Welcome to Mount Buller's SKI TV® channel, www.skitvbuller.com.au and we are all looking forward to season 2018!! - This channel covers everything to do with the great resort of Mount Buller Australia and provides ski reports, weather and snow updates and great Mount Buller video content. Mt Buller Gym Monday Mountain Morning Meditation 8:30am – 9:30am members free, casual $10 Burn out Class high intensity interval training. 6pm – 6:30pm. Members free, casual $10 Tuesday Flow Yoga 6:30pm – 7:30pm Members free, casual $10 Thursday Flow Yoga 6:30pm – 7:30pm Members free, casual $10 Burn out Class high intensity interval training. 6pm – 6:30pm. Members free, casual $10 For more information give the gym at a call on: 5777 6000 - Dolomiti Italiano Tijuana Tuesdays Come get your Mexican on before the live music with our tacos and nacho specials! From $10 plus $5 Coronas and tequilas all night long! 6pm- 9pm. Breathtaker Loft Bar Daily Happy Hour 4pm – 6pm $15 cocktails $6 Coronas, cosy fire, great way to spend the afternoon. Breathtaker Pizzeria Family Meal Deal 2 Traditional Pizzas, Garlic Bread and 1.25 Soft Drink for $50. Daily 12pm 8pm. Ph: 5777 6377 Arlberg Pot'N'Shot Pot of Boags & Shot of Schnapps $7.50 4:30pm – 6:30pm daily - Coffee Garage Free marshmallows to toast with hot choc purchase. $2.00 hot chocolates 10am – 2pm daily. - HANDY INFO Alpine Museum LEVEL 1 ALPINE CENTRAL Explore the history of Mt Buller and Australia’s alpine region Entry: free, donations welcome. Mon 12pm – 3pm Tues 1pm – 4pm Wed 1pm – 4pm & 5pm – 7pm Thurs 1pm – 4pm Gym Daily from 9am – 8pm Casual visits $18 Season membership $290 Ph 5777 6000 Personal Training Ski and board conditioning program to get you physically ready to slash the slopes. Other classes and programs available. Ph: 57776000 Breathtaker Spa Early Bird Spa Special. Take time out for yourself, while the kids are skiing. 60 Minute Massage Special for $100 before 11am. To book call: 5777 6377 FREE Intra Village Shuttle Mon – Thurs 8am – 6pm FREE Car Park Shuttle Mon – Thurs 8am – 6pm For current snow conditions and lift status please visit our website. mtbuller.com.au The Whitt Back by popular demand the Manwich 2.0 $20.00 with a pot. Monday 5:30pm – 8pm. ABOM Tuesday Pot & Parma Night Pot & Parma for $18 Wednesday Pasta Night Pasta and garlic bread for $18 - Information at Clock Tower 8am – 5pm daily Ph: 5777 6745 Information at Alpine Central 8:30am - 5pm daily Ph: 5777 6077 Buller Grocer Mon – Thurs 7am -8pm - THURSDAY Arlberg Hotel Doubles pool comp $2 to enter. Sign up starts at 8pm. Prizes to be won. Thursdays - Fireball Open Mic Night Off-Piste Bar at Alpine Retreat Grab your mates and come show us your talent on the mic! Sponsored by Fireball - drinks specials and prizes for performers! 8pm – 1am.     Victoria's leading alpine resort features industry leading facilities and services that perfectly complement our comprehensive accommodation and dining offerings. FACILITIES - ATM - There are two ATM's at Mt Buller. One ATM is located in the Village Square Plaza in the Village Square. The other ATM is located in the entrance of Alpine Central. Chapel - A multi-denominational Chapel, serving the needs of the Mt Buller Community. The Chapel is also available year round for weddings. For general information about weddings at Mt Buller please click here. Phone 03 5777 6077 - Village Square Plaza - The Village Square Plaza has public seating, restrooms, restaurants, free WI-FI and ATM. Located in the Village Square open 7am - late. - Cinema - Head to the Mt Buller Village Cinema to catch one of the latest release movies. Shows screen every evening throughout winter at regular cinema prices. More info...Phone 03 5777 6000 - Information Centre - Drop into the Clock tower Information Centre for all enquiries, there's nothing that staff won't be able to help with. Lost & found service also. Located in the Village Square. Phone 03 5777 6745 - Free Wi-Fi - The Village Square Plaza offers free Wi-Fi for visitors in 20 minute blocks per 24 hours. Museum - The National Alpine Museum provides a fascinating insight into the history of Mt Buller. More info...Phone 03 5777 6077 - Post Office - The Mt Buller Post Office is located on the top level of Alpine Central. It is open from 8:30am to 5:00pm daily during the snow season. Phone 03 5777 6077 - Lockers - Lockers are available at various outlets for hire. George's Ski Hire and Buller Sports