Muddy chair lift picture at Mt Buller sparks debate about skiing in Australia

This picture at one of Australia’s most popular ski resorts has sparked a massive debate when it comes to skiing Down Under.

A “grim” picture at popular Australian ski resort Mt Buller has sparked a debate about expectations when skiing Down Under.

There has been plenty of complaints about the snow across NSW and Victoria’s ski resorts this year, but one photo of a small group of skiers and snowboarders waiting at the bottom of a muddy chair lift at Mt Buller particularly captured snow fans’ attentions this week.

“To anyone whinging about Perisher and its conditions … take a look at Mt Buller,” the caption read on the picture posted to a Snowy Mountains Facebook group.

Perisher in NSW is Australia’s largest ski resort and Mt Buller is the most popular ski resort in Victoria as it is just three hours from Melbourne.

Mount Buller’s Wombat chair lift. Picture: Facebook / Kylie Ashdown

Thousands of people flooded the comments.

Some expressed their shock and described the scene as “grim” and “rough”. Kiwis encouraged Aussies to head across the ditch instead. And skiers who had been to Mt Buller themselves ensured the runs were good despite the bottom of the chair lift pictured having no snow.

Some declared ski resorts in Australia a “rip off” given the snow cover, and others demanded those people stop complaining, suggesting it was just the reality of our climate.

“I have seen it worse than this. Clearly a lot of you people [are] newbies. Welcome to skiing. Every so often you get bad years,” one person wrote.

“No more whinging. Just go and ride whether it’s snow, grass or a mixture of both, before the season ends. When it ends there will be no snow at all,” said another.

One person said: “There’s no way known I’m paying $200 for the level of snow we have”. And others indicated the photo put them off going too.

A TikTok with more than 700,000 views showed a similar scene at the same chair lift, Wombat.

People over on that social media platform highlighted the expense of a snow trip and some proudly declared they “didn’t even bother” or “ditched” this season.

“And it will still be $1000 for a weekend” one person wrote, while another said “thanks for saving me over $1000”.

@maddy.craim

i love a bit of grass turf #skiing#ski#mountbuller#australia#snow

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Again, snowgoers fed up with the complaints defended the ski resort.

“All these [people] complaining, it’s only like that at end of the run. The whole run is fine apart from this bit,” wrote one person.

“The rest of the run is still ace, it’s just the last 50 metres or so that has no cover,” another agreed.

A weekend ski lift pass at Mt Buller for an adult in August is $214 or $198 if you book at least a day in advance, but the cost of a snow trip can add up quickly with transport, accommodation and equipment rentals.

The team at Mt Buller is aware snowfall in Victoria can be unpredictable and therefore makes its own to help the season along.

“Although mother nature can deliver variable amounts of snow, we have continually invested in our snow-making systems over the past few decades to sure up the snow cover, and will continue to do so,” Mt Buller’s David Clark told news.com.au.

“This has meant an increase in the average number of days skiable per season. In fact we can now offer a snow guarantee – a money-back guarantee on all prepaid accommodation, lift passes, ski hire and lessons if there’s insufficient snow cover.

“We’re also transparent and honest with conditions. Guests can check the snow cams (looking good this morning), as well as the snow report with verified conditions provided by Ski Patrol every morning.”

@curvatours

Skiing in Australia 12/8/23. It's impressive the great lengths the mountain crew go to ensure we have some decent skiing! They are the real MVPs. Thankfully it has started snowing again!! #skiboots#skigear#skiing#plussizeskier#australianskier

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Mt Buller’s snow guarantee policy applies when specific lifts are not operating due to “insufficient snow cover”.

Mr Clark said the resort would continue to welcome guests until the last day of the season on October 1 and expected a busy September school holidays, which he said was the “perfect time” for newbies to learn to ski.

Australians’ desire for a skiing getaway is as strong as ever despite complaints about snow cover and comical videos of patchy slopes emerging on social media.

Across the Victorian alps, alone, some 562,124 people have visited the ski fields so far this season, with Mt Buller the busiest of them all, according to Alpine Resorts Victoria’s official visitor count.

This time last year, 689,346 people had trekked to the state’s six ski fields.

In good news for the resorts and Aussie skiers, meteorologists forecast a cold front could bring “significant snowfall” this weekend.

“Good news for ski fields from Hotham to Perisher to Thredbo whose slopes are looking a little bit bare recently,” Sky News meteorologist Bradlyn Oakes said.