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Travel to Mount Buffalo with ski insurance from Essential Travel

Mount Buffalo is obstinately a family ski resort, with a myriad of gentle, groomed runs for beginner and intermediate level skiers and a beginners’ area with guaranteed good snow cover, ensured by the extensive snowmaking facilities. On top of that, Mount Buffalo ski resort is one of the country’s oldest national parks and offers breathtaking scenery, while the friendly staff and popular kids’ and teenagers’ clubs make it one of the best family and learn-to-ski resorts in Australia.

Mount Buffalo is a small ski resort boasting a laid-back atmosphere, friendly staff and a great ski school that guarantees to get you skiing in one day or your money back. Lovely on-snow accommodation is provided by the Chalet, built in 1910, and a modern and comfortable lodge at the bottom of the slopes called Cresta Lodge.

The majority of Mount Buffalo’s ski slopes are aimed at beginner and intermediate skiers, with a few more challenging runs for those with more experience. The resort’s five chairlifts give access to nine acres of skiable terrain and it is highly likely the lift operators will know your name by the end of the day. Another great feature of Mount Buffalo is the 10 miles of cross country trails through stunning protected scenery, while kids will love the toboggan run.

The ski season runs from June through to October and in sticking with Mount Buffalo’s family orientation, there are a number of different chairlift ticket packages to suit all budgets, keeping things affordable. The most convenient way to get here is to fly to Albury Airport, a two-hour drive north of Mount Buffalo.

Skiing in Mount Buffalo

Mount Buffalo is a popular family ski resort set in the magically picturesque surroundings of Mount Buffalo National Park and offering an excellent range of beginner and intermediate ski runs with a friendly, fun-filled atmosphere.

A total of five chairlifts give access to the mostly gentle, groomed ski runs, with 50 per cent of the trails marked as suitable for beginners, 40 per cent as intermediate and the remaining 10 per cent for advanced skiers and boarders only. Mount Buffalo is one of the best places to learn to ski or snowboard, while it also offers a toboggan run and 10 miles of scenic cross country trails. The longest run is a respectable 1,575 feet and the total skiable area is a modest nine acres.

Limited après-ski can be enjoyed at the Chalet, which offers an excellent restaurant, ballroom and a cosy bar serving up tasty local wines and offering spectacular sunset views. For further options, head to the nearby town of Bright.

The best time to go skiing in Mount Buffalo is during the official ski season, which runs from June until mid-October, with the best dumps of snow occurring in July and August. Extensive snowmaking facilities ensure there’s decent cover for most of the season, especially in and around the beginners’ area. Most people tend to drive to Mount Buffalo and take in the lovely scenery along the way; it’s a 4-hour journey by car from Melbourne and less than 2 hours from Albury Airport.

Transportation to Mount Buffalo

Mount Buffalo is a 4-hour drive northeast of Melbourne and within a 2-hour drive of the New South Wales–Victorian border. The quickest way to get here is to fly into Albury and drive the rest of the distance.

If driving from Albury, take the Hume highway south to Wangaratta before heading east along the Great Alpine road through Myrtleford and onto Porepunkah, where a signposted turn-off leads up to Mount Buffalo. From Melbourne, take the Hume highway north to the Great Alpine road turnoff just after Glenrowan. It’s a 4-hour journey from Melbourne by car and just under 2 hours from Albury.

Regional trains serve Albury daily from both Sydney and Melbourne; car hire and coach connections are available from Albury to the slopes.

The quickest and most convenient way to get to Mount Buffalo is by flying to Albury Airport before driving the rest of the way south to the slopes. Albury Airport services daily flights from Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and a number of regional centres.

During the ski season, coach services operate out of Melbourne and Albury to Mount Buffalo, offering an alternative form of transportation to the ski resort. There are also taxis available between the town of Bright and Mount Buffalo.

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