Mount Buller Ski Resort is one of Australia's most popular ski resorts. It is located in the Victorian Alps, about three hours from the heart of Melbourne.
The ski resort has a dynamic terrain that attracts thrill-seekers of all abilities and levels. Its gentle and medium slopes are ideal for beginners and families, who also love non-ski-related activities such as tubing and tobogganing. It also has impressive off-piste and backcountry areas, and a variety of freestyle terrain parks for expert skiers and snowboarders.
Mt. Buller has a great après ski scene and superb nightlife. It is a popular destination for the Range Rover driving ski set.
Mt Buller Ski Field is expected to open between June 10th to October 2nd, for the 2023 season.
Ski life services at Mt Buller open as early as 8:30 AM, with the last ones closing at 5:00 PM.
Mt. Buller is one of the five largest snow resorts in Australia. It sprawls across 741 acres of variable, skiable terrain, with 80 kilometers of pistes. It is also one of the highest resorts in Victoria, with a vertical rise of 405 meters.
Mt. Buller’s terrain has two distinct parts: a sunny and a shaded side. Skiers and snowboarders also have the choice between the northern slopes which are more beginner friendly and the southern slopes which are havens from expert skiers.
Mt. Buller Ski Resort’s terrain is classified as follows:
The resort is especially famous for its black runs. When snow conditions are favorable, advanced snow lovers enjoy adrenaline-pumping cut trails, moguls, and true off-piste terrains.
Mount Buller is Australia’s most accessible ski resort with the most extensive lift network in Victoria. Its first ski lift went into operation in 1949.
The resort’s variable terrain is serviced by 22 modern lifts, including the Abom Express, which is one of Australia's longest single chairlifts. It whisks thrill-seekers along a 1000-meter span, reaching a top elevation of 1,927 meters.
The following lift types provide access to the resort's slopes:
To access Mt. Buller, you need to purchase a resort entry pass. Getting a Ski Pass to Mt Buller is easy. You just need to visit their website and order your pass online.
You can also order season passes and Night Ski passes from the website.
Like most ski resorts, you will still need to check in to the basecamp to get your pass card. You’ll use this card to access services such as lifts and select ski life amenities.
If you have a vehicle and plan to stay overnight, parking spaces are available at a fee. To access the car park, you’ll drive about 30 mins up a winding mountain road after gaining access to the resort’s gates. On reaching the snowline, you should attach your snow chains as it gets harder to drive up the slope. If you’re unsure about how to do that, Mt. Buller’s employees will assist you.
Since the resort village is a car-free zone, there are regular bus services that transport revelers to and from the resort. If you need to hit the slopes right away after parking, you can take the Northside express lift situated at the car park.
Curious to know what the snow is like today at Mt Buller Ski Resort?
Check out Mt Buller snow cam footage to see what the conditions are like on the slopes.
Mt. Buller receives a modest average seasonal snowfall of 2.4 meters. August has the best snow coverage during the season, offering a mean snow depth of about one meter.
The resort’s southern slopes have a decent snow retention capability as long as it does not rain. The other half is a tad sunny which quickly diminishes the snow quality.
To compensate for the low snowfalls, the resort has invested in state-of-the-art snow-making machines. They replenish snow in 20 runs, which is about 26% of the entire Mt. Buller terrain.
Mt. Buller is the sunniest resort in Victoria. It receives about 24 sunny, bluebird days per season. This is on par with most Australian resorts which average 29 days per season. The sunniest month is September with an average of 10 sunny days.
Check out the following live representation of the estimated snow depth for Mt Buller Ski Resort.
Knowing the projected weather conditions at and around the resort can help you plan your trip better.
The following graphic shows an updated forecast for Mount Buller’s weather.
By Australian ski resort standards, Mount Buller’s Alpine Village is quite large. It is also unique with many on-mountain accommodation facilities offering ski-in/ski-out access.
The resort offers many options from hotels, lodgings, and dining. It also has more hospitality amenities than any other Victorian ski resort. A few of these facilities offer deluxe services including airport transfer options to their premises.
The alpine village is located at the base of the mountain with the accommodation facilities spread out across the resort. Various accommodation packages are available for guests staying in the resort’s surrounding village. They have both luxury and budget options to suit individuals, families, and groups.
To access the accommodation at Mt. Buller, you must park your vehicle at the designated parking area and then take a snow taxi to the village. The bus service is, however, not available to overnight visitors.
