Mount Buffalo and surrounds activation
Mount Buffalo National Park is an iconic and beloved place in north eastern Victoria. It is a magnificent destination for visitors from near and far. Its crisp fresh air, giant tors, deep gorges, tumbling waterfalls, Snow Gum woodlands and masses of summer wildflowers provide something for everyone to enjoy.
The Victorian Government is continuing to invest in a range of infrastructure improvements to strengthen Mount Buffalo National Park and the surrounding area as a key tourism drawcard, proving a year-round attraction for north eastern Victoria.
Mount Buffalo Chalet
The iconic Mount Buffalo Chalet is the largest timber building in Australia, and is included on both the Victorian Heritage Register and the National Heritage List. The Victorian Government is committed to conserving significant heritage place, such as the Mount Buffalo Chalet.
We have partnered with the Belgravia Outdoor Education (BOE) to reactivate the nationally significant heritage site. Belgravia signed a 40-year lease in 2025 to operate programs and services from the Mount Buffalo Chalet. This includes school outdoor education camps, re-activation of a café as well as a heritage hotel offering. The reopening has strengthened Mount Buffalo National Park and the surrounding area as a tourism drawcard, providing a year-round attraction for North East Victoria.
The activation of the Chalet will happen in stages. School outdoor education camps began in February 2025. The next stage is the reopening of the Mount Buffalo Chalet café to the public on Thursday 24 September. It will be open from 10am to 4pm daily during Victorian school holidays and on weekends.
Work is also underway inside the chalet to create a 38-bedroom accommodation offer for key workers, supported through the Victorian Government’s Regional Worker Accommodation Fund.
Chalet annual maintenance program
Each year, we allocate annual funding to the upkeep and ongoing maintenance of the building and the surrounding gardens.
Between 2026 to 2027 we have committed additional funding for the fitout of the kitchen facilities.
Between 2015 to 2018, the Victorian Government invested additional $2.8 million to conserve and protect the Chalet front façade and foundations.
Chalet Commonwealth funding
The Commonwealth Government announced a $61.7 million investment in Australia’s environment, jobs and tourism. As part of this package, Parks Victoria received a $3 million grant for conservation works to the historic Mount Buffalo Chalet.
The conservation works were completed in May 2025, helping to protect the 114-year-old building. The works involved repairs to the timber facade including painting and works to several windows. The replacement of some timber stumps and improvements to water drainage around the buildings was also undertaken.