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Posted 2017-05-22 by Roz Glazebrookfollow
I grew up in Tasmania where there is lots of snow, but I had my first skiing experience in New Zealand on Mt Ruapehu. Since then, I have skied in Victoria and NSW but never in Tassie. I took my son skiing when he was four years old. We had moved from tropical Townsville to live in Port Fairy on the Victorian coast for three years.

During that time, we had two trips to the Victorian snowfields. He took to skiing easily and showed no fear. The first time, he threw away the stocks and took off down the slopes crouching and balancing on the skis.



Years later, after we moved to Brisbane, my son went on a snow trip with his school in grade 11. That time he mainly did snow boarding. We didn't know at the time, there was a shop in a nearby suburb that specialised in snow gear.



You don't expect to find two snow specialist shops in subtropical Queensland. The Keperra shop is tucked away in a quiet corner of the suburb. I came across it accidentally when I was filling in some time recently, waiting to pick up someone from the nearby Community Health Centre.



I didn't even know the shopping centre on Dallas Parade existed. There is also a fish and chip shop, chemist, doctor, newsagency, great friendly kidney support op shop, cafe, real estate office, dentist, and most surprising of all the shop.



Marcia, the Queensland owner of the snow shop showed me around and told me she opened the Keperra twenty-four years ago. She told me she and her family used to go skiing every year and found a gap in the Brisbane market for good quality ski gear and accessories so they opened the shop. The business expanded and the family opened a second shop in Underwood on the Southside of Brisbane nine years ago.



Marcia said people who are into skiing and snowboarding know about the shops. Staff are very knowledgeable and passionate about snow related activities. They can help fit out people for the slopes. They also provide a hire service and maintenance and repairs for equipment. They sell new and second hand ski gear and snowboarding equipment, clothing and accessories. They even hire out chains for cars. Marcia said it was very important to keep ski gear in good condition and maintenance was necessary. She told me they employ students, and some of them have gone onto achieve great things. I met one of the current employees, a young Russian woman.



The repairs are done onsite using state of the art equipment, including a Wintersteiger ski and board-tuning machine. The shops are open year around and cater for Southern and Northern Hemisphere skiers. snowboarders and winter travelers.



The shops sell everything you need for a trip to the snow. They sell waterproof outer wear, insulated jacket and pants, base layers /merino, blended/polypropylene, midlayers, micro fleece layer/vest, goggles, double lenses, gloves, waterproof and breathable, beanie, neck warmers, socks, helmets, après boots, après gloves, sunscreen and lip balm, even car chains, nikwax to clean gear when you get home and even backpacks.



I'm more into bushwalking and kayaking than skiing these days, but I used to love being in the snow as long as I was warm and dry. I always preferred cross-country skiing to downhill skiing, especially after I bowled a ski instructor over once when I was learning to ski.



So if you are planning a trip to the snow fields in Australia or overseas, or your child is going on a snow trip with their school, pay a visit to , either in Keperra or Underwood. You will be amazed at the variety of stuff to make your trip memorable.



#adventure
#keperra
#nature
#outdoor
#skiing
#snow
#underwood
%wnbrisbane
170604 - 2023-06-15 07:16:41

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