Central have medium sized lockers available for $8 per day + $5 key deposit. - Supermarket - Located in the heart of the Village centre, Foodworks Mt Buller is a licensed supermarket open seven days a week. More info...Phone 03 5777 6133 - Medical Centre - Located next to Bourke St on Summit Rd. Phone 03 5777 6185 - Prayer Room - Located on level 1 of Alpine Central, open 8:30am - 5pm daily. Phone 03 5777 6077 - Rental and Retail - A great range of rental and retail outlets are available on the mountain, where you can get everything you need for a day on the slopes. Change Tables - There are two public change table facilities, one is located in the toilets on level 2 in the Alpine Central building, and the other is located within the toilets at Village Square Plaza. Various accommodation properties have change table facilities, which are available to in-house guests only. - SERVICES - Accommodation & Activity Bookings - Visit the staff at the Clock tower Information Centre in the Village Square to arrange on-mountain accommodation and activities. Phone 03 5777 6745 - Event Photography - Look out for the Fun Photos photographers in their orange vests on the race course at Interschools events theyll be capturing every moment of competition. Go online to www.funphotos.com.au after your races to look for your shots. - Free Shuttle - The free Village shuttle operates around the resort with various pickup/ drop off points on three routes. The free car park shuttle transports day visitors without luggage from the car parks to the Village, a continuous daily service. Phone 03 5777 6070 - Guest Services - Answering all your questions across the mountain there's nothing they won't be able to help with, look out for them in bright yellow Mt Buller jackets. Phone 03 5777 7854 - Buller Kids' Centre & Creche - Located in the Ski & Snowboard School building on Bourke St, the Kids' Centre offers 1/2 and full day child minding services. More info...Phone 03 5777 7857 Alpine Spa Retreat - Breathtaker All Suite Hotel boasts Australia's first Alpine Spa Retreat where you can rejuvenate and relax in a state of the art spa facility. More info...Phone 03 5777 6377 - Physio & Massage - The Australian Alpine Institute offers physio and/or massage services. More info...Phone 03 5777 6000 - Lift Ticket Office - located at the top of the Village staircase, open 8am-5pm daily. 03 5777 7833 - SKI TV BULLER is proud to welcome Mark Adams Real Estate Mount Buller as one of our valued sponsors. More information at www.markadams.com.au Mark Adams Real Estate is a renowned agency in the Mt Buller & surrounding Merrijig district. With Mt Buller Real Estate they dramatically increased market share since opening in 1996 and are now 'leading the way'. Mark and his family have been a driving force in Buller real estate from the 1960's. 19 YEARS 'LEADING THE WAY' SELLING MT BULLER & BASE OF BULLER - Property Window Displays at both Mt Buller Village Square & Mansfield township at 84 High St. Distributed Property 24 page Brochure regularly updated to feature current listings. Mt Buller Seasonal Winter Rental Apartments- 4 month rental from June to October each year. Now Selling Base of Buller & surrounding Merrijig Districts. Agents in Melbourne & Mt Buller available to do inspections & appraisals by appointment. Vast experience in project marketing in Mt Buller. Find out more at www.markadams.com.au - Cattleman's, located in the heart of the Village, is the perfect first stop for a coffee and bacon and egg roll in the morning and serves a great cafe menu all day long. This includes warm soups, foccacia's, great pies or even grab a cold beer at the end of a great day on the slopes. It's a great central pit stop to meet up with family and friends during the day between ski runs, or even to stop by for a coffee whilst wandering the Village Square retail precinct. At night, Cattleman's comes to life, serving the best steaks on the mountain together with High Country hearty meals nightly from 6pm. The professional team at Cattleman's look forward to welcoming you to their restaurant soon. Reservations are recommended but not essential. www.alpineretreat.com.au - 4 FLOORS OF FACILITIES TO FILL EVERY HOUR OF YOUR MT BULLER HOLIDAY - Alpine Retreat Mt Buller combines the facilities of a hotel with the warm and cosy atmosphere of a ski lodge, some spectacular views and plenty of retro alpine charm. Comfortable bunk rooms offer