Leslie ‘Les’ Jackson, the adventurous Hobart man who famously skied down the snow-covered Tasman Bridge during the historic 1986 snowfall, has died suddenly aged 74.
The beloved community figure passed away on September 21, leaving behind a legacy of sporting achievement and community service.
Jackson’s audacious bridge-skiing stunt on July 25, 1986, when Hobart received its heaviest snowfall since 1921, remains one of the city’s most enduring snow day memories.
After Hobart woke to more than eight centimetres of snow that morning, Jackson drove from his Bellerive home across the treacherous Tasman Bridge, parked, then returned to ski its entire length while a WIN TV cameraman friend captured the moment.
The footage has gone on to symbolise that extraordinary day and Jackson’s larrikin sense of adventure.
Beyond his famous snow day exploits, Jackson was a stalwart of the local sporting community, playing more than 1,000 matches for University Soccer Club and scoring over 250 goals to become the club’s all-time leading goalscorer.
His passion for skiing extended beyond his famous bridge descent.
During the 1970s, he helped maintain the University ski fields at Mount Field and was instrumental in establishing night skiing facilities there.
Professionally, Jackson built a successful accounting practice.
He is being remembered by his family as a man who led a life of “bold adventure” and “deep community commitment”
