Perisher Blue Pty Limited with David Hogg Pty Ltd has jointly won, with a WA project, Australia's most prestigious town and regional planning award for environmental planning.

At Monday night's RAPI National Awards for Planning Excellence at Canberra's National Convention Centre, Perisher Blue Pty Limited and David Hogg Pty Ltd were awarded with the national category award for 'Environmental Planning or Conservation'.

Perisher Blue Pty Limited and David Hogg Pty Ltd were rewarded for their 'Perisher Blue Ski Resort Ski Slope Plan' program. A copy of the Citation for the Award is attached.

RAPI National President, Barbara Norman, said the National Awards recognise planning excellence across Australia, with the field including Divisional Winners from each State and Territory

"Perisher Blue Pty Limited and David Hogg Pty Ltd's 'Perisher Blue Ski Resort Ski Slope Plan' is a deserving winner of Australia's most prestigious environmental planning award for the year", Ms Norman said.

Perisher Blue CEO, Ashley Blondel said after the award presentation that the RAPI Award is testimony to the tremendous efforts put in by Mr Hogg, Perisher Blue Staff and Management over a number of years and demonstrates not only their passion, but also their awareness of the need for environmental sensitivity in planning and management. It is with optimism that the Perisher Blue Slope Plan will begin in the summer of 2002-03.

The Perisher Blue Slope Plan is an ambitious project that is one part of a plan to make Perisher Blue the pre-eminent Mountain Destination in the Southern Hemisphere and incorporates the construction of new lifting facilities, additional snowmaking, mountain restaurants and more accessible ski and snowboard runs, all within the existing Perisher Blue Ski Resort boundaries. Combined with the knowledge gained from the studies undertaken to develop the Ski Slope Plan, which have provided detailed environmental mapping of flora, fauna and other natural features of the area for the first time in such detail, the added facilities and enhanced management capabilities will provide for a guaranteed ski season and greater repeat skiing opportunities for visitors.

Combined with the Master Plan, soon to be released, which involves the construction of a Village Centre in Perisher Valley, the Ski Slope Plan with its sensitive planning and detailed analysis of visitor needs, will provide for a very unique destination and experience.

The Ski Slope Plan is available on www.perisherblue.com.au