Picture: National Archives of Australia
Damien Breitfuss from Perisher Manor has kindly identified this previously unknown oversnow - this picture taken c.1960 picture is of a Mole Engineering Mink. The Mole Mink was produced in Australia at this time, this one being used to transport stores and skiers to Falls Creek in Victoria.Picture: Keith Byron, National Archives of Australia
Damien also kindly provided the following picture of a Mole Mink apparently taken from the Sundeck Hotel in Perisher Valley also c.1960.
Picture: Damien Breitfuss CollectionThe same picture is incorporated in the sales brochure for the Mole Mink below kindly provided by Ralph Zollinger:
Brochure: Ralph Zollinger Collection.jpg)
Ralph Zollinger has also provided the spec. sheet above for the Mole Mink, apparently using differentials from M29 Weasels.
Brochure: Damien Breitfuss Collection
Richard Bell has kindly provided a recollection of one of the Minks in action:
"I also was involved on a Bogong High Plain in ski rescue back in1965. When we skied into Falls Creek to get a doctor for a fellow skier who had a broken leg. We came out of Falls in the oversnow vehicle called “SNOW MINK” by Mole. There were five of us, Driver and one crew, Doctor, myself and fellow skier. I remember we had to sit in each corner inside and the crew guy in the middle to get the best traction and stability and off we went at 10.00pm to find the Injured party near Marms point past Rocky valley dam. The Snow Mink never missed a beat."
Another rare find by Damien Breitfuss shows that at lease one Mole Mink made it all the way to Australia's Arctic Territories! Undated.
Picture: Damien Breitfuss Collection
Here's a rare Oversnow - Damien Breitfuss has also kindly supplied this picture of a Hydrotrac, advising it was locally built by Terry O'Hare from Recar in Melbourne and was the first hydrostatic snowcat powered by a Holden Motor. Damien thinks only 1 or 2 were made. Thanks Damien, nice find!
Picture: Damien Breitfuss Collection
Another rare and excellent shot of one of (or the only) Hydrotrac, again from Damien.
Picture: Damien Breitfuss Collection
Picture: Andrew Collier
These two pictures show two Rolba Turbo Trac models in Hans Oversnow's Jindabyne depot post-season in 2011. As far as I am aware (please correct if this is wrong) Rolba oversnows have been quite rare in Australia. Pictured here are a 150 (red) and 260 (yellow) series, my apologies for the quality of the 150 picture however it is the only one I have.
Picture: Andrew Collier
This appears to be the same Hans Oversnow Rolba Turbotrac 260 seen with its' bonnet up in the picture above. Seen here parked at the Perisher oversnow terminal in August 2013.
Picture: Andrew Collier
A mystery oversnow seen parked at Falls Creek during a recent off-season. Perhaps this is a converted Bombardier Bombi or a converted smaller Thiokol?
Picture: Wikipedia
Above a real one-off, handmade by Richard Bell, in his words (edited): "Many years ago (1965) I made a, one man “sno mouse” based on one - SNO CAT pontoon with a motor mower motor inside, cover over the track and steering by pivoting left or right with an outstretched leg. It fitted onto the back seat in a VW Beetle and was intended to replace my use of the Landrovers in winter from the car park to the Lodge on Mt Buller. It had the potential to travel in an hour over the snow, what would take a person to walk in a day, so reliability was of great concern, in the end I decided to use it only on the farm for early morning round up of the horses before saddling. It’s no longer operational.....175cc Victa mower power. If you
weren’t gentle with the clutch it would rare up and buck you off and you were
left chasing it to hop on. Great fun. Extra fuel was in a backpack bottle, a
temp measure only till I could devised a bladder to drag behind."
Picture: Richard Bell
