Snow Trip Melbourne Advice

Trying2SaveABuck on 22/05/2017 - 10:38

So been to all three Falls, Bulla and Hotham (my personal favorite).

I've always gone with the boys and always stay on the mountain it has always been alright due to the number of us accommodation sharing we managed to keep costs down. Looking into just staying off the Mountain going up with the girlfriend maybe a few other friends.

It would probably be Bulla because it is the closest to Melbourne (defiantly not during the school holiday period) any advice on places to stay just off the Mt

Looking for something

  • That has a all day bus service up and down the Mt? (so i dont have to pay for parking, chains etc)
  • That isnt too expensive (Because lift pass on its own is a killer)?
  • Somewhere that there is a bit of live after hours to go to a pub or bar have a drink and a laugh when the slops are closed?

Any advice is appreciated, i got all my own gear but girlfriend and friends might have to rent i can give them a bit of a lesson on boarding but i've never skied (so if they chose to ski they will need to pay for a lesson)

Sports & Outdoors

Comments

  • dasher86 on 22/05/2017 - 10:42

    Ditch renting snow gear.

    Go to a few aldis this week and dredge through the remains of the snow gear sale.

  • k-rokfm on 22/05/2017 - 10:47

    Yeah did you stock up on your aldi snow gear this weekend? If not you may want to go through a few of them this weekend. You will have limited colours / sizes left though now. Renting gear is awfully expensive

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 22/05/2017 - 10:55

    Yea i got some gloves otherwise i already have everything, girlfriend got some cloths but i cant speak for any others that might want to come.

  • qwerty on 22/05/2017 - 11:04

    Buy some snow chains because they pay off after a couple of days / trips vs hiring them

    I think they hire them out for like $30 a day while you can buy them for $120 and resell them or keep them for the next season

  • BuyoTheCat on 22/05/2017 - 11:34

    Mansfield will be the closest to stay near buller, off mountain. There is a bus that brings you up there. I think it is $50 per person from mansfield to buller

  • altomic on 22/05/2017 - 12:13

    have a read of this thread

  • try2bhelpful on 22/05/2017 - 12:38

    We used to stay at a motel at Bright for Falls Creek; then take the bus up the mountain. It is cheaper, and there is a better choice of places to eat, but the trip down in the evening is a tad grim because you are tired, hungry and cold. It also means you can't socialise "on mountain" after the skiing. I agree with the others on clothing; there are usually plenty of places having sales on ski clothes during the season. Might want to look at Op shops as well if you don't intend to go very often. It is worth getting a good jacket as you an wear that outside skiing. The real trick is layering - get thermals, skivvy's, etc and then you don't need an extreme jacket.

  • joe88 on 22/05/2017 - 14:41

    If you have more than a couple of people in the car, it's probably going to be cheaper to drive up the mountain as opposed to catching a bus. The resort entry fee (which includes parking) is per vehicle, not per person.

    I hate driving to Buller, although my experience has almost always been driving up early Saturday and back Saturday night. It's always a procession of cars with a few badly behaved drivers. Drive up to Falls or Hotham is much nicer IMO and worth the extra time/cost.

  • 2ndeffort on 24/05/2017 - 10:47
    +1

    Try booking into a club lodge. You might be able to stay on mountain for the same price as you would be staying in Mansfield. There are also some club lodges just at the base of the Mountain at a place called 'Sawmill Setllement'. The nightlife there probably isnt great but it is literally just around the corner from the shop and gates at the base of Mt Buller.

    I am a member of a club lodge at Buller and there are loads of club run lodges on the mountain. Many run their own bookings websites, normally a volunteer committee member runs them or they get some bookings through Buller reservations who charge the lodge a booking fee for sending them the referrals. http://www.mtbullerreservations.com.au/ here is a listing of the club lodges available through the Mt Buller website although I am sure there would be plenty that arent listed http://www.mtbuller.com.au/Winter/plan-your-visit/accommodat…

    I've always liked ski clubs (why i eventually joined one I guess). Normally they have shared kitchen facilities so you can take your own food and drink. they normally also have shared lounge room etc so you get to meet the other folks staying there and maybe even make some new friends or at least somebody to ski with the next day. I also like not having to go down the hill each night and being able to have a beer apre ski! When my kids were small i joined pour lodge, mainly because it was the only way we could afford to take them on ski holidays. As a member you get cheap accommodation at the lodge but you have to pay annual subs and maybe do working bees etc over summer. the lodge I joined doesn't require you to buyout an existing member (expensive) just a joining fee and annual subs.

  • POSITIVEVIBESONLY on 24/05/2017 - 13:28

    Just wondering does anyone from Melbourne go Thredbo or Perisher or is it too far? Sorry if unrelated just wanted to know.

    • 2ndeffort on 24/05/2017 - 16:29

      I have driven to Thredbo a few years ago. Long drive, definitely not something I would do for a weekend, drive took 7 hrs + each way! Would probably be easier to get a cheap flight to Canberra and drive up from there. In comparison Melbourne to Buller takes about 3.5 hrs each way, Falls Creek/Mt Hotham about 5 hrs each way.

      • POSITIVEVIBESONLY on 24/05/2017 - 22:29

        Ahh all this time I've thought both Melb and Syd siders drive to Perisher and Thredbo. Never have visited other fields, might do some research and come down to Melb one time.

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