great value accommodation at the snow, breakfast included! Danny takes care of the skiing in the Ski Hire, while our friendly Receptionist looks after your stay. Come home from the slopes to relax in the pool, sink into the comfy sofas of our TV and Games Room, enjoy a delicious meal at Dolomiti Italiano or relax with a drink and a game of pool at Off-Piste Bar. More info at www.alpineretreat.com.au -     The Mt Buller and Mt Stirling resorts are managed by Mt Buller Mt Stirling Resort Management, an organisation appointed by the Crown which acts in a council-like capacity, providing essential services to the local community and overseeing public assets and infrastructure. Resort Management operates under the provisions of the Alpine Resorts (Management) Act, accepting directions or guidelines from the Minister for Environment and Climate Change regarding its performance and the discharge of its functions, duties or power. Resort Management responsibilities cover areas including environmental management, snow clearing, car parking, day shelters and public toilets, water for snowmaking, slope management, toboggan runs, water for domestic and commercial use, sewerage treatment works, visitor information, road, snow and weather reports, shuttle buses, garbage collection and recycling, Resort administration, Village signage, and Mt Stirling snow clearing, ski patrol and trail maintenance. Read all about Mt Buller Mt Stirling Resort Management at the dedicated website: www.mtbuller.com.au/rmb. ACCOMMODATION - For accommodation enquiries and to book your snow holiday, contact Mt Buller's dedicated reservations team at High Country Reservations: T: 1800 BULLER E: reservations@mtbuller.com.au or use our online enquiry form. LIFT TICKETS & LESSONS For lift ticket enquiries and the Mt Buller Ski & Snowboard School, contact Buller Ski Lifts: T: 03 5777 7800 F: 03 5777 7801 E: info@skibuller.com.au RESORT MANAGEMENT, GATE ENTRY, CAR PARKING, RESORT OPERATIONS AND GENERAL RESORT SERVICES - For general resort enquiries, resort entry, events and more, contact Mt Buller Mt Stirling Resort Management: T: 03 5777 6077 F: 03 5777 6219 E: info@mtbuller.com.au MEDICAL & EMERGENCY - Ambulance: 000 Fire Brigade: 000 Police: 000 Ski Patrol: 03 5777 7808 RACV: 13 7228 - Since 1973, Subaru Australia has been the exclusive Australian importer and distributor of All-Wheel Drive (AWD) and the highly sought-after rear-wheel drive BRZvehicles. Imported by Subaru Australia since 1973, our range includes the multi-award winning Forester, Impreza, Liberty, WRX, Outback, XV and BRZ. www.subaru.com.au - Bolle - Bolle is a world leader in the manufacture and sale of technical glasses, goggles and helmets for everyday life and specialised sports. www.bolle.com.au - K2 snow sports - Driven by innovation and a passion for the sports enthusiast looking for unique and authentic lifestyle experiences, K2 Sports market snowboard, snowshoe, bike, in-line skate, alpine, telemark/Nordic ski equipment, apparel and accessories. - www.k2skis.com - Frank is a simple, low cost, online health insurer who has been proudly sponsoring Mt Buller Parks since 2012. With Frank, health insurance is no longer confusing, complicated or filled with jargon. Frank makes health insurance simple. Mt Buller is proud to offer exclusive benefits to Frank Members. www.frankhealthinsurance.com.au - Channel 7 - Seven is first for news in Melbourne with Peter Mitchell and Jennifer Keyte, plus meteorologist and Mt Buller skier Jane Bunn presenting the weather. Catch the full Victorian snow report in the news every Thursday at 6:25pm during the snow season. - www.7news.com.au - The Fox - The FOX is Melbournes Hit music station and The FOX Chairlift at Mt Buller is Melbournes favourite place for winter fun. You can catch the latest Victorian resorts snow reports on The Fox throughout winter. www.fox.com.au - Yoplait - Yoplait Petit Miam is the ideal healthy snack for kids and proud sponsor of the Mt Buller Ski & Snowboard School, supporting kids skiing and snowboarding programs. - www.yoplait.com.au - Buller Ski Lifts (BSL) is the largest single operator at Mt Buller and was formed in 1993. Buller Ski Lifts is a private company that owns and operates Victoria's largest lifting network of 22 lifts, a thriving Ski & Snowboard School and childcare facility, the luxury Mt Buller Chalet Hotel & Suites and ABOM Hotel among a collection of other on-mountain