I picked up this interesting piece of news from my former home territory, courtesy Australian Associated Press, regarding the future of Mount Buffalo Chalet:
Parks Victoria, the owner of the chalet, today said it had been notified by the lease holder, Burbank, of its intention to cease operations. But Burbank spokeswoman Sue McDermott said the company was hoping to renegotiate the terms of its lease and to merely close temporarily for renovations.
"We can’t rely on generating revenue just from the ski season," she said. "We have to rely on revenue all year round. The chalet was built in 1910 and there's a lot of work needing to be done. We're hoping we can work with Parks Victoria to do that."
The chalet is perched near the top of Mt Buffalo and is on the doorstep of one of Victoria's most popular ski resorts. According to Heritage Victoria, Mt Buffalo Chalet is of architectural, historical and social significance to Victoria.
A spokesman said any renovations or alterations would require a permit under the Heritage Act. … Poor snowfalls this winter saw ski operations end in mid-August, more than a month before the official end of the ski season.
"We acknowledge that it's been a difficult trading period, compounded by a poor snow season," regional manager for Parks Victoria, Chris Rose, said in a statement.
"We will shortly discuss the future of this tourist icon with the lessees and plan to involve local government representatives and the community in future examination of options."
×0
We used to go to the Chalet regularly until it changed hands about 2-3 years ago when there was an undefinable but palpable alteration in the atmosphere of the place. We didn’t feel welcome and decided not to return until things improved. Then we heard it was probably going into receivership. Now it sounds as though it will close. It will be a terrible loss unless someone with passion can revive it. There are plenty of people like us who used to go and would again if it was well run.
A “save the chalet” protest rally has been organised for this Saturday (Nov 18) in Bright. I’m not sure who’s behind it but somehow I think it’s connected to the interests of the lessees, Birbank (property developers).
It seems to me that if Birbank are going to close the chalet while they’ve still got 8 years to run on their lease (which they only entered about 2 years ago, or less) then they might be in breach of their lease with the Government.
Maybe the protesters should vent their feelings about the job losses and potential effects on the local tourist trade towards those causing it – i.e. the lessee who has decided to close down unless the Governmentr extends the lease and spends big bucks on an upgrade.
Surely Birbank were aware of the chalets’s (poor) financial history when they took it on.
The rally held in Bright on Nov 18 to “save the chalet” turned into a political farce with politicians (state & federal) trading insults.
Surprisingly most people around here seem to think it’s the State government who have decided to close it down, but they’re wrong.
It’s clearly orchestrated by the lessee Burbank Property Group who, I believe, want to turn Mt Buffalo into a smaller version of Mt Hotham with overpriced apartments that no one really needs.
I hope the State government doesn’t cave in to Burbank’s demands. No one should be given a 50 year lease of such an historic building. That’s like giving them full ownership.
I agree with MaryH’s comment about the change in atmosphere at the Chalet. I first went to the Chalet in 1997 and instantly fell in love with the place, going several times with an increasing number of friends until 2001. The lessees at the time I started going really made one feel part of a Mt Buffalo Chalet family, with the regular newsletter keeping one involved in the life of the Chalet. However, it changed when the new lessees took over and I haven’t been back since, although I still think of it fondly. I know the lessees are running a commercial venture but their handle on it was ruining the unique quality of the Chalet and making it just like any other commercial hotel.
It may not have to “close” after all. The way the fires are going the old chalet mightn’t be with us for much longer.
A lot of people around here believe that DSE & Parks Vic wouldn’t mind if it burned down.
I’d say the lessees wouldn’t be too perturbed either.
The Mt. Buffalo Chalet must be reopened. It is the perfect example of combining ecominic growth with enviroment sustanablity. This area belongs to the people of Victoria and there fore needs to be maintained for our future generations. What about the 30 or more jobs that have been directly lost as a result of the closure of the Chalet? Burbank may not be everyones ideal developers but at least they are prepare to invest money into a vast project, and also where possible use local suppliers. We need action now as the building and our heart are breaking!
Our family have been skiing in Victoria since about 1963, in fact my Mum used to give ice skating demosnstrations on the lake up there back in (around)1938. I’ve visited the park on a number of occassions: seems to me that there has never been anyone take on the resort who had both the flair, hospitality skills and money to make it work. And you do need at least those three basics. I hope someone can put that all together with a love of the australian alpine environment and the sports associated. Good luck Mt Buffalo!
Twitter: mgorey
says:
Bruce, part of the problem with Buffalo I think is climate change. The winters are unreliable there now and the lake hardly ever freezes.
For the chalet to reopen requires some thought. It can’t compete with Buller, Falls Creek and Hotham as a winter sports complex and being lower has less snow. After some thought using it as a school camp for year 9/12 students as a base, then running a small cafe as a means to cover some of the costs is about all I can come up with. The alternative is for the building to just rot.
I’m a bit out of date with information in Victoria with moving to Qld in 1998 from Benalla Victoria. We first went to Mount Buffulo Chalet to stay for 3 nights in 1995 with our young 2 year old son. We had a ball with organised activities, the old world charm of the chalet , the walking, playing in the snow and the unforgetable joy of the parrots landing onour heads outside the chalet. How sad it is to read that the old world charm chalet is now closed.
