather and often working in intense cold. You even have to acclimatise—at that elevation, you tire more quickly.”

The team braved snow, ice, and biting wind during the build, which added layers of complexity to an already intricate structure. Simply getting tools, materials, and crew up to the site each day was a logistical feat.

Engineered for the Elements

The lodge is engineered with a steel frame, a necessity in alpine environments where buildings must resist both extreme wind velocity and heavy snow loads. Sleek roof and wall profiles allow wind and snow to pass efficiently over the structure, reducing build-up and pressure.

Bright Alpine Builders’ ability to execute architect-designed steel structures in remote and high-altitude locations is a defining feature of their craft. According to Steve, “In alpine building, you need to keep the profile clean and low. It’s about respecting the mountain and working with the elements—not against them.”

Craftsmanship and Collaboration

While this project, like many, was architect-designed, Steve’s contribution was critical. “I can often see the finished structure clearly in my head, even before the build begins,” he explains. “I enjoy working alongside architects to shape the design as we go. We keep the conversation open — that’s how great buildings happen.”

Alpine Legacy

The Koomerang Lodge is part of a broader alpine legacy. Other standout Bright Alpine projects include the Mount Hotham Police Station, designed by FMSA Architecture. That project featured a suspended concrete slab and an angular, wind-deflecting façade—again, built to withstand brutal conditions. Similarly, the Chrismont Cellar Door in the King Valley required the construction of suspended and cantilevered slabs, a technical challenge that Steve and his team met with precision and care.

Each of these projects—including Koomerang—showcases Steve’s rare ability to combine structural ingenuity with refined interior detail, an approach best exemplified by the continued collaboration with cabinet designer Adam Williams of Wilko Cabinets, who lends his precision craftsmanship to every Bright Alpine home and lodge.

Conclusion

The Koomerang Ski Lodge isn’t just a high-country hideaway — it’s a testament to what’s possible when steel engineering, mountain-specific design, and hands-on building expertise converge. In conditions that most builders avoid, Bright Alpine Builders deliver some of Victoria’s most enduring and beautiful alpine architecture.