Mount Buller: Alpine views, year-round adventure and luxury mountain living

About three hours’ drive from Melbourne, Mount Buller is one of five major downhill ski resorts in Australia. The 1805-metre peak in the Victorian Alps first saw skiers in 1924 when a team of seven members of the newly formed Ski Club of Victoria hiked to the top and skied down. More than a century later, it’s a magnet for winter holidaymakers – but also attracts residents who enjoy an alpine retreat year-round.

Located on the lands of the Taungurung people, whose name for the mountain is Warrinebut, the peak is named for Charles Buller of the Colonial Office. Before becoming the popular ski destination its known for today, the area was settled in the 1830s as cattle-grazing land.

While winter is a key time for the town, the surrounding mountain views and alpine wilderness – plus its mild summer climate – make it an ideal locale in every season. Spring and summer see wildflowers cover the alps. Outside of snow sports, the area is popular with mountain bike riders, bushwalkers and horseriders, along with a community of artists and photographers. Its luxury chalets, apartments and lodges, such as the Whitehorse Village residence, are tightly held.

Restaurants in Mount Buller know the value of a stunning vista but have more than that to offer. Fine-dining establishment Black Cockatoo, set in the centre of the ski resort, may have a Mount Stirling outlook, but it also offers locally sourced trout and caviar, rare-breed pork and Wagyu beef cooked over charcoal. It’s accompanied by wines from top Victorian vineyards. Then there’s The Villager, which channels European bistro energy through dishes like chicken cotoletta, escargot à la bourguignonne and, if you’re lucky, raclette. It’s also the site of culinary takeovers from celebrated Melbourne restaurants like Marmont, Movida and Entrecote.

Peak season sees key events like the winter solstice celebration and snow sports carnivals dominate the calendar. But there are also plenty of indoor activities like après-ski parties and the Banff Mountain Film Festival, an annual tour stop by Mount Buller’s Canadian counterpart. Or head to Harroart Gallery in the Village Square – the place to go for breathtaking photography of the area, whether you’re looking for a piece to complement your own view, or as a gift for friends who can’t join you here.

At the foothills of Mount Buller is Mansfield, where you can get fresh produce at the Mansfield Farmers’ Market on the second and fourth Saturday of each month from February to December. While you’re there, enjoy a visit to Delatite, a biodynamic winery and cellar door. From Friday to Sunday, it offers a degustation menu with matched drops, or you can order a picnic hamper and park yourself at various intimate sites on the estate for a long lunch.

Agent lens

with John Castran from Castran

What was your most memorable sale and why?

Without a doubt, the most memorable sale was the Whitehorse Village development at its inception. Whitehorse set a new benchmark for alpine living, introducing a level of luxury and amenity that hadn’t been seen before in the region. What made it truly unforgettable was the market response. We saw record-breaking prices achieved – numbers that, at the time, were unprecedented for Mount Buller. It proved there was a strong appetite for high-end, architecturally designed residences in the alpine market. Being part of that shift and helping to shape the trajectory of alpine property values was both exciting and rewarding.

For sale in Mount Buller

Snow Elk – Australia’s Finest Alpine Chalet

10 White Horse Village Road, Mount Buller VIC 3723

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Set on the edge of Bourke Street with true ski-in ski-out access, Snow Elk Chalet is a rare freestanding four-level alpine retreat. It features panoramic views of The Bluff, a moody speakeasy bar, a sauna, a master suite with a balcony, four-car garage with a goods lift and expansive entertainment spaces for chic après-ski living.