Progress I don’t know but it will be a shame that future generations do not experience the old world charm like we ddid!
Hi Buffalo fans, I’m writing a feature story to coincide with the Mount Buffalo chalet centenary in March. I’d love any of you to email me your holidaying memories of the chalet, especially if your families have been going to the chalet for more than one generation. And would you all go back again if it was re-opened? Although I’ve grasped that the “old world charm” would also need to return.
Thanks in advance,
Eliza
The Border Mail
Albury-Wodonga
eliza.adamthwaite@hotmail.com
Hi Eliza,
My self, wife and two boys (16,11) would definitely plan a stay at the Buffulo Chalet in the winter especially if it was returned to its old world charm state.
Memories of our stays in the 90s are still vivid with the old colonial/english decor,open fires, atmosphere and wonderful walking tracks etc This type of venue and enviroment is becoming rare as people yearn for more modern venues with the Plasmas,Pay TVs,Swimming pools etc
Bring back Buffulo Chalet the way it used to be so that the next generations can experience what we were fortunate enough to have experienced.
Hi everyone,
I am writing a feature story on the history of Mt Buffalo Chalet for a national publication. I spent today doing a tour of the old chalet with Parks Victoria which was great.
I think the chalet is still in pretty good nick considering it is nearly 100 years.
It is like stepping back into the past.
I am after comments from anyone with quirky memories of the chalet and anyone who married/honeymooned/ holidayed there.
Would love to hear your memories – as soon as possible please.
Please email suewallace54@gmail.com
Many thanks
Sue
Hi Sue, jump back on the Parks Victoria website, they have a video there of the Whitcroft honeymoon back in the 1950s.
Mt Buffalo is more than just a winter play ground. Summers up there are fantastic: the lake, fishing, canoeing, walking tracks, hang gliding, horse riding, bike riding, I’m sure there’s many more.
I used to work there. The Chalet is a fantastic, graceful and beautiful old building. I have the desire and the flair to make this place alive again, just missing the finances. Any takers on the missing link?
Hi,
I agree with Rick, myself and a couple of friends have the passion and enthusiasm to bring the Chalet back to the amazing guest house it once was. I have such very, VERY fond memories of going up for family holidays.
I also agree that the Chalet is an all-year-round place to visit. To me it’s primary focus should not be the snow-fields but rather the ambiance of an all-year-round Guest House.
I was so saddened by a story in the Herald-Sun (Melbourne) over the weekend (11/4/2009) reporting that people had broken in and started fires using old books from the front lounge – totally broke my heart!
I guess the only thing we can do is pray for someone to see its potential the way we do and give it an opportunity to be run with love and passion rather than it coming down to the dollar.
What a disgraceful waste of a fantastic asset. Trust an inward focused shortsighted bureaucracy to allow the chalet to be run down and ultimately closed. Millions of dollars were spent over recent years on protecting it from bushfires only to see it close. Those responsible for the financial mess this National Park is in should be ashamed of themselves. The snow season after it closed and Tatra Resort burnt down was one of the best in years. Get it opened NOW and get Tatra Resort re-built. The public deserve better.
My first ever memory is of Mt Buffalo Chalet. My parents used to go and stay there every summer around New Years eve and said that some of their best holidays were spent there. I was born in October 1987 and spent my first New Years Eve at the Chalet as a baby! I obviously don’t remember that but I do remember later trips and when another regular summer guest – an older man whose name I can’t remember – gave me a little blue teddy bear. I think we were standing on the front steps of the chalet at the time. I also remember going canooing and walking with my parents and I remember that we had the same room every year we went.
I was lucky to have such fond early memories of spending my summers outside in the fresh air. It’s such a shame to think of the chalet abandoned and closed as I believe it is. I do feel that if it was reopened with the same care and attention to the ‘old world charm’ that we all seem to have appreciated, that it really would stand a chance of being successful, not just in winter but all year round. With organised activities, walking groups, a first class restaurant, and catering to people interested in the multitude of other outdoor activities in the area, I believe that the chalet could attract couples, families, school groups and young adventure seekers alike. If only someone could come up with the cash!
My family has been staying at the Mt Buffalo Chalet for so long, that my grandparents remember not only when the Railway’s owned it, but right the way back to when it was first built and owned by the government. Both of them (on my mother’s side) travelled there as children up through the 20′s with their parents, then again when they had their own children, they went every 5 years. I was taken there as an infant, and then every year from when I was ten onwards. We have photo’s of me and my siblings back when you were still allowed to feed the rosella’s, and could buy bags of seed from reception -us little kids just covered with rosellas. I had my first cocktail in the bar there. I still know about half the walks there off the top of my head, and before it closed, I had planned I would one day get married there. I still hold a hope that the Chalet will be restored, and I’ll still be able to get married there, but nowadays that hope looks rather slim.
My husband and I have just returned to Perth after having spent 4 days in Bright. We drove up to Mount Buffalo to have a look. It really is a terrible shame to see that wonderful building sitting so still and empty, it has a eerie, ghostly feel to it. I think it would have been a lovely place to stay all year round. We also noticed it had a very old swimming pool that would have been perfect in the summer months to take a dip after having done a bush walk. I really hope someone does find the cash to get it up and running again before it really falls apart.