Mt Buller or Mt Hotham: Which Ski Resort in 2026?

If you’re looking at skiing in Victoria this year, you’ve probably heard of Mt Buller and Mt Hotham. Although both sit in the Victorian Alps and look close together on a map (about 65 km apart as the crow flies), there is an entire mountain range in between. To get from Buller to Hotham, you have to drop back down to Mansfield and go the long way around, which is roughly 265 km and takes about 4.5 hours in winter. You would have to drive 265km (3 hrs 30 mins) to reach Hotham from Buller. 

You know you can’t easily visit both mountains in one trip, so you will need to choose!

Having worked at Mt Buller for for five seasons as both a lifty (the person who turns the lifts) and ski instructor, I am always going to have a soft spot for Buller, BUT, in this post, I will lay out all the good and bad of each mountain, give you a side by side comparison of prices, accommodation, atmosphere and terrain whilst providing my personal opinion on different aspects of both Mt Buller and Mt Hotham to help you choose which ski resort is better for your holiday in 2026.

Let’s start off with a statistics comparison! 

	Mt Buller	Mt Hotham
Skiable terrain	300 ha	320 ha (245 ha lift-served)
Runs	76 runs / 80 km	Over 70 marked runs
Lifts	19 (13 chairlifts, 3 of them high-speed)	14 (including Dinner Plain)
Magic carpets	2	4
Tobogganing	Yes, 2 parks	Yes, 1 park
Vertical drop	430 m (405 m lift-served)	395 m
Village elevation	1,600 m	1,765 m
Longest run	2.5 km	2.5 km
Terrain split	Roughly 20% beginner, 45% intermediate, 35% advanced	20% beginner, 40% intermediate, 40% advanced
Terrain parks	4 (plus a rider cross course)	4 (snow dependent)
Cross-country	9 km on-mountain, plus 68 km at neighbouring Mt Stirling	35 km
Snowmaking	Over 56 ha (about 20% of the trails)	38 ha, 112 snow guns
Average snowfall	Around 2.5 m a season	Around 3 m a season, 1.5 m average base
Places to eat and drink	Over 30	Around 15 on-mountain, 20 including Dinner Plain
Resort entry (per vehicle, per day)	$67	$69
Multi-mountain passes	Ikon Pass + Mountain Collective	Epic Australia Pass

 

The main difference between Mt Buller and Hotham is their villages. Mt Buller has a single alpine village at the base of the slopes, with a range of accommodations, shops, restaurants, and bars within walking distance of one another. Hotham, on the other hand, has a collection of small villages, each offering unique facilities, spread out across the area surrounding the resort.

Now that we’ve got the statistics out of the way, I will talk about the two mountains in more detail. This guide compares the two resorts on price, distance, terrain and accommodation, using current 2026 season rates and live Booking.com scores where available.

Resort	Location	Best for	Why it stands out
Mt Buller	About 3.5 hours (248 km) from Melbourne	Beginners, families, day trips	The largest lift network in Victoria and the liveliest village, with around 7,000 on-mountain beds; adult day passes from about A$121
Mt Hotham	About 5 to 6 hours (370 km) from Melbourne	Advanced skiers, off-piste, tree runs	Steeper terrain, around 3 m of snow a season and a quieter ridge-top village where you ski from your front door; adult day passes from roughly A$190

1. Mt Buller 

Located just 227km, a 3-hour drive from Melbourne, Mt Buller is the most accessible full-size ski resort in Australia for a day trip from a major city. For some, this is a massive bonus as you don’t have to pay for expensive accommodation if you live in Melbourne and last-minute trips are easily manageable. On the other hand, Mt Buller tends to draw the biggest crowds on weekends and holidays. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean longer lift lines; a large proportion of Mt Buller day trip traffic actually comes from tour groups, which are simply there to sightsee and toboggan (in the designated areas).

TIP: If you are not skiing, you can still ride up. Sightseeing tickets get you a return trip on the Northside Express chairlift, and there are two toboggan parks, one next to the Clocktower in the village and Celia’s near the Horse Hill day car park. A toboggan pass is $25 including toboggan hire, and tobogganing is free if you already hold a lift pass.

Ticket Prices

Mt Buller prices lift tickets dynamically, so what you pay depends on the date and how far ahead you book. For the 2026 season, adult day passes start at A$121, and kids (5 to 18) start at A$73, rising to roughly A$209 for an adult on the busiest peak dates.