hospitality venues at Mt Buller. In addition BSL has several Buller Sports and Altitude retail and rental stores at Mt Buller, Mansfield and in Melbourne and a property development and maintenance business unit. The diverse and extensive operations under the BSL umbrella all share a strong connection to the alpine community of Mt Buller and the team we employ is passionate about the mountains, the snow industry and the alpine lifestyle. Buller Ski Lifts is committed to delivering great mountain experiences, sharing our enthusiasm for snow sports and our unique alpine location with others and protecting the natural assets at Mt Buller to achieve sustainable prosperity. Buller Ski Lifts employs 800 staff including a large seasonal workforce each winter from across Australia and around the world. We are the first Australian ski company to achieve the ISO 14001 standard for Environmental Management and are committed to the sustainable development of Mt Buller as the premier alpine resort in Australia. All day, every day, the best possible mountain experience - We use this expression to describe the commitment of our company to Mt Buller. We believe this simple statement demonstrates our core values and best describes what we are striving to achieve for our owners, staff and most importantly for our guests. Mt Buller are partnered with the following international resorts: Courchevel & Les Trois Vallees in France - Madarao Mountain Resort in Japan - Genting Resort Secret Garden in China - Jackson Hole in the USA - Buller Champs is Mt Bullers Team Member Recognition Program and our way of saying Thank you for a job well done! The idea behind the Buller Champs program is to give guests, team members and managers a way of formally recognising the efforts of their peers and thanking them for their hard work. Guests can also nominate team members who they feel have done an exceptional job, or gone out of their way to help make their visit to Mt Buller something special. What is a Buller Champ? A Buller Champ is one who excels in the workplace and in their interactions all around the mountain. To be a champ, team members will need to demonstrate a level of service that delivers beyond the guest and peer expectations. We want to know who’s made you feel on top of the world this season! All guests can nominate a Buller Ski Lifts Team Member whos made a real difference to their mountain experience. If someone has made your day or your trip, please take moment to let us know. Nomination forms and boxes can also be found at various locations around the resort. USE YOUR HEAD - WEAR A HELMET - The Australian Ski Areas Association (ASAA) has recently reviewed and updated its guidance on helmet use in alpine and snowsports environments and recommends the wearing of helmets by Australian skiers and snowboarders. Mt Buller supports this recommendation and encourages all skiers and snowboarders to wear a helmet and to educate themselves on the benefits and limitations of helmet usage. -It is important to be aware that skiing and snowboarding in a controlled and responsible manner at all times is the primary safety consideration for all skiers and boarders. ‘LIDS ON KIDS' Helmets are now compulsory for all children participating in any Ski & Snowboard School lesson or seasonal program. Children not wearing an accredited helmet will not be able to participate in skiing or snowboarding lessons, race training or coaching. Accredited helmets are included with all ski or snowboard rental packages from any Buller Sports outlet for children through to Yr 12. All ski and snowboard instructors, race coaches and other seasonal program partner instructors are also required to wear an accredited helmet while on snow and providing instruction. The alpine environment is a beautiful destination for winter or summer holidays and a venue for many challenging and exciting activities including skiing and bushwalking. The alpine regions however, can be hazardous if visitors are careless or irresponsible. The SnowSafe website has been published to provide essential information on how to enjoy the alpine environment in safety and comfort. Planning and preparation are the keys to having a safe and enjoyable experience and these concepts are reinforced throughout this website - www.snowsafe.com.au - You'll feel on top of the world at Mt Buller and right at home in our picturesque mountain Village, where there's everything