Curious to Ski Buller for Something Different?

You love Perisher or Thredbo but you’ve always been curious… What WOULD it be like to ski in the Victorian ski fields of Australia ….just for a change? Head to Mt Buller for a mid-week ski or board and see why Victoria keeps this one on the quiet.

Why Buller?

Mt Buller as a family operated snow resort means decision making autonomy is faster and really benefits visitors. It’s a foodie town in its own right, worth a week’s stay even in no snow conditions. Resource wise, there is a museum, an art gallery, a cinema, trampolines, a climbing wall and indoor pools for guests and even a primary school!  If you’re there to ski the mountain there are 80 kms of groomed trails,19 lifts rated 15%, 45% intermediate and 40% advanced terrain. There are also cross-country trails accessible from the village connecting MtBuller with Mt Stirling (when there’s sufficient snow) and you can snowshoe and toboggan.

Is Victoria that different?

When you cross the border from NSW and get into the incredible Victorian alpine, you feel like you’re in a whole new country, minus international flights. Despite both being Alpine ecosystems, the scenery in Vic Alpine is surprisingly greener and more lush than to NSW’s browner alpine forests and the granite on distant mountains near Buller give off Swiss alps stripy snow on layers vibes. Rolling hills and different shades of green as far as the eye can see really do make it difficult to tear your eyes away when you’re sitting on a Buller chairlift. 

Logistics

Flights

Melbourne is just a 1.5 hour’s flight from Sydney with flights departing every hour on multiple airlines. Plan your trip for AFTER the weekend rush to take advantage of quieter days during the week up on Mt Buller. There’s something fun about knowing everyone else is at school or work and being the closest snow resort to Melbourne you’ll skip the city weekend visitor rush. On a clear day try and get a window seat as the Sydney – Melbourne route tracks directly over the Mt Buller summit and you can spot the snow-capped mountain easily as you start the descent into Tullamarine.

On the Ground

Once you land in Melbourne, hire a car or take the local ‘Buller bus’ or enjoy the sights of Melbourne for a day or stay overnight to see some theatre, check out the latest international exhibition at the gallery or get up to speed on shopping or the Melbourne’s music scene. 

With a rental car it’s 3 hours to the snow resort and in the Buller bus it’s 4 hours but you won’t need to deal with parking once you’re there and you won’t need a car on the hill. Buller buses go up and back three times a day and 5 times on Fridays.

How’s the Terrain?

If you’re a skier who has experienced different snow resorts around the world you will know that some resorts are kept on the quiet when they’re  really good. It’s a primal instinct to keep the lions from the fresh kill. Skiing around Mt Buller for the first time recently I could immediately see that this was the case for Buller. 

Many see Buller as a beginners mountain, which is convenient for anyone who wants to keep advanced slopes all to themselves and it’s true that beginners are well catered for in beginner designated zones at Buller, which is the best scenario for everyone for preventing accidents. Intermediate, upper intermediate and advanced terrain was highly evident  as Tony Harrington summed it up on social media recently, 

“Back in the days when I worked in Thredbo I met a couple of staff who had spent time working in Buller. “What’s Buller like?” I enquired? “Nah, nothing special” was their reply…It took me another 15 years to finally get here to find out for myself. Admittedly on my first visit I scored epic conditions which I’ve found to be occasionally a little slow in coming, but when they do, hands down Mt Buller has the best damned Freeski terrain in the country”. 

Lift passes

The type of lift pass you will need depends on how much skiing you will do. How organised you like to be, if you like first lifts or a slow morning start, how much money you have and whether you want to be spontaneous. Here are some tips: 

Ikon pass

Buller is on the IKON Pass. There are two types of international season passes and Buller is on the Ikon pass. When you buy an Ikon pass you get access for 5-7 days (depending on the pass you buy) at Mt Buller as well as 49 other snow resorts around the world, including Thredbo. And you get buddy passes for friends or family.  Mt Buller is also part of Mountain Collective so season members from any Mountain Collective resort can access 50% off any full-price day ticket.

The arvo lift ticket

If you’re planning to sleep in, chill out, dine and ski afternoons and possibly evenings, the afternoon ski ticket is for you. Not every snow resort offers them these days, tickets are valid from 1pm and it’s entirely possible to smash out an entire afternoon skiing with lifts closing at 4.30- 5pm. Your afternoon ticket is also valid for twilight skiing from 5pm-8:30 pm on Wednesdays (and Saturdays during July and August conditions permitting).

Ski all day all week long

Ticketing is dynamic, which is a common pricing system here in Australia and overseas and is better for you sneaking to Buller midweek. Dynamic pricing works by heavily discounting less crowded days, like Wednesday or Thursday and financially discourages you on Sundays for obvious reasons (hello daytripper city crowds). For planning ahead purposes if you walk into the ticket office and expect to buy tickets on the spot and ski the same day you can also expect that’s the most expensive way to buy, but HATS OFF to you if money is no object and that’s how you roll. For everyone else if you book a week ahead AND do it online you save 10% for starters. If you need lessons there’s currently a great midweek deal worth checking out.

