THE 100 megalitre Boggy Creek Reservoir completed in June 2020 was a huge investment aimed at providing water during fire prone summers, and then in winter, for use in the Mt Buller village and for snowmaking purposes.

But limited access is causing concerns for those on the mountain.

Stakeholders fear that the reduction in water when they need it for snowmaking is having a detrimental impact on visitation to Mt Buller and the livelihoods of several operators.

A government access license was granted originally for four months but was increased to six being from May to September.

The problem arises from the resort needing enough potable water in the village during that period and then using whatever is available for snowmaking.

Alpine Resorts Victoria notes that the dry autumn has contributed to the problem with no top up rains to fill the reservoir prior to May.

The lack of access to water for snowmaking this winter has been “very frustrating and disappointing” according to the general manager of Buller Ski Lifts Noel Landry.

“There has been 150 hours of potential snowmaking so far this season that our team has been unable to jump on due to insufficient water,” Mr Landry said.

“If we had that water, major runs such as Little Buller Spur and Standard would have been open weeks earlier – boosting visitation for the resort and all operators.

“We are working closely with government to address this critical resource challenge which negatively impacts every business in resort and down the valley."

Rob Aivatoglou from Georges Ski Hire explained the “commercial reality of what is unfolding” on the mountain.

“The great appeal of skiing here at Buller, is you can ski on all sides of the mountain, south, east, west, and north," said Mr Aivatoglou.

“But the terrain is not available, and people are choosing to go to other resorts.

“We are 15 to 20 per cent down on skiing and snowboarders this season.

“Buller Ski Lifts do an incredible job in snowmaking and have world class infrastructure."

Mr Aivatoglou said June and July offered ideal conditions for snowmaking, but it did not happen, and the flow-on affects not only to businesses and operators on the mountain but also property owners.

“With the resort at peak capacity, we are not far off the maximum gate entry and costs are going up each year,” he said.

For this Mt Buller business owner there is a fear that if nothing changes this season, then it will be the same scenario in 2025.

"It is not about more water but being able to take it when we need it and respecting the environmental flows,” Mr Aivatoglou said.

“We love the mountain and would not do anything that would cause harm."

Operator Buller Ski Lifts is well aware of the significant economic contribution the resort makes to Victoria’s coffers.

“Alpine resorts in Victoria contribute $2.14 billion annually to the state economy, largely during our snow season, and we need a reliable supply of water to underpin the survival of our vibrant alpine village and the ski area,” said Mr Landry.

"The business community and BSL need the state government to resolve this urgent issue as soon as possible."

ARV general manager Mt Buller and Mt Stirling, Alan Arthur said they understand how critical this issue is and is working hard on a number of potential approaches to resolve the situation.

“This is a priority for us and we’re not leaving any stone unturned," said Mr Arthur.

“Any solutions will require other parts of government to work with ARV and the lift company, and ARV is working with the DEECA (Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action) Water Group and Goulburn-Murray Water.

“Unfortunately, the dry conditions in autumn and early winter this year meant there wasn’t a lot of water to take when we wanted to make snow.

“Because Buller sits at the top of the catchment, we predominantly rely on rainfall to charge the waterway that we extract water from."

"We hear and share their concerns of our partners and operators, and this is a top priority for ARV Mt Buller.

“We are actively investigating and pursuing all options, and we have escalated the issue to senior levels of government.

“We’ve constantly been supplying water for snowmaking all the way through the season, and we’ll continue to do so while there is demand; we just don’t have as much as we’d like.”

Mt Buller’s Boggy Creek Reservoir was a $11.3m project due to investment from state government, Buller Ski Lifts and Mt Buller Mt Stirling Resort management.