Mt Buller Has Become a Rip off

azero on 06/09/2022 - 10:51
Last edited 06/09/2022 - 16:24 by 1 other user

I have been going to Mt Buller a few times a year before the lockdowns - just snow play, tobogganing with the kids no skiing. Went on last Sunday for the first time after 2019 and what a rip off it has become.

First you can't bring your own toboggans anymore and you have to rent them from the resort - kinda ok since I don't like carrying them around. However, you have to book a 1hr tobogganing session for $15 per person. So a family of 4, $60 if you want to be sure you will have access to the park.

Each session has a capacity limit and if you haven't booked in advance and if they have reached capacity, good luck. You only have guaranteed access if you pre book and enter within the booked hour. Once you enter you can stay for however long you want.

We were fine since we went on the shoulder season but in the peak during school holidays it would be a nightmare. Especially you can't predict when you will arrive due to traffic / weather in the peak season. Imagine driving for 3 hours with kids and being told that you can't actually do any snow play.

Second one is wheel chains. Until this year day visitors only needed chains depending on the condition. But now everyone must carry chains regardless. The road was bone dry and there wasn't snow even on some of the ski runs and no rain forecast for days but still you have to waste time and money on renting chains. I do have my own chains but for others it is just a waste.

I do understand that they had really bad 2 years before but ripping customers off like this is pretty bad IMO.

I spent a few days on Hotham and Dinner Plains a few weeks ago and it was awesome.

EDIT:
I am more annoyed at the fact that for 15$ you are only guaranteed access if you arrive within an hour which is very hard to plan for due to weather.
And you are forced to pay for chains that you are not going to need at all.
Also they make you sign a waiver saying that you are not going to sue them for injury - without it you can't get the ticket.

Travel Mt Buller

Comments

  • Trying2SaveABuck on 06/09/2022 - 11:10
    +12

    It has always been a rip off - Buller is probably the most 'over-priced' Ski mountain in the world as the season is incredibly short and the options for limited for a snow day trip and Falls/Hotham are simply too far to do in 1 day

    from what you are describing that isn't too bad….go check how expensive it is to get lift passes for a day and rent snow gear to snowboard…

    • Boioioioi on 06/09/2022 - 11:16

      What are good places to go in australia if you want to experience the snow, but kinda in the wild?

      • Pecan on 06/09/2022 - 11:35

        Cradle Mountain, Tasmania.

        • Drakesy on 06/09/2022 - 12:34

          Depends what "experience" means
          Cradle mountain will have snow by no skiing or anything like that.

          The wilderness is superb though.

      • Quantumcat on 06/09/2022 - 11:38

        The highlands of Tasmania or on Mt Wellington. I grew up on the side of Mt Wellington and we had snow on and off most of winter. Usually a couple of snowed-in days where we couldn't go to school. Those were the best, we used to spend the day boogey boarding down the neighbour across the road's steep driveway across the road into the bushes on our side. And we used to like jumping off the verandah 2-3 metres into the snow

    • boomramada on 06/09/2022 - 13:02

      Isn't snow play usually a rich man sport :)

    • abzi on 06/09/2022 - 13:17
      +1

      If you wanna save a buck or 2, check out lake mountain. 90 minute drive from Melbourne, good snow in the peak of winter. We went a few years back and family had a great time, we brought all our own gear and didn’t cost much at all

      https://www.lakemountainresort.com.au/wp-content/uploads/202…

  • iDroid on 06/09/2022 - 11:20
    +1

    I get the annoyance, but as far as costs go that's pretty damn cheap.

    $15 a head is peanuts really.

    • hothed on 06/09/2022 - 11:59

      $100 for petrol
      $15 for food per person
      $15 for drink per person

      • GrueHunter on 06/09/2022 - 13:41

        How much would you charge for all of those things

      • iDroid on 06/09/2022 - 14:57
        +1

        Eh, not sure of the logic here.

        $100 fuel costs? Not sure how Mt Buller influences that..

        $15 food per person? If you're needing to do it cheap buy a loaf of bread and some vegemite - whole family lunch done for $10, there are options.

        $15 drink per person? Are you giving your kids neat bourbon? Bring drink from home - can drink cordial or whatnot all day long for $5 for whole family. Heck you could buy a box of 24 cans of coke for about $20 or 30 cans of solo for $16.

        If you want to go to the snow and have some fun, this is a luxury and at $15 a head is pretty damn good.

        If you also want to spend $15 on food and $15 on drink - this is a choice, not something you should complain about. There are much cheaper options available.

        If it costs $100 in fuel to get there, the so be it, that's the cost of travelling. Too much? Do something that doesn't require so much travel. Or who should pay for this travel?

  • darken on 06/09/2022 - 11:42

    Agree about how much more expensive it has become.

    Although i went just last week and there were no requirements to carry chains for the day trip.

  • CauseNEffect on 06/09/2022 - 12:02

    Check out the prices at perisher now…

    Food is atleast double the price…

    Daily tickets are now getting beyond ridiculous.

  • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 06/09/2022 - 12:22
    +2

    Just like many other industries they are trying to make up for losses over the past 2 years.

  • Kongzi on 06/09/2022 - 12:54

    BS. Went to mt buller several weeks ago, and didn't need chains

  • JimmyF on 06/09/2022 - 13:11
    +1

    for the first time after 2019 and what a rip off it has become.
    I do understand that they had really bad 2 years before but ripping customers off like this is pretty bad IMO.

    So how else do you think the 'recover' from 2 years of little to no income? As you said yourself, you use to go all the time and haven't been for over 2 years.

    As you said, they have had a really bad few years, so lots of debt piled on and need to recover from that.

    • coffeeinmyveins on 06/09/2022 - 13:56

      So how else do you think the 'recover' from 2 years of little to no income?

      Would you be OK if your local cafe removed a poached egg from their double poached egg dish and charged 20% more?

      Just curious, because they too have to recover from the last 2 years.

      • JimmyF on 06/09/2022 - 16:32
        -1

        Would you be OK if your local cafe removed a poached egg from their double poached egg dish and charged 20% more?

        As long as they don't call it a double poached egg dish with well…..only one poached egg ;) But generally its poor form to reduce the size and increase the price in one move though, but that is their choice.

        Just curious, because they too have to recover from the last 2 years.

        Have you not been out for food lately? Prices are through the roof, this is what cafes and well most businesses now are doing to recover. Ramping up pricing to recover losses from the earlier years.

  • try2bhelpful on 06/09/2022 - 13:57

    Going to the snow has, always, been expensive. I think the lesson with the Toboggan is because too many people were dragging something out and running into other people. Would be, especially, problematic with children. This, probably, helps with their insurance company.

    Back in the day I remember you had to bring chains when you went up mountain. With the weather you might be caught out.

    Got to admit my memory is a tad hazy now. Many years, and two working knees, ago.

  • Ghost47 on 06/09/2022 - 14:29

    Would you consider going to Mt Baw Baw?

    • azero on 06/09/2022 - 16:20

      Haven't but I will try next year

      • Ghost47 on 06/09/2022 - 16:52
        +2

        If you're only taking a couple of young kids tobogganing they'll probably still have a good time. It'll also probably be a lot quieter too, which is nice.

  • buzzbox on 10/08/2023 - 21:42

    it definitely seems far more expensive this year that what I remember from previous years, just booked for a 1 day trip as family decided to come and visit and they wanted to go to the snow. The lift pass for 1 day cost $198, from what I've seen there's stuff all snow at the moment, they could have at least offered discounted rates.

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