Couple Handcrafts Skis from Australian Timber in the Alps

When Jonathan and Steph Paige pressed their first pair of handmade skis in 2019, it was a total disaster. But that spectacular failure in Western Australia launched a journey that would eventually put them in a workshop in the NSW Snowy Mountains, crafting premium skis from trees grown right here in Australia.

Five years and over 100 pairs of skis later, the couple has mastered an art that few attempt outside the ski capitals of Europe and North America. Their secret lies in combining three Australian-grown timbers: alpine ash for strength, lightweight paulownia for balance, and water-resistant jarrah to hold everything together.

The alpine ash comes from forests in the Riverina region, where it's carefully selected, air-dried, and kiln-treated over six months. "When you're dealing with a natural product, you can't rush it," explains Damien Bunting from South Coast Timber in Eden, who sources their specialty boards. Each piece must be perfect, with zero knots or imperfections.

The dense alpine ash gives the skis their flexibility and weight, which Steph says is crucial for handling less-than-perfect snow conditions. "You want your ski not to be chattering away when you're skiing through something that may not be perfect powder," she explains.

Sourcing jarrah became more challenging after Western Australia banned native forest logging in 2024. The resourceful couple now works with a mill to reclaim timber from fallen trees and construction projects, extending each board's usefulness and encouraging skiers to keep equipment longer rather than replacing it every season.

The Ripple Effect

The Paiges face unique challenges operating in a country better known for surfing than skiing. High freight costs and opposite-season suppliers make every order complicated. But their persistence is creating something bigger than just skis.

By proving premium sporting equipment can be made from local, sustainably sourced materials, they're challenging the assumption that Australia must import everything specialized. The timber mill in Eden, used to processing high-volume flooring orders, now gets excited about the meticulous work required for ski cores. "It can get a little bit monotonous sometimes, so when you get an opportunity to do something out of the box, you're like, 'Let's get into it,'" Bunting says.

Each pair takes weeks to complete through cutting, grinding, polishing, oiling, tuning, and waxing. The wooden core gets laminated between a plastic base and wood veneer top sheet, held together by steel edges. Everything except the base and edge is Australian made.

What started as trial and error in a place far from any snow has become a celebration of Australian timber, craftsmanship, and the kind of stubborn optimism that turns catastrophic failures into something worth celebrating.