'''Mount Hotham''' is a ski resort in the High Country of Victoria, Australia.

Get in

By plane

Mount Hotham has an airfield that used to be served by Qantas but as of 2008 there are no commercial flights at all. You will need to charter a plane to fly to Hotham. The closest airport with commercial flights is Albury.

By car

From Melbourne either:

  • take the Hume Highway to Wangaratta and then the Great Alpine Road through Harrietville, taking about 4.5 hours; or
  • take the Princes Highway to Bairnsdale and turn onto the Great Alpine Road via Omeo and Dinner Plain, taking about 5.5 hours.
  • From Sydney take the Hume Highway to Albury-Wodonga, and follow the signs to Yackandandah and turn off to Myrtleford. At Myrtleford turn off onto the Great Alpine Road through to Harrietville and Mount Hotham. This is about 8.5 hours' driving.

    From Queensland take the Newell Highway to Cobram, then onto Wangaratta and the Great Alpine Road as per the route from Melbourne.

    In all cases, cars must carry fitting '''snow chains''' when travelling on the Great Alpine Road between Harrietville and Omeo between June 1 and October 10 every year. You must be able to fit them when the signs indicate: there are numerous chain fitting bays located on the road. Chains are available for hire in Harrietville and Omeo.

    '''Parking fees''' at Hotham are substantial: $28 per day (multiple entries are allowed), paid in cash at the gate at either end of the resort. You will be given a permit to stick on the inside of your windscreen. Parking is free until midnight if your first entry of the day is after 3pm, but you still need to stop at the gate and get an evening parking sticker. Parking inspections are frequent before 3pm and after midnight when the free evening parking passes run out. If you are just driving in to drop someone off you do not need to pay a parking fee but you must pay a '''drop-off fee''' of $10 per person. If you're just driving through without stopping, let them know, because no fee applies.

    Drivers who don't wish to drive in the snow can park in the security car parking at [http://www.hoysskis.com.au/ Hoys Skis] in Harrietville for $10 a day (cheaper for longer stays) and catch a bus to Mount Hotham.

    By bus

    The [https://www.snowballexpress.com.au/ Snowball Express] (tel 1300 65 65 46, fax ''+61'' 3 9372 0689, email reservations@snowballexpress.com.au) service runs services to Mt Hotham from Melbourne, Myrtleford, Bright and Harrietville.

    Christian's Bus Company has buses to and from Albury airport on Fridays and Sundays during the snow season from June 27 - September 14 in 2008. They depart the airport at 10am, 1:45pm and 5pm and return 8:30am, 12:30pm and 4pm. Call Hotham Holidays on 1800 468 426 to book.

    Hoys Mount Hotham (tel ''+61'' 3 5759 3017) operate a bus from Dinner Plain several times a day, no bookings necessary ([http://www.hotham.com.au/files/186_DP-HothamBusTimetable.pdf timetable]). Return trips are $14 for adults and free for children under 15. The ticket includes the drop-off fee at Mount Hotham.

    O'Connell's Ome Bus Services offer charter services from Omeo to Mount Hotham. They have many years of safe driving in alpine areas. Contact them at [http://www.omeobus.com.au] or 0428591377

    By train

    The nearest train station is in Wangaratta, on the main Sydney to Melbourne line. Travellers would then need to transfer to a bus to Bright and a second bus to Mount Hotham.

    Get around

    The Great Alpine Road runs through the middle of the resort (in fact, there's a point on the Sun Run where you can ski over a road bridge). Most runs or lifts to them leave at an easily accessed point on the road. However, parking near the center of the resort is difficult to get, and you may need to park at the edges and catch the free bus to the run of your choice. Be careful of '''pedestrians''': people catching the bus up and down the resort frequently have to cross the road on foot with armfuls of gear, and there are no marked crossings. The usual practice is to give way to any pedestrians.

    The '''village bus service''' is operated by a set of clunky old school buses with big SNOW BUS labels. This free bus service drives up and down the length of the Great Alpine Road inside the resort. Catch it at any of the "Village Bus" bus stop signs which are located near most carparks and major lifts and run end-points on the road. It arrives every 5-10 minutes. Skis must be stored in the holders on the outside of the bus, but snowboards are carried on board. Be careful when waiting for the bus, particularly if waiting on the side of the road that has a drop-off. There are no fences or safety rails protecting you from walking off the edge, although obviously the bus doesn't park right next to it it also doesn't stop far away from it.

    See

    Do

  • '''Ski''' or '''snowboard'''. 2008 season lift passes cost from $94 for 1 day ($47 for children) to $559 for 7 days ($280 for children). Season passes are available, as are combined lift and hire prices.
  • '''Learn to ski or snowboard'''.
  • Buy

    No '''petrol''' or other vehicle fuel is available at Mt Hotham, or in the alpine area at all. You will need to travel down to Harrietville or Omeo for fuel.

    Eat

    The General Store offers delicious and affordable pizza with the best views and is open year round

    Drink

    The two main (and competing) drinking holes are '''Swindlers''' at Hotham Central and '''The General''' (The Jenny) close to Big D. Swindlers seems to attract the younger, fashion-concious crowd while The Jenny is more down to earth. Both stay open late and often put on live music and DJs. Both get suitably messy as the night wears on with mountain staff trying to relieve the cabin fever.

    Other places to go include '''The Snowbird Inn''' and '''Zirky's''' both of which are located within the village.

    Sleep

    Stay healthy

    Medical facilities are provided by:

  • Mt Hotham Medical Centre. reat Alpine Road. t the Hotham Central carpark opposite Hoys and the Transit Centre. 61-3-5759-3551. The Mt Hotham Medical Centre specialises in treating skiing and boarding injuries, although it provides a general practice service. The Mt Hotham Medical Centre is expensive because unlike public hospitals it receives very limited Government subsidy—it does not bulk bill for Australian Medicare card holders. The nearest public medical services are at the