Women of Winter | Joanne McDougall
Published Wed 22 Dec 2021
Our Women in Focus series continues this month with Winter Olympian and Snow Australia director Joanne McDougall, nee Henke.
Alpine skier Joanne practically grew up on the snow and ice as the daughter of Oslo 1952 Olympic figure skater Gweneth Henke, and former Australian ice hockey player, six-time Australian Winter Olympic Team Chef de Mission, and Chairman of the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia, Geoff Henke AO.
At the age of five, Joanne was already competing in alpine races at Falls Creek and later graduated to the Victorian Junior Championships. She represented Australia at the Innsbruck 1976 Winter Olympic Games in the Downhill, Giant Slalom and Slalom events, scoring a 36th place in the Downhill as her best result.
After retiring from ski racing, Joanne continued her involvement in the ski industry through the family business. Along with her husband Doug and her children Lucy and EJ, they still run Molony’s in South Yarra. Joanne is also a director of Snow Australia
Jo, please describe your role/involvement in the snow industry?
I started working in the snow industry 50 years ago with my parents, who opened Molony’s Ski Shop in Melbourne, Falls Creek, Mt. Buller and later at Dinner Plain.
After my time as an athlete, I worked in the store until my husband and I bought our family business at Dinner Plain which included a ski shop, ski hire, ski school and the Dinner Plain Ski Lift.
After Mt. Hotham and Falls Creek Lift Company amalgamated, they purchased our Dinner Plain business and Molony’s Ski Shop moved to South Yarra, Melbourne where we are today.
Did you always want to be part of the snow industry?
I was born into the snow industry. My mother was a Winter Olympian as an ice skater and my father has spent a lifetime involved in winter sports and the Olympic movement. So naturally as a child we spent most of our time in the mountains and Australian ski fields. It was a natural progression for me to be involved.
What drives you to be the best you can be?
Winning drives me to be the best. It can be related to winning a ski race, giving the best advice to a learning skier, or choosing a fabulous ski collection for people to wear on the slopes. The drive to succeed in any position is very important.
What has been your proudest moment/achievement?
Winning the Thredbo National Downhill Title (presented to me by Ingemar Stenmark) and competing in the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria in downhill, slalom and giant slalom at age 17.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever received in your career?
“To believe in yourself” was the best advice I was given.
Is there anything else you would like to share with other women in this industry?
The snow industry is small, but we all love the mountains and the people involved. It’s nice to share the same passion and work with like minded people.
The sporting side of the industry gives us the opportunity to share our sport in the future with our children/grandchildren and guide them on a path if they wish to follow their dreams to be an Olympian.
