By JEFF ZEUSCHNER
The Dinner Plain bus service, travelling to and from Dinner Plain village and Mt Hotham, will again run during the 2026 winter season.
Alpine Shire Council last month committed $175,000 (exc GST) to Alpine Resorts Victoria to support the service’s operating costs, as part of ongoing Memorandum of Understanding between both parties.
Council will fund the $175,000 from its Dinner Plain Reserve and will also provide ARV with a licence to accommodate three passenger buses at the council depot at Dinner Plain in return for a licence fee of $1, and provide ARV with access to a functioning fuel bowser at the depot.
Council officer’s report to last month’s monthly meeting said if council does not support the financial commitment to ARV the bus service would likely cease to operate in the manner it operates currently, impacting on visitors and residents of Dinner Plain.
The report said providing transport between Dinner Plain and Mt Hotham Alpine Resort (MHAR) has community and economic benefits, with the service accessed by school children, staff and visitors to move easily and safely between Dinner Plain and MHAR.
A review of the 2025 season indicated strong patronage with a total of 6579 tickets sold.
Councillors were told the bus subsidy rose from $140,000 in 2023 to $170,000 in 2024 and then $175,000 last season to support the bus service’s ongoing viability.
The Hotham – Dinner Plain bus service has a daily schedule with hourly departures from sunrise to sunrise, with the journey taking 15 minutes.
To catch a ride is simple - purchase your ticket online and have your barcode ready to present to the driver for scanning as you board.
You can jump on the bus from any of the convenient bus stops.
Travel from Mt Hotham to Dinner Plain is free on the Dinner Plain bus service.
Tickets are only required when travelling from Dinner Plain to Mt Hotham.
This bus route also services the Whisky Flat area.