TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS FOR YOUR TRIP TO MT BULLER
Get the most out of your trip by being prepared in advance
All the links you need are on this page
CHECK BOOKING CONFIRMATION:
The first thing you should do is check your booking confirmation.
Double check your dates and the number of guests you have booked in.
ALL guests must be booked in (or the hotel notified in advance that the number of guests is different to the number of guests on your booking confirmation)
There is a cost for extra guests. The room rate includes 2 people. There is always an extra cost for the 3rd and 4th person in each room. Please see the rates tab for the additional guest rates.
The hotel is not able to accommodate children under 5. There are a number of other hotels in the resort that cater for babies and small children.
GETTING HERE:
No matter which direction you come from, you will pass through the towns of Mansfield, Merrijig and Mirimbah on the way to Mt Buller. Mansfield is considered our ‘gateway’ town with all the services and facilities you would expect to find in a regional town. Merrijig is a much smaller town with a pub, a motor inn, a school, and a fire station! At Mirimbah there is one general store with food, chains, petrol and diesel and the resort entry gate. The petrol/diesel at Mirimbah is the last opportunity to get petrol/diesel before heading up the mountain to the Mt Buller village.
The Mt Buller Alpine Resort abuts the Australian Alpine National Park and is managed in a similar way to our other precious national park areas. As with most National Parks there are resort entry fees, special requirements for vehicles within the park and restrictions on car parking and access. All cars are stopped at the resort entrance (located at Mirimbah) and must pay for, or show, their park entry permit and parking fees. All overnight cars must also show they are carrying appropriate snow chains. Resort visitors’ cars are not permitted in the Mt Buller village (at the top of the mountain) but are parked in car parks located a few kms below the village. It’s a 14-15 km steep and windy drive up the mountain to the car parks, then 1-2 kms further to the village. Special over-snow vehicles transfer guests from their cars to their accommodation in the village. There is a cost for these transfers which vary depending on whether you choose a share taxi option or a private transfer.
It is easier, cheaper, and faster to pre-purchase resort entry, parking and village transfers online before you arrive. All this can be done online here….
PREPARING YOUR CAR FOR A TRIP TO THE SNOW:
As you will be parking in an alpine environment special precautions should also be taken to ensure your car is prepared for sub-zero temperatures. This includes make sure you have the correct mix in your engine and if you are driving a diesel car, that you fill up with alpine diesel before entering the resort. The last petrol/diesel station is opposite the resort/park entrance at Mirimbah. THERE IS NO FUEL AVAILABLE WITHIN THE RESORT BEYOND MIRIMBAH. You will also find alpine diesel at fuel stations in Yea and Mansfield. Carsguide.com.au has prepared an informative and handy guide for preparing your car for a trip to the snow here…
SNOW CHAINS:
No one wants to fit snow chains when it’s cold, wet, and snowing, but like it or not it’s sometimes a necessity and it beats losing control of your car in the snow!
All vehicles entering the Mt Buller resort during the snow season (including 2WD, AWD and 4WD vehicles) must carry DIAMOND PATTERNED wheel chains by law and fit them when directed to do so.
The legal requirements for snow chains have changed for Mt Buller for 2023. The resort is no longer allowed to declare chain-free days so ALL vehicles must carry chains EVERY day of the snow season regardless of weather conditions.
Chains must be diamond pattern chains. Older style ladder chains are now not recognised by the new laws so you may be fined as though you are not carrying chains.
Before you head off on your trip to the snow:
Check your car manual for details on whether you need to fit chains to your front wheels OR to your rear wheels (you only need to hire and fit chains to 2 wheels. They are mostly fitted to the front 2 wheels but in a rear-wheel-drive vehicle they must be fitted to the rear 2 wheels)
Jot down the size of your tyres so you know what to request when you are hiring the chains.
The tyre size for your vehicle and wheels can be found in two places:
1. Sidewall of your tyre
2. Inside frame of the driver side door
Tyre Size Example: 255/55 R18 XL
You need to have the wheel chains before you arrive at the Resort Entry Gates (located at the bottom of the mountain). There are many outlets in Mansfield and Merrijig where you can hire wheel chains.
Watch some videos of how to fit chains before your leave home. There are some videos and other information about fitting snow chains here https://snowsafe.org.au/chain-fitting/
Notes:
some cars are unable to fit chains in accordance with their user manual, plus some tyre sizes may be inappropriate for snow chains (wide and/or low-profile tyres are often difficult to fit).
Please check your vehicle manufacturers guidelines before hiring chains.
To ensure rental shops have the suitable chain size for your tyres it is always best to call ahead and check availability.
Alternative transport options (bus/taxi) to the resort are also available.
Trailers cannot be towed behind vehicles when the road conditions require wheel chains to be fitted.
WHEN DO I NEED TO FIT CHAINS?