If you don’t wish to stay at the resort, you may elect to stay off-mountain at either Mansfield Town or Sawmill Settlement. Here you’ll find many budget-friendly accommodation options including family-run BnBs, chalets, and homes. You’ll also get access to amenities such as supermarkets, fuel stations, and shopping places.
A few hotels in the resort’s village offer luxury accommodation. They include:
Many of the accommodation facilities at the resort are located high up the mountain. They also offer a true alpine experience as most are located above the snow line.
By Australian ski resort standards, Mount Buller’s Alpine Village is quite large. It is also unique with many on-mountain accommodation facilities offering ski-in/ski-out access.
The resort offers many options from hotels, lodgings, and dining. It also has more hospitality amenities than any other Victorian ski resort. A few of these facilities offer deluxe services including airport transfer options to their premises.
The alpine village is located at the base of the mountain with the accommodation facilities spread out across the resort. Various accommodation packages are available for guests staying in the resort’s surrounding village. They have both luxury and budget options to suit individuals, families, and groups.
To access the accommodation at Mt. Buller, you must park your vehicle at the designated parking area and then take a snow taxi to the village. The bus service is, however, not available to overnight visitors.
If you don’t wish to stay at the resort, you may elect to stay off-mountain at either Mansfield Town or Sawmill Settlement. Here you’ll find many budget-friendly accommodation options including family-run BnBs, chalets, and homes. You’ll also get access to amenities such as supermarkets, fuel stations, and shopping places.
A few hotels in the resort’s village offer luxury accommodation. They include:
Many of the accommodation facilities at the resort are located high up the mountain. They also offer a true alpine experience as most are located above the snow line.
Mt. Buller is located in Victoria and lies to the southwest of Mt. Hotham and Falls Creek. It is part of the Great Dividing of Australia.
The resort is about 47 kilometers to the east of Mansfield Town, 235 kilometers from Melbourne, and 225 kilometers from Melbourne Airport. Compared to Falls Creek and Mt. Hotham, it is the closest ski field to an international airport.
The closest airport to Mt. Buller is Melbourne’s Tullamarine International Airport, which is 3 hours away. You may also fly in through the Albury Domestic Airport, where you’ll find connecting flights to Tullamarine and other domestic airfields.
If you’re arriving from an international destination, you can find superb seasonal airfares through Qantas and Virgin Blue Airlines.
There are various transfer options available from Melbourne and Albury, including shuttle buses, rental cars, and helicopter rides.
If you wish to connect to Mt. Buller by road, you can either rent a car or take coaches. There are both private and commercial transfer options.
Coaches are available from both Albury and Melbourne airports. They provide transfer services from Melbourne’s Tullamarine airport to Melbourne City, then connect to Mt. Buller. Popular Coach services include:
There are also several bus services to the resort from cities such as:
If you wish to drive yourself, you can take the following routes:
Tips when driving to the resort:
The resort features great off-mountain parking, especially behind Mansfield-Mt Buller Buslines depot and Mirimbah Riverside car park. Even though camping is not permitted, visitors with RVs and motorhomes can park at Mt. Buller.
Is it located 3 hours northeast of Melbourne and is the closest major ski resort to the city. Visitors access the resort via Melbourne’s Tullamarine International Airport and the Albury Domestic Airport.
Mt Buller gets around 2.4 meters of snowfall a year with an average of 20-25 fresh snowfall days a year. To compensate for days with low snowfall, the resort has snow-making capabilities that cover about 26% of the terrain.
Mt Buller has 741 acres of skiable terrain with two distinct zones; the southern side which is more shaded and has great off-piste opportunities and the sunnier northern slopes which are more beginner friendly.
Mt. Buller offers ample parking to its overnight visitors at a fee. The parking areas are located 1.5 km from the village. For easy access, Mt. Buller’s staff will meet you at the car park and advise you on where to park.
Yes, Mt Buller is the perfect place to learn to Ski or Snowboard. It has plenty of beginner-friendly runs on the northern slopes of the mountain. It also has many gear rental outlets and several snow sports lessons available.
Both references are correct. You may use "Mt." which is short for "Mount".
Yes, you need to carry snow chains to access the resort. The local government regulations require that all visitors wishing to travel to Victorian alpine regions carry fitting snow chains. Before buying or renting snow chains, check your vehicle’s manufacturer instructions. Chains can be hired from a number of outlets in Mansfield.
To access Mt. Buller’s ski base, you must pass through the resort entry gate. If you have not pre-purchased your resort entry online, you can pay as you pass through the gate.