News: 12th December 2006 Cresta Valley Lodge destroyed by fire.
It is with regret that the Burbank Group has had to announce the closure of Cresta Valley Lodge until further notice. For more information see http://www.mtbuffaloresort.com.au/media_centre_press_release.php?id=103

5th January 2007 Mt Buffalo Chalet closed indefinitely
Due to the bush fires in December 2006, the accommodation at Mt Buffalo Chalet has closed indefinitely. The Manfields Café will remain open daily from Wednesday 10 January 2007 until further notice.

The following events have been cancelled:
5-7 January - Historical Rat Documentaries Film Festival
6 January - Mt Pilot Estate Wine Tasting
6 January - Dancing with 2 Left Feet in the Ballroom
13 January – Dinner and Opera at the Chalet
14 January - Dig’n Food Cookery Class
20 and 21 January - Astronomy Weekend
3 February – Take Five Entertainment
10 February – Dig’n Food Cookery Class
10 February – Pizzini Winemakers Dinner
17 February – Gentle Annie Wines Wine Tasting
24 and 25 February - Astronomy Weekend

About Mt Buffalo

Mt Buffalo Resort is nestled on top of a 1,400 metre cliff face and is renowned for its spectacular views and granite tors. It was proclaimed a National Park in 1898, making it one of the oldest national parks in Australia, and offers outdoor enthusiasts numerous activities including cross country and downhill skiing, rock climbing, abseiling and buskwalking.

The famous explorers Hume and Hovell named Mt Buffalo in 1824, after they perceived the shape of a Buffalo in the towering granite mass. Mt Buffalo is such a spectacularly beautiful place that even miners and cattlemen would lead touring parties to see the mountain’s sheer cliffs, imposing granite tors and exquisite waterfalls.

Mt Buffalo in Winter

Mt Buffalo is the ideal winter family resort, often referred to as the family mountain because of its visitor friendly atmosphere. Mt Buffalo offers the perfect location to try skiing or boarding for the first time. Offering scenic skiing and boarding in a sheltered bowl it is specifically aimed at the beginner and family groups.

Cresta Bowl offers 3 pomas and two chairs. Snowmaking covers all the beginners area, the Cresta Poma and double chair both offer good intermediate skiing while there are a couple of tougher runs off the top of Cresta Poma down through the rocks.

Winter activities include:

• Snow play
• Cross Country Skiing
• Downhill Skiing
• Snowboarding
• Snow Shoe walks
• Snow Tubing
• Tobogganing
• Scenic Chairlift Rides
• Wine and Cheese Tastings

Snow Season Dates: June-October

Mt Buffalo in Summer

In summer, the cool mountain air makes Mt Buffalo a pleasurable place to escape the heat of the city. The melting snow in spring brings to life the incredible array of waterfalls and autumn offers cool crisp mornings and beautiful clear sky days making it perfect for buskwalking.

Summer activities include

• Swimming at Lake Catani
• Tennis
• National Park Self Guided Walks
• Bocce
• Croquet
• Canoeing
• Kayaking
• Horse Riding
• Mountain Biking
• Fishing
• Wine and Cheese Tastings
• Abseiling
• Rock-Climbing
• Canyoning - Underground River Caving

Events and Festivals

Mt Buffalo has events on all year round from art exhibitions to cookery clases, wine tastings and concerts.

Click here to download the latest brochure.

Environment

Vegetation
The Mt Buffalo National Park protects an over 550 native species. The massive granite bluffs and rock faces soar a thousand metres above the Ovens River valley and are heavily forested with Alpine Ash and Snow Gum. At the higher points of the park the trees become sparse, and give way to expanses of sub-alpine heathlands of low growing shrubs, grasslands, wildflowers, herbs, snowgrass and bogs. The Buffalo Sallee, an endemic eucalypt is found only in the park, mainly around the edges of the plateau.

Wildlife
Kangaroos, wallabies, and several species of possums and gliders are found in the foothill forests leading to the high alpine plateau which is inhabitated by smaller mammals such as Antechinus whilst wombats can be found in all habitats.

The Alpine Silver Xenica is a species of butterfly found only on the plateau of Mount Buffalo. Bogong Moths shelter in rock crevices at the Horn and offer a food source to the abundant birds. The bird life includes honeyeaters, robins, lyrebirds, the brilliantly coloured crimson rosellas and peregrine Falcons can sometimes be found nesting in the granite rock faces.

Climate

Mt Buffalo experiences a traditional alpine climate with cold winters and refreshing summers. The climate can vary greatly in a single day.

The average temperatures in degrees Celsius are:
Summer: Maximum +20° - Minimum +10°
Winter: Maximum +5° - Minimum -1°

Getting There

By Air
Tullamarine in Melbourne is the closest international airport. Albury Airport, which is located ten minutes from the centre of Albury and about 1 hour 30 minutes from the Mt Buffalo Resort, operates multiple flights daily from Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra and various other regional centres. Rex Airlines, Qantas Link and Brindabella Airlines offer services to Albury. During winter limited services are also available to Mt Hotham.

By Car
Mt Buffalo is approximately 3 hours 40 minutes from Melbourne. Take the Hume Highway towards Wangaratta. Turn off at Great Alpine Road, which is just outside Glenrowan. Follow the great Alpine Road to Porepunkah where you will come to a large roundabout. At the roundabout turn right to Mt Buffalo Resort.

Snow Chains must be carried from June to October even though the road to Mt Buffalo is very good and sealed all the way. Entry into the National Park is free if you are staying on the mountain, please inform Parks Victoria Staff of your name at the entrance station.

By Train
A regular train service operates from Melbourne's Spencer Street Station to Wangaratta. From Wangaratta there are several bus connections that operate to Porepunkah. Taxis connect from Porepunkah to Mt Buffalo.

Mt Buffalo Accommodation

The award winning Mt Buffalo Chalet offers visitors a high level of comfort, while retaining its unique architecture. The Chalet was built by the State Government in 1910, heralding a new era of alpine recreation and visitor comfort. Managed the by Victorian Railways from 1924, the Chalet became one of the State’s most popular holiday destinations. Guests arrived by train via Wangaratta to Porepunkah or Bright, from where horse drawn carriages and later cars would take them to the plateau.

Mt Buffalo Resort offers everything from traditional guesthouse rooms with shared bathroom facilities to our luxurious Tower Suites with panoramic views of the mountains.

During the winter Cresta Lodge offers ski in ski out accommodation right at the doorstep of the Cresta Valley skifield and a few kilometres away from the Dingo Dell Tube Park.

NOTE: Cresta Lodge was destroyed by fire and is awaiting rebuilding

More Information

Useful Links To Shops, Services and other things in Mount Buffalo

If you would like to display your business here, click here to contact us.