If you are skiing more than a couple of days, the 6 Day Any Day Pass is the one to look at: A$849 for an adult, A$509 for kids, with no blackout dates and 10% off rental and tuning thrown in. A full-season membership is A$1,649 for adults and A$989 for kids.

Good news for this season: Buller froze its lift prices at A$121 for adults and A$73 for children through the school holidays, and extended skiing, boarding, and tobogganing to 7pm on the opening days of the holidays.

Equipment Rental Prices

Buller offers a range of rental equipment, from skis to wrist protectors and snow jackets.

PRO TIP: Book your rental online before you come up. It is cheaper than walking in, and your gear will be sized and waiting for you, which really matters on a busy school-holiday morning.

On-mountain operators (George’s, Duck Inn and others) hire full ski and board packages for adults and kids; book online in advance for the best rate, as walk-in prices are higher.

Mt Buller Lessons Prices

Mt Buller runs both group and private lessons. Group lessons are two hours and start from A$103 a person, or A$130 if you take the First Timer package, which bundles the lesson with a lift ticket for the three beginner lifts (ABOM Express, Bourke Street Express and the Bourke Street Carpet). They run at 10 am and 1:45 pm in peak season, meeting at Heli Flat.

Private lessons are available from age 2 and are priced per session on the official site.

As a ski instructor myself, I can tell you that private lessons are absolutely the best and fastest way to learn (even for experts). 

The reason for this is that we, as instructors, can personally evaluate your skiing/snowboarding and identify what you need to work on most to improve. Lessons are personally adapted to ensure you are learning at the right pace for you; this is invaluable. 

TIP: You can have up to 6 friends in one private lesson for the same price, but make sure they are the same discipline and ability as you. If you have different abilities, the lesson will be limited to the lowest ability.

Mt Buller Snowsports runs private and group lessons, from one-hour sessions up to full-day programs; current per-session prices are on the official site and are cheaper when booked online in advance. 

Resort Entrance Fee + Parking: 

As Mt Buller is privately owned, a resort fee must be paid by everyone entering the area (even if you just intend to drop off friends). It includes your parking fee and varies on the number of nights you will stay.

NOTE: The entrance gate is at the bottom of the mountain, 16km from the village, so there’s no way to get around this. 

Day entry and parking: A$67 per vehicle (up to 9 seats). The price is the same whether you book online or pay at the gate, so there is no longer an early-bird saving to chase.

Overnight entry and parking: from A$134 per vehicle, which includes A$67 for entry and A$67 for your first night. Extra nights are A$10 Sunday to Thursday and A$34.50 Friday and Saturday.

One thing that catches people out: the gate no longer takes cash. You need a credit or debit card.

The car parks are spread from 1 km to 4 km below the village, with overnight parking generally 2 km to 4 km down

Transfer costs: the service is now called Ride Share Transfers and runs 7 am to midnight. It is A$18 one way for an adult and A$9 for a child, or A$36 and A$18 return, taking you straight to your accommodation.

TIP: As taxis are paid per person, save a little money by sending one or two people with all the gear in the taxi, and the others can walk down the staircase to catch the day-user shuttle. 

Facilities

Mt Buller is the largest on-mountain town in Australia, meaning you have all the facilities you could ever use right here in the village at 1,600m. Catch the Banff Mountain Film Festival at the highest cinema in Australia, take a yoga class at the gym, soak in the day spa at Breathtaker on High, grocery store, over 30 cafes, restaurants, bars and even a nightclub! 

LOCAL TIP: Grab a coffee at Grimus Grind, the ski-in window beside Hotel Pension Grimus; head to Burger Haus in the Village Square for the best burgers; hit Birdcage for après; and finish at the Kooroora to party until Amore. (This is the song they play at 3 am when they close the club and it is a truly unique Buller experience.)

A few places have opened since I first wrote this: Cow Camp Cantina does Mexican daily, the Black Cockatoo at the Mt Buller Chalet is the smartest dinner on the mountain with a serious Victorian wine list, and Harry Burns is a cabin-style bar with an open fire for when it is really blowing outside.