you could need during your stay and more. The Mt Buller Village is nestled into the mountain at 1600m above sea level, and is complete with everything you could possibly need for your snow holiday. Choose from over 30 bars, cafes and restaurants, 7000 on-mountain beds (the most of any Victorian resort), and a wide range of facilities and services including a day spa, cinema, alpine chapel, museum, a supermarket, post office, child care, physio and much more. The Mt Buller Village is easy to get around on foot, by bus or taxi. Everything in the Mt Buller Village is within walking distance, and there are transport services to get you from A to B at any time of the day. FREE INTRA-VILLAGE SHUTTLES - Free Intra-Village shuttle buses operate daily to get you everywhere you need to go with your skis or board. Buses run regularly each day from 8am - 6pm, Thursdays from 8am-10pm, and from 8am Midnight on Saturdays. Operating hours may change during peak times, details will be outlined in the Whats On. Three bus routes are available and take in all corners of the Village: Ski School loop: The red bus route takes you from the Village Square, up past Breathtaker All Suite Hotel and Pension Grimus, to the ABOM Express Chairlift. This is the bus you need to catch to access Ski & Snowboard School. Summit Road loop: The blue bus route starts in the Village Square and then travels past Alpine Central, Mt Buller Chalet, ABOM Hotel and then finishes at the Arlberg Hotel - the highest point on the mountain that you can drive to in a vehicle. This is the bus you catch if you need to go to the Medical Centre or Ski Patrol. Stirling Road loop: The yellow bus route will take you around the residential area of the Village, including accommodation properties like the Duck Inn, Sugarbush, Enzian, Ajax and Ski Lib. It will also take you past the Chamois Chairlift and the site of the World Cup Aerials. FREE CAR PARK SHUTTLE - A free shuttle bus for day visitors operates daily between 8am and 6pm to ferry day visitors from the car parks to the Village and vice versa. On Saturdays during peak times the service operates to 8pm (this is now operating and will continue until further notice). Free shuttle buses are only accessible by passengers that do not have luggage (a set of skis or a snowboard is accepted). A car park shuttle will also commence from 7am during the Earlybird Resort Entry period (Saturday's and Sunday's throughout July and August). Operating hours may change during peak times, details will be outlined in the Whats On. Extended bus times for twilight skiing: Please note that when twilight skiing operates on Wednesday and Saturday evenings (snow and weather permitting) during July & August, car park shuttles will run until 8:30pm. TAXI SERVICES - Taxis are available for transport between the car parks and the Mt Buller Village, which overnight visitors are required to take to transport themselves and their luggage to and from their accommodation. Tickets can be purchased from resort entry point, online or from the driver. Prices - Adult: $44 (return) - Child: $28 (return) - Taxis are also available to transport passengers within the Mt Buller Village. Fares are $10.00 for adults and $8.00 for children (Intra-Village taxi fares do not include luggage). Taxi operating times: Monday Thursday 7.00am - Midnight - Friday 7.00am - 3.00am (Saturday) Saturday 7.00am - 2.00am (Sunday) Sunday 7.00am - Midnight - Established in 1978, Disabled Wintersports Australia (DWA) is the National Sporting Organisation (NSO) body responsible for Adaptive Winter Sport in Australia. DWAs mission is: To promote and foster the advancement of participation by people with a disability in wintersport both in Australia and overseas and its vision is: The equality of opportunity for people with disabilities to participate at all levels in the winter sport of their choice. The organisationâs members range from recreational skiers to Australias Winter Paralympians, including Vision Impaired Dual Paralympic Medallist, Jess Gallagher - Bronze in Slalom, Vancouver 2010; Bronze in GS, Sochi 2014. DWA provides opportunities for participation and development on snow through camps, sporting pathways and Resort Services Programs. Its pathways include: Special Olympics (Intellectual Disabilities) Winter Paralympics (Physical Disabilities) Australian Professional Instructors Pathway Volunteer Adaptive Snow Sport Guide Development