Mt Hotham development update

If you've driven past the Loch Car Park recently, you'll have noticed that work has started on breaking ground for the new Alpine Gateway development.

While we had anticipated delivering the carpark structure by winter 2021, some delays associated with the planning permit and an unusually wet summer has impacted this timeline. As such, the project car park and visitor facility will now be completed over summer 2021/22 and operational by winter 2022.

We're very excited about the fact that this work is now well under way and will provide a significant new visitor experience in the resort.

We're also very pleased that we have confirmation that we've successfully secured $2.5 million in Local Economic Recovery funding to develop our Snow Play and Activity Hub. More information on this to come! 

Road works over the summer period

Over summer 2020/2021 Regional Roads Victoria (RRV) will continue planned maintenance works on the Great Alpine Road. 

RRV anticipates final sealing work for eight sites between Harrietville and Hotham Heights will take place in February and take approximately four weeks to complete, weather permitting.

Road surface during heat

It’s not unusual for hot weather and increased tourist traffic to result in some bleeding of the road surface, where the surface becomes soft and sticky. 

Regional Roads Victoria will continue to monitor the situation over the summer period.  Should it be required, speed will be reduced and gritting will be undertaken at these sites.

These sites are separate to the planned maintenance work sites.

To report a road hazard call the RRV customer service centre on 133 RRV (133 778).

Coronavirus (COVID-19) information for visitors

When public health guidelines change, we always ensure our visitor website is updated to help guests plan their visits to Hotham.

Please share our information page with your guests and encourage them to follow our Facebook and Instagram pages.

Small Business Digital Adaptation Program

The Small Business Digital Adaptation Program allows eligible businesses to trial and then receive access to digital products, tools and training they can use to build digital capability in their day-to-day operations.

Businesses can start using a new product, like point-of-sale payment, or restore access to a lapsed product under this program. Upgrades to existing digital tools, like adding a shop to a current website, are also included.

Products currently available to businesses through this program include website, e-commerce, finance and digital business management tools.

Businesses will be able to register, and trial selected digital products from suppliers who have partnered with the Victorian Government, then choose one of these products to purchase.

Once businesses have purchased a product, they can apply for a rebate of $1,200 to access the product for 12 months.

The program also offers free digital adaptation training and workshops to help registered businesses adopt and implement online tools in their business.

Spaces for the Small Business Digital Adaptation Program are limited.

You must register to be eligible for the program and access digital product suppliers. Registrations will remain open until funds are exhausted or until 11.59pm on 28 February 2021, whichever is earlier.

We want your holiday events and activities!

With the Labor Day long weekend in early March followed not long after by Easter and the school holidays, we want to promote Hotham events and activities being run at Mt Hotham in advance of these popular periods.

We'll list them on the Hotham website and promote them to our social media audiences. We have over 32,000 likes and over 38,000 follwers on our Facebook account, and nearly 17,000 followers on our Instagram account, so your information will get wide coverage.

Please send information and suitable photos for your event/activity to media@mthotham.com.au so we can create a website listing and share it with our social media audience.

If you set up an event on your own Facebook page, please consider sending us a co-hosting request - when we accept, your event will automatically be shown to people following our page. A great way to get a bit more attention!

Do you have your Green Bin?

Don’t forget that our Living Bin Program operates throughout the year. So if you’re up here in summer remember to use your bench-top Green Bin to collect food waste (including meat, bones, bread, cheese etc) and deposit into garbage hutches along with your recycle and garbage bags.

By participating in this program, you're keeping compostable material out of our landfill and contributing to the compost that is used around the resort.

If you require a restock of your compostable bin liners or bins please contact us at info@mthotham.com.au

If you’re new to Hotham and haven’t been involved in the Living Bin Program or would like further information please contact our Environmental Officer at environmental@mthotham.com.au.

Working with Tourism Australia

With domestic travel restrictions lifting before international measures, there is a real opportunity to keep valuable tourism dollars in Australia, by showcasing the many wonderful things that exist in our own backyard.

Australians took 10 million overseas trips in 2019, spending $65 billion. Most of these trips were made for holiday purposes - 5.6 million trips, equivalent to $43.2 billion1 .

Whilst domestic tourism alone certainly cannot fill the vacuum of lost international business, more Australians travelling domestically has the potential to deliver billions of much-needed revenue to our industry.

In 2019, Australians spent more than $80 billion on overnight trips and more than $26 billion on day trips. Tourism Australia's consumer research shows that more than 40 per cent of Australians are keen to travel domestically once restrictions ease, which is why they’ve been using the lockdown period to encourage people to dream about their next domestic trip .

Tourism Australia will be increasing their marketing activity and be strongly encouraging Australians to get out and explore their own back yard.

Tourism Australia have put together an overview of key Tourism Australia resources and opportunities for Australian industry to assist them at this time in engaging with their work in the domestic market. Further information on the guide below can also be found on the Tourism Australia corporate site at www.tourism.australia.comwww.tourism.australia.com

Events

Sat 6 Mar: Run to the Hills returns! The General is once again hosting this 12-hour marathon of music and fun. Starts at 12 noon, runs to 12 midnight. 

Sun 7 Mar: Peaks Challenge. Watch the fittest humans in Victoria ride the tough 235km route through the alpine 'hills'.  

Sat 13 Mar:  Razorback Run. The classic Alpine trail run is back, with the introduction of Hell's Cauldron to The Anvil - 85km of invitation-only challenge.

13-14 Mar: Arrabri Advanced 4WD weekend. Spend a weekend with other 4WD enthusiasts and discover some of the best 4 wheel drive tracks Hotham has to offer.

27-28 Mar: Australian Grand Traverse. Walk from Falls Creek to Mt Hotham in a day, through the picturesque Alpine National Park.

Sat 17 Apr: Alpine Challenge. Take your pick of whatever distance and type of running you prefer, but don't miss out on this tough event.

24-25 Apr: Arrabri Advanced 4WD Weekend. Spend a weekend with other 4WD enthusiasts and discover some of the best 4 wheel drive tracks Hotham has to offer.