How to Get to Mt Buller

Mt Buller is 248 km north-east of Melbourne. Allow 3.5 to 4 hours, and longer during peak weekends or in bad weather. Take either the Hume Freeway (M31) or the Melba and Maroondah Highway route via Yea; both meet at Mansfield, and from there Mount Buller Road climbs 47 km to the village via the Mirimbah gate. On the way, you will pass Bonnie Doon, the lake from the Australian cult classic The Castle.

ATTENTION: Snow chains are not optional here. Every vehicle entering Mt Buller must carry diamond-pattern wheel chains every single day of the declared snow season, which in 2026 runs from 6 June to 4 October. That applies to 4WDs and AWDs too, and to day visitors exactly as much as to people staying overnight. The fine is A$395 if you are not carrying them, and A$988 if you do not fit them when directed to do so. Snow socks and ladder chains are not legal in Victoria.

You cannot hire chains once you are up the mountain, so pick them up in Mansfield or at the Mirimbah Store right by the entrance gate before you drive through. There is also no fuel at Mt Buller, so fill up in Mansfield or at Mirimbah.

V/Line runs a coach from Southern Cross in Melbourne to Mansfield seven days a week (about 3 hours), and Mansfield-Mt Buller Bus Lines connects straight onto it for the run up the mountain. The whole trip takes about 4.5 to 5 hours door-to-door, which is barely an hour longer than driving. An adult return is A$138 plus A$22 for gate entry, and the fare includes your resort entry and the oversnow transfer of your luggage to your lodge, which driving does not include. Honestly, if you are not confident driving in snow, this is the easier option.

Another option is to join a tour from Melbourne; there is a wide range of options, including day trips for sightseers, fully inclusive lessons, transport and rentals, or multi-night trips to choose from. 

Mt Buller Accommodation

PRO TIP: Mt Buller has a snow guarantee: if certain key lifts aren’t running due to insufficient snow cover within the 2 days before your visit, you can cancel passes, lessons, and some participating accommodation for a full refund.

My favorite thing about Mt Buller is that it has a large village, and most accommodation is located right here on the mountain. Where I lived for the last 5 winters was actually on the slopes, so I got to ski to work every day! 

Here are a few of my top recommendations, but check out this post for even more information on Mt Buller accommodation. 

Luxury ($400 + AUD): 
For ultra-luxury, stay in a Whitehorse Village 3-bedroom apartment. This is one of the newest and most exclusive apartment groups on Buller, built for the 2023 season with new chalets added as recently as 2025, right on the side of the mountain’s main ski run. I have spent quite a lot of time babysitting in these apartments since they were built, and I can honestly say they are the nicest apartments on the entire mountain! 

For full hotel service including a heated indoor pool, sauna, steam room and gym, head to Mt Buller Chalet. This is where most professional athletes and famous visitors stay, and it is ski-in/ski-out off Bourke Street. Note it only opens for the winter season, roughly June to the end of August.

Middle Priced ($200-400 AUD): 
With multiple different-sized bunk rooms to rent and a beautiful spacious kitchen and living room area, Amber Lodge is the perfect option for couples or families wishing to enjoy a typical snow lodge. For a more hotel-like experience, try Abom, located directly opposite the ski school and 100m from the village center.

Budget (Under $200 AUD):
The cheapest proper bed on the mountain is a club lodge, and the good news is that plenty of them take non-members. Kandahar Lodge, run by the Ski Club of Victoria, is the pick of them: bunk rooms, a big shared kitchen and lounge, and you can ski straight out onto Shaky Knees. Non-member bookings open on 1 March each year, and they fill up fast, so set a reminder. Alpine Retreat is the easiest budget hotel to book in the village and has a games room and buffet breakfast included, and the Duck Inn is the cheapest bed up here if you just want somewhere to sleep between runs.

If you are happy to drive up each morning, Mansfield Travellers Lodge is about 45 minutes down the hill and a fraction of the price, with a shared kitchen and the Mt Buller bus stopping directly across the road. Just remember you will pay the resort entry fee each day you drive up.

2. Hotham Ski Resort 

Located a bit further from any major cities, Mt Hotham is best suited to multi-day ski trips. This also means that on weekends it can be significantly less busy than Mt Buller.

Hotham is known as the upside-down mountain because the village sits up on the ridge at around 1,765m and you ski down from your front door instead of riding up first. Hotham bills itself as Australia’s highest alpine village, although Charlotte Pass in NSW sits at almost exactly the same elevation and often claims that title too. The mountain itself tops out at 1,862m.