Pathway - Mt Buller Resort Services Program - Officially launched at Mt Buller in 2014 with the support of Buller Ski Lifts (BSL) and Resort Management (RMB), DWA is now established at the resort to support all visitors with a disability. DWA provide support to Ski School through the provision of volunteer guides to assist private adaptive bookings, access to specialised adaptive equipment, and adaptive instructor training. Additionally, there is a DWA Resort Services Coordinator located at Mt Buller for the season as a central point of contact for disability specific information and support: Hannah Kennedy - 0422 157 391 Hannah@disabledwintersport.com.au - Opportunities at Mt Buller include: Supported snow sport participation for visitors with a disability - Concessions for visitors with a disability Volunteer guide opportunities to support visitors with a disability For more information or to become involved, contact Hannah Kennedy on 0422 157 391 or hannah@disabledwintersport.com.au. Mt Stirling is right next to Mt Buller and is included in the same entry fee. Discover authentic alpine adventure! Mt Stirling is an untouched alpine destination, whose natural beauty provides the perfect setting to experience a range of unique adventures. Enjoy alpine touring or backcountry snowboarding for the ultimate in fresh tracks, explore the resort by snowshoes, learn cross-country skiing or spend a magical night camping under a blanket of snow. Join us at Mt Stirling and create your own authentic alpine adventure only a three hour drive from Melbourne. BACKCOUNTRY SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING - Intermediate to advanced skiers and snowboarders will revel in the unique backcountry experience that Mt Stirling has to offer. Trek to the summit through the stunning alpine landscape and be rewarded with fresh tracks in natural powder bowls and unparalleled views. Enjoy peace of mind for your adventure with mountain huts and dedicated ski patrol services. SNOWSHOEING - Strap on some snowshoes and discover the secrets of our alpine paradise. Enjoy the peaceful surrounds of mountain ash and snowgum forests, the wide open scenery of the summit area and alpine flora and fauna. You can also take to the Mt Stirling Interpretive Trails (two loops 4km and 12km) and learn about the fascinating natural and cultural history of the Resort. SNOW CAMPING - Immerse yourself in the alpine environment and try snow camping. Mt Stirling features a number of mountain huts and snow camping areas, which make it the ideal place to watch the sun set over the snow as you soak up the warmth of a camp fire. For a truly unique snow camping adventure, the Stirling Experience Alpine Camp features a tepee with pot belly stove, plus seven accommodation tents on insulated platforms. You can even have your meals delivered to the camp, or join a weekend with ski touring and tuition included. CROSS-COUNTRY SKIING - Mt Stirling is home to 68km of pristine cross-country ski trails, which are regularly groomed and suitable for all levels of skier. Trails are free to use and wind through sheltered woodlands, offering great cross-country skiing no matter what the conditions. Ski hire and lessons are on offer for beginners through to experts, and ski hire is available on the mountain. TELEMARKING - Telemarkers will love the freedom of space and untouched terrain that Mt Stirling has to offer. Take your pick of tree runs, powder bowls and groomed trails that stretch between the Stirling Summit and Telephone Box Junction. FOR MORE INFORMATION ON MT STIRLING, VISIT MTSTIRLING.COM.AU. While you are sleeping, Mt Buller's grooming team is hard at work on the slopes, flattening the lumps and bumps created on the runs during the day and turning them into a smooth, corduroy finish. With every turn we make on our skis or board, snow is pushed downhill and to the sides, creating piles of snow or moguls on the ski runs. Every night, large grooming machines travel up and down the slopes, moving, flattening and packing the snow into a uniform finish to produce the best skiing possible. Grooming machines have two large rubber and steel tracks that disperse the weight of the machine evenly across the snow surface and cut into the snow to assist with climbing. Mounted on the front is a multi-directional blade that cuts and levels the snow surface before driving over it. A power tiller on the rear churns the snow to an