THE temperature has plummeted and the white stuff’s falling this school holidays as all six Victorian resorts roll out the welcome mat to thousands of happy snow-loving families.
Mt Buller welcomed 16cm of fresh snow on the first of this month, blanketing the resort at the start of the Victorian school holidays.
“There’s nothing like waking up to fluffy dry snow covering the slopes, and seeing our littlest guests lapping it up on skis – many for the first time,” said Mt Buller’s David Clark.
“We’re delighted to offer visitors an idyllic winter experience these school holidays.
“It’s the perfect time for kids to learn to ski, with instructors taking kids for their first turns from the age of three.”
It’s a welcome sight for the huge numbers of Mt Buller’s seasonal staff as well, who have been working tirelessly getting the resort ready.
With continual investment in snowmaking, Mt Buller offers a snow guarantee for skiers and boarders through to the first week of October.
Winter Olympian Johanna Lyle was in the village to embrace the fresh snowy conditions with her children Nixon and Maelle and husband Josh.
The family was excited to kick off their winter adventures as the snow conditions steadily improve.
Mt Buller has eight lifts scheduled and is working to progressively open additional terrain as conditions permit.
Extra snowplay has opened at Celia’s snowplay park and toboggan fun is popular in the village.
The Ski & Snowboard School is offering lessons at all levels and bookings are recommended.
Mt Buller also recently celebrated 100 years of skiing on the mountain on Saturday July 6 with a special torchlit descent, night skiing and fireworks led by members of the Ski Club of Victoria (SCV).
It was seven members of the newly formed SCV that first skied on Mt Buller back in 1924.
All of Victoria’s alpine resorts have plenty to smile about this season with confirmation of the industry’s massive annual contribution to the state’s economy and delivery of more than 12,000 jobs in regional economies.
The report into the Economic Contribution & Benefits of Victoria’s Alpine Resorts found the resorts – Mt Buller & Mt Stirling, Mt Hotham, Falls Creek, Mt Baw Baw and Lake Mountain - collectively attract 1.38 million visitors a year.
According to Alpine Resorts Victoria (ARV) that’s more than the Little Penguins, F1 Grand Prix and Melbourne Cup Carnival combined.
ARV also said the industry also contributes in a big way to the social, health and environmental wellbeing of Victoria; that people who head to mountains reap the health and social benefits of getting active in nature, especially enjoying those activities with friends and family.
Expressed in dollar terms, ARV said the social benefits are worth $820 million each year and improved health and wellbeing for visitors worth $137 million a year.