The “village” here is spread out along the side of the road, so if you’re looking for a more traditional, quaint alpine village, choose Mt Buller. 

Hotham Lift Prices 

Hotham prices its tickets dynamically and does not publish a fixed price list, so the earlier you book, the less you pay. As a guide, expect around A$190-A$260 for an adult day pass in 2026, depending on the date, with kids a little over half that. Hotham’s own line is that you can save up to 35% by booking early.

One genuinely good deal worth knowing: buy three or more consecutive days, and you get free lift access from 3 pm on the day before your first full day.

Equipment Rental Prices

Hotham Sports and other on-mountain hire shops rent ski and board packages for adults and kids; book online in advance to save on walk-in rates, and if you hold an Epic Australia Pass you get 20% off.

Hotham Lessons Prices

A major difference between the two mountains this year is that Hotham will be offering public group lessons in addition to private lessons. 

Adult group lessons run for two hours at 10 am daily, meeting outside Hotham Central, and they cover every level from first-timer right through to black. There is a second two-hour session at 1 pm which is beginners only. Kids are split into Mighty Mites (ages 3 to 6) and Kids Club (ages 7 to 14), with check-in at 9:30am and lessons starting at 10 am sharp. You can book them by the half day, full day, week, or season.

Private lessons take up to 5 people for a 2-hour or longer session (or 2 people for the 1.5-hour version). Current prices for everything are on Hotham’s site and are cheaper booked ahead.

Two offers worth knowing about: Buy 4 Ski 5 gives you a fifth consecutive day free outside the peak weeks, and Epic Australia Pass holders get 20% off all lessons booked online in advance.

2026, Private Lesson Prices: 

Hotham Snowsports offers group and private lessons, from short beginner sessions to full-day private tuition; check current rates on the official site and book online for the best price.

Resort Entry and Parking Fees

Similar to Buller, Mt Hotham has a resort entry fee that covers access to the area and parking. This fee applies to anyone entering Hotham, meaning you can’t come in to drop off your friends. Unlike Buller, all days are the same price whether you book ahead or turn up.

2026 price per vehicle: A$69 per day, flat. The permit runs from midnight to midnight on the date you choose, covers parking in any resort car park, and lets you drop off and pick up passengers. There is no early-bird rate anymore, so there is nothing to gain by booking weeks ahead other than peace of mind.

Facilities 

As well as around 15 restaurants, bars and cafes on the mountain (about 20 if you count Dinner Plain), Hotham has all the other facilities you may want during your snow trip, including a post office, supermarket, shops and a spa. 

As I mentioned before, everything is quite spread out in the main Hotham village, but if you prefer the atmosphere of a small village, Dinner Plain just down the road does a much better job of this. 

TIP: Zirky’s is still the place for apres, though The General and The Bird Bar are both excellent too, and the new Wabi Sabi at Lawlers Court does ramen, cold beer and hot sake if you want something different. Do not miss the outdoor 38-degree onsen down at Dinner Plain (which is within the Hotham area but a 10-minute drive from the main village). It is open midday to 8 pm daily in winter, and a two-hour bathing pass is A$57, which gets you the outdoor onsen, sauna, indoor lap pool and cold plunge pools.

How to get to Hotham

Hotham is about 370 km north-east of Melbourne, and you should allow 5 to 6 hours in winter, not the 4.5 hours a map will quote you. The usual route is the Hume Freeway to Wangaratta, then the Great Alpine Road through Myrtleford, Bright and Harrietville. That last 30 km climb from Harrietville is the slow bit and can take well over an hour when it is snowing.

There is a second way in that most people never consider: the southern approach through Bairnsdale, Omeo and Dinner Plain. It stays open all winter, and it is generally the gentler, less icy climb, though it adds about an hour from Melbourne. If the Harrietville side is closed or you are nervous about driving on steep alpine roads, it is a genuinely good alternative.

ATTENTION: Chains are compulsory here too, and the requirement starts at a much lower level than most people expect. You must carry diamond-pattern chains between Harrietville and Omeo for the whole declared season (6 June to 4 October 2026), which means well before you reach the resort gate. It applies to 4WDs and AWDs as well. Hire them in Bright before you start the climb, because you cannot get them on the mountain.