even consistency before a large, heavy comb then drags across the surface leaving a corduroy finish on the snow. Mt Buller has a fleet of 15 snow grooming machines capable of performing varied tasks. A range of attachments are available for these machines that increase the performance of various tasks. Some of the machines have a large winch (cable length of 600m-1000m) attached to them and when anchored at various locations around the mountain are able to groom some of our steeper runs, such as Men's Downhill and Cow Camp. Other attachments used at Mt Buller include a Zaugg pipecutter that shapes our half pipe, which is located between the Skyline T-bar and the Bull Run Chairlift. The half pipe requires continual maintenance throughout the season with the pipecutter used to keep the shape and vertical walls on the pipe. We also use a track setter attached to the rear of a machine to prepare our cross-country ski trails located around the Village. This unit sets two lines in the snow for cross-country skiers to place their skis. The snow grooming team also performs many other tasks around the mountain, including preparing lift stations and access areas as well as Ski & Snowboard School beginner teaching areas, building race courses, terrain parks, transporting goods and clearing snow for access to buildings. Another vital function is snow farming, which involves pushing snow into piles that are stored and used as required in high wear areas, access trails and to repair slopes. Mt Buller guests wake to fresh snow more often thanks to our snowmaking system, which gives mother nature a helping hand. When temperatures are suitable, Mt Buller can make snow on our most popular runs, including Bourke Street, Little Buller Spur and Wombat, the Summit area, Chamois and northern runs including Burnt Hut Spur and Shakey Knees. Snowmaking machines replicate nature by converting water into snow. When water is sprayed through a snowmaking hose it is separated into small particles. A nucleating agent is added and the water particles are then cooled by projecting them through the cold air. The result is snow on the ground. When running at full capacity, Mt Buller's snowmaking system can make enough snow to fill two 44 gallon drums every second. Thats 120 drums per minute and 7200 drums per hour. The snowmaking system covers an area 36 times larger than the MCG arena. What temperatures are suitable? A wet bulb temperature of -2C or below is generally needed for snowmaking. The wet bulb temperature is a combination of ambient air temperature and humidity. Snow can be made at higher ambient temperatures if the humidity is low. What is nucleation? Nucleation is the creation of small ice crystals to seed the bulk water droplets. Snowmaking machines are fitted with one or more nucleating nozzles that use compressed air to breakdown and freeze water particles into tiny ice crystals. The ice crystals act as a nucleator, which initiate the freezing process when introduced into the stream of water particles from the other nozzles. Other nucleators, such as Snomax, can be added to assist the freezing process. What is Snomax? Snowmax is a natural source of ice nucleating protein that induces the formation of snow crystals. These proteins are commonly present in bacteria found on plant surfaces. Scientists have identified and purified the bacteria that produces the proteins. Environmental studies show this protein breaks down within a month of being in the soil. Water requirements Our water storage reservoir is located next to our Snowflake Factory at the top of Baldy. This reservoir has a capacity of 70 million litres. The reservoir is filled from the Boggy Creek catchment area at a continual rate of 35 litres per second. Large quantities of water are required in the snowmaking process, for example to cover an area of 100 meters by 100 meters with 300mm of snow, you would need 3000 cubic meters of snow. This is 1.3 mega litres of water. With cold temperatures, the Mount Buller system can convert 720,000 litres of water to snow every hour. Snowgun alternatives - There are two basic methods for snowmaking in operation at ski areas worldwide. The older technology is using large compressors and air/water guns. This air/water technology is costly to install, very costly to operate and noisy. However the guns are small and compact, making them easier to move and easier to set up on steep slopes. The guns also