MT BULLER has closed the book on its 2026 snow season, with lifts turning for the final time on Sunday after 93 days of skiing and snowboarding. The September 6 closure came almost four weeks ahead of the resort’s traditional early October finish, capping a difficult winter across Australia’s alpine resorts. But Mt Buller turned its final day into a positive community occasion, combining the season farewell with Father’s Day and directing proceeds from all Sunday lift ticket sales to the Mansfield Men’s Shed. Adult day tickets were reduced to $99 and children’s passes to $55 for the final day, with families encouraged to bring Dad to the mountain for one last ski or snowboard before the lifts stopped for winter. Despite the early finish, Mt Buller recorded 93 days of lifted operations and delivered more skiing days than any other Victorian resort this season. Buller Ski Lifts general manager Noel Landry said while there was disappointment the season could not continue further into September, ending on Father’s Day provided an opportunity to finish on a high. “Although we wish the season could roll for a few more weeks, it’s special to give a nod to all dads on Father’s Day and end our season on a positive note that focuses on family and community – which is what Mt Buller is all about,” Mr Landry said. Mr Landry said he hoped Sunday’s fundraiser for the Mansfield Men’s Shed would mark the beginning of a stronger relationship between the organisation and Mt Buller. “The Mansfield Men’s Shed does great work to give men in our area a place to connect, to tinker and talk,” he said. “For 21 years they’ve helped our community in so many ways – repairing wobbly chairs, building nesting boxes, sharing skills and giving men a place to support one another. “I’d like this Father’s Day event to be the start of a growing connection between the Men’s Shed and Mt Buller.” Mt Buller was far from alone in calling an early end to winter. Falls Creek and Mt Hotham also wrapped up lifted operations on Sunday, while several other Australian resorts had already closed during August and early September following a season marked by unusually poor natural snow conditions. Mt Buller’s winter had begun promisingly, with a deep snowfall around the King’s Birthday opening weekend, but conditions later deteriorated across the alpine region. With the lifts now stopped for 2026, attention at Mt Buller will turn towards its green season, including mountain biking, walking, trail running, RockWire climbs and its summer events calendar. The early finish came at the end of a winter in which the weather statistics underline just how difficult conditions were across the Australian Alps. Despite a bumper season just last year, the Bureau of Meteorology confirmed Victoria experienced its warmest winter on record in 2026, with the state’s mean temperature 1.4 degrees above the 1961–1990 average. At Mt Buller, the figures were particularly telling. The resort recorded an average winter maximum of 4.0 degrees, 1.8 degrees above its long-term average and eclipsing the previous station record of 3.9 degrees set in 1999. Its average winter minimum of minus 0.2 degrees was also 1.9 degrees above average. And it was not simply a ‘dry’ winter. Mt Buller received 778.8mm of precipitation across the season – around 55 per cent above its winter average – highlighting the impact warmer conditions and rain events had on the ability to build and retain a natural snowpack. The Bureau said slow-moving high-pressure systems were a notable feature across south-eastern Australia during the unusually warm winter, while El Niño typically increases the likelihood of lower peak snow depths in the Australian alpine region. The broader snow picture across Australia was equally stark. Despite the conditions, Snow Resorts Australia chief executive Josh Elliott said investment in snowmaking and snow management had allowed skiing, snowboarding and snowplay to continue across Australian resorts.