Hotham is the only ski resort in Australia with its own airport, and it is the highest commercial aerodrome in the country. These are charter flights rather than scheduled airline services, so you are booking a seat on a small plane rather than buying a normal ticket, and several operators run them in winter: about 45 minutes from Lilydale, Essendon or Moorabbin, 30 minutes from Albury or Canberra, and 50 minutes from Sydney. I have heard it is an incredible experience as you fly directly over the snowy Alps.

You can get here on public transport: a V/Line train to Wangaratta then a coach to Bright (about 4.5 hours, from around A$41), and then the Alps Link bus from Bright up to Hotham. The catch is not the length of the trip, which is about 8 to 9 hours all up; it is the frequency, because in winter the Alps Link only runs on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The upside is that it is astonishingly cheap: because it is a public bus, the fare from Bright to Hotham is A$3.30, and you just add your A$22 resort entry on top. If your dates line up with the bus, it is the cheapest way to reach any Victorian resort by a wide margin.

Hotham Accommodation 

Luxury ($300+ AUD)
The apartments at Mountain Dreaming really do make you feel like you’re dreaming, with their incredible views and on-site bars, cafes, and laundry facilities. Alternatively, try Arlberg Hotham for a more homely mountain feel, with its indoor pool, sauna, and hot tub, right opposite the main chairlifts, so you can ski to the door.

Mid Priced ($200-$300 AUD)
For a traditional private snow chalet with exposed wooden beams and an open fireplace, try Diamantina in Dinner Plain. For an on-site bar, restaurant and spa, head to Club Wyndham Dinner Plain.

Budget (Under $200 AUD)
Dinner Plain is where the affordable beds are and where the Onsen is, so it is not a compromise so much as a different kind of trip. Hotel High Plains has its own restaurant and bar and is a five-minute walk from the Onsen.

🎿 Best resort for beginners:	Mt Buller
🏂 Best for snowboarding:	Mt Hotham
👨‍👩‍👦 Family-friendly resort:	Mt Hotham
☀️ Best time to go:	July – August

So, which one should you choose?

Now that you’ve got the facts and general understanding of each mountain’s prices, facilities and atmosphere, I’m going to give you my opinion on which mountain is suited to different groups of people. 

• Families: Mt Hotham
  Whilst both mountains are great for families, I chose Hotham as it is more accessible in your own vehicle. At Buller, you must park a few kilometers down from the village and take a taxi or bus up to the village. If staying on the mountain, it can be a pain to catch buses to your accommodation, restaurants, ski school, etc. with children. Hotham makes this much easier because you can drive right to your lodge to unload, then move the car to a designated overnight car park and hop on the free village bus back, which runs every 15 minutes until half past midnight. At Buller, private cars cannot enter the village at all.
• Beginners: Mt Buller
  Being just 3 hours from Melbourne, Mt Buller is much less of a commitment for beginners. If you’ve never skied before, it’s great to be able to take a day trip and test the waters. If you find out that skiing is not for you, there are plenty of other activities both on and off-snow for you to enjoy! 
• Advanced Skiers and Snowboarders: Mt Hotham
  Although Buller has incredible off-piste terrain if you know where to find it, Mt Hotham is more aggressive overall, and interesting terrain here is a lot more obvious for those who don’t know the area. 
• Budget Minded: Mt Buller
  Mostly due to the lift prices this year, Mt Buller is a much more budget-friendly option. In addition, there is the option to save on accommodation by taking a day trip from Melbourne. 
• Party Animals: Mt Buller
  As you will find all the accommodation, bars and clubs in one convenient village, the night-time atmosphere at Mt Buller is hard to beat. 
  TIP: Start with post-ski apres at The Birdcage, followed by live music at the Off Piste Bar and end your night with a boogie at Kooroora. 

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FAQs about choosing Mt Buller or Mt Hotham

Conclusion

Congrats for making it this far and for choosing a ski holiday! I hope I helped give you a better understanding of what it’s like to visit Mt Buller or Mt Hotham and helped a little in making your decision!

If you’re interested in more of Australia’s ski resorts, I actually wrote another great comparison for Perisher vs Thredbo and Kosciuszko National Park. 

Leave me a comment if I can help you out with any more information about skiing, as I can seriously talk about it all day. I would also love to hear if you found this helpful. 🙂 

Happy Skiing!

Kate 

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