work well on narrow trails and are less affected by wind or ice. The newer technology uses electric fan snowmakers. The worldwide trend is toward fan systems due to less capital cost, reduced operating costs and less noise. However the fans are much more difficult to move around and are affected by wind and ice particularly in exposed areas. Snowmaking quality - Machine-made snow is made wetter than fresh natural snow. Why? It last longer, holds up better, resists blowing away, grooms easier and is the most efficient to make. Wetter snow is more efficient because more snow can be made with the same amount of equipment, the same amount of horsepower and the same number of staff. Mt Buller's Snowmaking System - Snowmaking began on Mount Buller in the 1970s with a pilot system on Enzian Ski Run, which was later moved to Bourke Street. Our main snowmaking infrastructure was installed in 1994 at the Snowflake Factory on the top of Baldy. This included the water storage reservoir, air compressors, pump station and distribution pipelines for water and compressed air. The snowmaking system infrastructure and distribution pipelines were designed and built to accommodate future increases in capacity as coverage areas are increased. Mount Buller led the way in Australian snowmaking systems by installing a combination system of fan and air/water guns. The snowmaking system is based around a central high level water storage reservoir, pump station and central air compressor station. Large distribution pipelines deliver the water and compressed air to the various ski runs. Water and compressed air delivery hydrants are located down the edge of the runs where the snow guns are coupled using flexible snowmaking hoses. We currently have 223 snow gun connection hydrants around the mountain. We operate a total of 81 snowmaking guns - 57 fan guns and 58 air/water guns. The present coverage of snowmaking at Mt Buller includes: Bourke Street Baldy Skyline Magic Forest Chamois Snowtubing Park Spurs Beginner Area Burnt Hut Koflers Summit Howqua Howqua Extension Family Run The Chute Little Buller Spur Whiskey Creek Trail Wombat Shaky Knees Access trails - Total ski able area of snowmaking: Over 78 hectares - which is approximately 25% of our skiable terrain and marked trails! Weather Stations - There are three weather stations constantly monitoring the temperature and humidity at various locations around the mountain. This data is collected every 10 minutes and fed to a central storage computer situated in the snowmaking control room. The system can be set to call out the snowmakers as the temperatures drop. Effects of snowmaking - Snowmaking has done a lot to increase the reliability and standard of skiing at Mount Buller. Bourke Street was open for skiing for 107 days during the 2001 ski season. We estimate that without snowmaking Bourke Street would have been open for 27 days only. In 2010 we had a record snowmaking year and created approximately 212 Olympic Swimming pools of snow! The one thing not to forget about this snow season! Most people associate the beach with sunburn, but did you know the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays can be just as damaging at the snow? UV rays damage unprotected skin, causing premature ageing, sunburn, eye damage and skin damage, which can ultimately result in skin cancer. At the snow you can be exposed to a double dose of UV radiation, directly from the sun and reflected off of the snow. Whether you're a local or a visitor, don't be fooled by the snowy chill - UV levels are extreme and will damage unprotected skin. Avoid snow burn with a combination of these SunSmart steps: Slip on clothing that covers as much skin as possible - Slop on SPF30 or higher, broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen - Slap on a winter hat that protects your face, neck and ears - Seek shade Slide on goggles or sunglasses with protection (look for a tag marked with the Australian Standard AS:1067) Skiing all day? Slip a small sunscreen tube and SPF lip balm into your jacket pocket to top up your application every two hours. Pay extra attention to applying sunscreen to your chin, beneath the tip of your nose, behind your ears and your lips, as reflected UV will reach these spots! Why not hit the slopes first thing in the morning or late in the afternoon? You'll avoid lift queues, as well as peak UV times! For more information visit sunsmart.com.au.