You must fit snow chains when directed to by an authorised officer, or when you see roadside signs instructing you to do so. There are special roadside bays at the entry points of the snowfields where you can pull over and fit chains safely.
Only stop to fit them in a designated area.
The likelihood of being stopped to fit chains increases the higher up the mountain you drive. If it is raining at the resort entrance gate it might be snowing higher up!
You might be directed to fit chains while it’s snowing or raining and often when the ground is wet and muddy. Throw in some old gloves, a raincoat and a plastic garbage bag to kneel on to protect your clothes if yiou do need to fit snow chains.
TAXI TRANSFERS FROM THE CAR PARKS:
As you will be directed to park your car in car parks a few kms below the village, you will need a ride-share or taxi transfer service to take you and your luggage to your accommodation. You can either book a ride-share option or a more expensive private transfer. To avoid standing around trying to find a spare taxi you should definitely book this transfer when you book resort entry and parking.
The ride-share vehicles only operate between 7am and 12midnight.
If you arrive outside these hours, you will incur significant extra fees and possibly wait times.
Each person using the ride share service is permitted to have 2 large bags, 1 ski/snowboard bag or set of skis or snowboard, 1 set of ski or snowboard boots 1 carry-on small item such as a day pack or handbag. All excess luggage will be charged at $10.00 per piece.
More details on transfer options can be found here…
If you would rather not drive and not have to worry about chains, antifreeze, parking etc., there are a number of bus options to get you to Mt Buller…
CHECKING IN TO BULLER CENTRAL:
Our check-in time is 4pm to 10pm
If you plan to arrive earlier, you are welcome to leave your luggage at the hotel until your room is available.
If a room is ready before 4pm we will certainly check you in as early as we can.
If you will arrive after 10pm you must contact the hotel in advance on 0499 004 946 to let someone know (*late check in fees may apply)
It’s best to call just before you arrive anyway as our reception is not staffed full-time, and if we know when you will be arriving at the hotel, we can ensure someone is there to greet you.
The front door to the hotel (facing the village square) is open during the day so you can enter the foyer and if reception is not attended you can call the number on the door.
If you are getting dropped off by taxi you will be taken to the side door, off The Avenue, with direct access to our boot room and drying room – however, this door is kept locked so you must call the hotel to let them know you are about to be dropped off my taxi and someone will greet you. 0499 004 946
Check-out time is 10am
While our room checkout time is 10am, if you plan to leave the resort later in the day you are most welcome to leave your luggage in the hotel until you are ready to leave the resort.
You will be given restricted hotel access for the day when you check out of your room.
STRICT ROOM POLICIES REGARDING NUMBER OF GUESTS IN ROOM:
All our rooms are family rooms containing one queen bed and one set of bunks (2 standard single size bunk beds).
You cannot bring extra guests (children or adults) to the hotel even if there are spare beds in your room without paying extra for them.
The standard price for each room includes 2 people. There are extra costs for the 3rd and 4th person in each room. If booked online the room rate will adjust to reflect this.
Every guest must be pre-booked and paid for.
The maximum occupancy for each room is 4
You cannot book 4 adults into one room online as we discourage booking an adult into the top bunk. You can contact the hotel if you believe a top single bunk is suitable for a small 4th adult in your group!
The hotel is not suitable for children under 5. We are a small hotel, and the walls are not completely soundproof. There are no dedicated play areas in this hotel for small children. There is a busy restaurant and bar on level 1 of the hotel which is not suitable for unattended children.
Tip: If you are a light sleeper, ear plugs will help
WIFI & INTERNET:
Free Wifi is now available in all guest rooms.
Mobile internet from all providers (Telstra, Optus, Vodaphone) is available but quite temperamental depending on resort visitation and usage and weather conditions.
LIFT & LESSON PRODUCTS
To get the best prices and options, it’s best to book lift tickets and lessons in advance.
Buller Central Hotel has a access to a limited number of discounted lift passes which can also be pre-booked in advance. Please call Stuart on 0400 078 878 to enquire.
WHAT’S ON IN THE RESORT DURING YOUR VISIT
Each week resort publishes a ‘What’s on’ guide to give you an overview of what’s happening around the resort with handy contact information. You can download the current What’s On Guide here…
THE VILLAGER RESTAURANT at BULLER CENTRAL
The Villager Restaurant is located on level 1 of Buller Central. This restaurant is often booked out in advance during peak periods. If you would like to secure a booking in the restaurant during your stay, we strongly recommend booking online in advance.
Please note: The Villager Restaurant is not always open so it’s best to check their opening times ahead of your planned visit.
SNOW CAMS
To get you in the mood check out the resort’s snow cams online!
VILLAGE SQUARE SKI RENTAL LOCATIONS
There are 4 ski hire outlets in the village square (very close to Buller Central). Jump online to prebook your gear or ask for directions when you check-in.
