WITH high hopes for a much better season than 2020, Mt Buller and Mt Stirling operators have geared up for what they expect to be the best snow experience for some years.
Already accommodation bookings are ‘through the roof’ and operators of lodges, restaurants, cafes, ski hires and shopping outlets are hopeful the season will bring lots of snow, many more visitors and best of all tremendous fun for families visiting the resorts.
Mark Bennetts, Resort Management Board chief executive officer, echoed these hopes.
“After the challenges of the 2020 snow season due to coronavirus (COVID-19), we’re looking to bounce back strongly this year," Mr Bennetts said.
“There’s been a huge amount of work over summer in preparation for the season, we’ve been making snow since late April, and we can’t wait to welcome back all our existing friends and a whole lot of new ones to enjoy COVIDSafe snow trips this winter if the conditions are safe.
“We’ve also completed most of the $5.9m project to increase capacity of the Mt Buller sewage treatment plant.”
Buller Ski Lifts has welcomed a new general manager, Noel Landry, to the top chair (and that’s not just the chair lifts) who will progressively pick up the role through the season before long-time general manager Laurie Blampied settles into retirement at the end of the 2021 snow season.
In some of the biggest news for Mt Buller this season is the increased water capacity in the new whopping 100 megalitre reservoir being used for the first time and giving more water for snowmaking and allowing a further $4 million investment in growing the snowmaking network.
Standard Run has been the main focus, with new guns now providing cover all the way to the Bull Run chairlift and more guns also give top to bottom cover on Men’s Downhill.
An additional 50 snow guns have been added to the network to service existing hydrants around the resort.
Another game-changer streamlining movement around the ski area is the new link between the bottom of Summit Slide across the northern slopes to the base of the Bonza chairlift.
Kids’ Week is fast approaching and there are lots of activities set for all ages including visits from the ever-popular Buller characters Blake the Flake, Pigmy Possum and friends accompanied by popular entertainer Wozza – visit the Mt Buller website for full details.