Midweek Season Pass

A midweek season membership for Monday to Friday use could be a good option for you and your friend or partner. It gives you discounts and 5 x Take-a-Mate vouchers and gives you other discounts on rentals, lessons and dining (Abom Bistro, Abom Food Hall, Moosehead Whisky Bar, Tirol Café, Spurs Iron Maiden Smokehouse & Bull Run Cantina). You get the value from the pass after 5 days with the additional opportunity to come back later in the season. There is a sale on this pass till August 10th.

Twilight skiing

If you’re coming up for the foodie scene and relaxation, perhaps a twilight pass is best for you. At $35 on Wednesday and Saturday evenings in July and August you work up an appetite and get a ski in. 

Bring my skis?

Bring them if you like, but there’s ski and equipment rental here as well as a great bootfitter and stores to buy yourself a new ski jacket, socks, pants or whatever you need. Get on the plane just with your boots but Ortho Ski will set you up with a custom fit pair if ready for an upgrade.

Dining 

Something you notice eating and drinking around Mt Buller is the plethora of Austrian inspired and in-house family made meals all over the village. If you’re expecting cafeteria style eating you may be disappointed. Yes you can find french fries and burgers the world over but even the eateries serving this style of food for the daytripper masses seem quite upmarket. The Cattleman’s Cafe, catering for large groups and families receive a quick education in Victorian cattle country with eatery decor, style and photography reminiscent of a rural museum. If it’s classic quick and easy ski resort food you’re here for, Moosehead serves Canadian-inspired poutine and wings every Tuesday night from 3pm. It’s also a popular late night live music venue with blues and whiskey in a cosy setting.

Up in the Tirol cafe, it’s populated with ski patrol and locals in the know enjoying a coffee but for lunch the place packs out with skiers enjoying in-house pastas and local wines.   

Architecturally inspired Black Cockatoo with elegant decor serves modern Australian with a focus on local and seasonal produce. Their feed me dinner option is a great way to sample their fare, with dishes chosen by the chef and all meals are paired with tasty, mostly local wines. Get there early if you can – it’s a great spot to see the sunset and enjoy a pre-dinner cocktail.

The Birdcage, next to Black Cockatoo serves delicious coffees and hearty breakfasts and the avocado on toast will fuel you for the day ahead. Grimus Grind serves delicious pies, homemade sausage rolls, toasties and coffees if you’re walking around the village enjoying fresh air and don’t want to sit indoors for breakfast.

Harry Burns, halfway up the main run of Bourke Street, sources ethical produce and meals are thoughtfully prepared and presented. Kaptans at Grimus Hotel are traditional Austrian specialties, with seasonal produce, a popular schnitzel and signature dessert . Spurs Smokehouse is popular with it’s 4.2 tonne smoker for tender beef brisket, Reuben sandwiches, Maryland chicken and savoury pulled pork.If you’re still in Buller on the weekend, the weekend DJ at apres ski time gets you close as you can Val D’Isere apres ski without boarding a plane.

Art 

You can’t travel this far without dropping into world renown photographer Tony Harrington’s Buller gallery, Harro Art.Harro is known for big wave and big mountain photography and his photographs are jaw-droppingly gorgeous. Harro also offers a photo shoot service and with his ability to capture light, action shots and mountains at their best this is a wonderful opportunity for visitors.

Sculpture walk

Dotted throughout the village are statues everywhere, for art lovers this is wonderful to spot them everywhere and enjoy them in all their glory. Art for everyone.

Music

Most of the music understandably plays on Saturdays but if you’re hunting for music mid-week head to the Off-piste bar Monday to Friday 4pm till late.

Museum

At the base of the centre is the National Alpine Museum jam-packed with treasures from over the last 100 years of skiing. There are old posters, skis, boots and clothing, it’s worth a wander through and a chat with museum curator Dr Michelle and it’s open 12 noon to 5pm through winter.  

Relaxation

A day spent at the day spa on a horrible weather day or just a day you need a massage is a worthy visit to Breathtaker Hotel and Spa. With magnesium mineral pools, spa and steam room it’s a great way to spend accommodation check-out days and the facials and massages are an amazing experience. This experience is open to the general public for a fee. You can stay upstairs at the gorgeous hotel, which has an incredible kids play room, a hang out room and restaurant. They also offer below the snowline hotel transfers so you don’t need to worry about parking or driving in snow conditions at Buller if you’re unfamiliar or not confident or don’t want the hassle. 

Accommodation

There are plenty of ski in ski out chalets, hotels and apartments to stay in around Buller village, most within 100 metres of the lifts. The local supermarket is well stocked with local produce, fresh fruit, meals, antipasto and sushi and can be delivered to your accommodation so you can eat in if you don’t feel like eating out.

Another benefit of feeling like you’ve come to a new snow resort overseas but you’re still in Australia is being familiar with how all the services work. Hicaps work at the physio if you need a treatment or a massage. If you’re travelling with a medical condition that requires care or monitoring there is Australian medical assistance available. A snow resort with this many non-ski activities with ski in ski out accommodation it’s the pick for going with skiers if you can’t ski for any reason, like you have a new baby or nursing a knee reco. You’re not cooped up in a dark room or staying really far from the action like some snow resorts.  

Mt Buller really is a dark horse, a little unknown and underestimated by NSW skiers and boarders and it’s easy to see why Mebournites are buying and building stunning modern apartments up on the mountain looking out across the ranges at sunrise and sunset.

Why don’t you see for yourself, you may not want to go home?