Melbourne to the snow: drives to Buller, Falls Creek and Baw Baw
Mt Buller is about 3 hours and 248 km from Melbourne via Mansfield, Mt Baw Baw and Lake Mountain are the closest at roughly 2 to 3 hours, and Falls Creek and Hotham are about 4.5 hours each way. In the declared snow season every vehicle needs a resort entry pass and must carry chains, so the day-trip mistake is arriving without either.
Updated
Key facts
- Melbourne to Mt Buller
- About 3 hours and 248 km via Mansfield
- Drive times from Melbourne
- Lake Mountain 120 km, 2 hrs 10; Mt Baw Baw 175 km, 2 hrs 45; Mt Buller and Mt Stirling 240 km, 3 hrs 15; Hotham and Falls Creek 375 km, about 4.5 hours
- Resort entry
- During the declared snow season all vehicles entering Mt Buller or Mt Stirling pay a Resort Entry fee; drivers print a dashboard pass bought in advance
- Mt Buller 2026 season permit
- $635 online, $810 in person for a vehicle season permit covering Mt Buller and Mt Stirling car parks only (no access to Mt Buller Village); $959 for the All Resorts permit
- Day parking
- Mt Buller recommends pre-purchasing parking online in case it sells out; free carpark shuttle buses link the 11 parking areas to the village
- Chains
- All vehicles, including AWD and 4WD, must carry diamond-pattern chains at Buller, Stirling, Hotham, Falls Creek and Baw Baw from 6 June to 6 September 2026
- Falls Creek entry
- All vehicles entering Falls Creek in winter need a Resort Entry pass for their stay; buy it online before arriving
- Summer
- In summer you can drive all the way up to Mt Buller village without charge and park free throughout the resort
Melbourne to Mt Buller
248 km via Mansfield (Visit Victoria lists 240 km) · About 3 hours (Visit Victoria lists 3 hours 15)
Yarra Valley, Yea and Yarck
The stops Mt Buller suggests on the way to Mansfield.
Mansfield
The last town on the way up; Buller Sports Mansfield and Pullins hire chains, and none can be hired once you are on the mountain.
Merrijig and Mirimbah
Merrijig Motor Inn and Mirimbah Store also hire chains; chains must be collected before the Mirimbah Entry Gate.
Mirimbah Entry Gate
Where the Resort Entry dashboard pass is checked; you can also park here and take the Village Express to the village.
- Mt Buller
How long is the drive from Melbourne to Mt Buller?
Mt Buller describes itself as about 3 hours and 248 km from Melbourne via Mansfield, with the last stretch up the mountain from the Mirimbah Entry Gate. Visit Victoria's snow guide is slightly more cautious at 240 km and 3 hours 15 minutes. Allow more in winter, because chain fitting and queueing at the gate add time.
A same-day return is realistic if you leave early, but it is roughly six and a half hours of driving plus your time on the snow. Visit Victoria advises travelling in daylight where possible because it is hard to judge distances in the snow at night.
Which snow resort is best for a day trip from Melbourne?
By Visit Victoria's figures, Lake Mountain (120 km, 2 hrs 10) and Mt Baw Baw (175 km, 2 hrs 45) are the two that suit day trips. Mt Buller and Mt Stirling are 240 km and 3 hrs 15, and Hotham and Falls Creek are 375 km and about 4.5 hours, which makes them an overnight stay rather than a day.
Mt Baw Baw says it is just 2.5 hours from Melbourne. Falls Creek gives 4.5 hours from Melbourne and under 2 hours from Albury-Wodonga, and reaches the resort through Mount Beauty and the Kiewa Valley, with an alternative over Tawonga Gap from Bright that takes just over an hour.
Mt Buller entry fee and car pass: what do you need?
During the declared snow season every vehicle entering Mt Buller or Mt Stirling pays a Resort Entry fee, and drivers need a Resort Entry dashboard pass printed and displayed on the windscreen. You can buy it online beforehand for express entry, or get it printed at the staff booths at the Mirimbah Entry Gate. If you leave the mountain in your vehicle, you need a new day pass to return the next day.
For a day trip, day parking is separate: Mt Buller recommends pre-purchasing to secure a place in case it sells out. There are eleven parking areas, from 1 km below the village to the Mirimbah gate, with a free Day Carpark Shuttle to the village. Mt Buller uses licence plate recognition, so the registration you enter should be correct. If you do not know the registration of your hire car yet, you can buy on arrival: stop at the Mirimbah Gate and the entry team will record it and print your pass.
The 2026 vehicle season permit was $635 online or $810 in person, but it covers car parks only, with no access to the village. An All Resorts permit covering Buller, Stirling, Hotham, Falls Creek, Baw Baw and Lake Mountain was $959.
Falls Creek, Hotham and Baw Baw: entry and chains
Falls Creek requires a Resort Entry pass for every vehicle in winter, for the duration of your stay, and recommends buying it online before you arrive. Its transport page says carrying chains is mandatory in winter and points to a chain hire shop in Myrtleford before you go up the mountain.
Alpine Resorts Victoria says all vehicles entering an alpine resort in the declared snow season must hold a valid permit, purchased through each resort's own website, and Mt Baw Baw says vehicles must carry chains in the declared snow season. Lake Mountain is decided daily, so check before leaving Melbourne.
Hire car for a day at the snow: what to check before you drive up
Collect the car at Melbourne Airport or in the city, and read the alpine clause before you commit. For example, Hertz Australia does not supply chains, and Avis limits driving above the Bright snow line between June and September to approved vehicles with Snow Cover and appropriate equipment. The chain and rental rules are on our snow chains page.
Chain size matters: chains must fit your car's tyres, and Mt Buller says its hire shops cannot take online bookings because of demand for different sizes, so phone from Mansfield or earlier. Before you leave, fill the tank, since Visit Victoria advises filling up before the mountain drive in case weather delays make you run the engine.
Compare cars at Melbourne Airport
Prices are shown in Australian dollars. Check the pickup point and what the agreement allows on the roads in this guide before you book.
Preparing live car hire search
Questions people ask
How long does it take to drive from Melbourne to Mt Buller?
About 3 hours, roughly 240 to 250 km via Mansfield.
Do you have to pay to drive up to Mt Buller?
Yes during the declared snow season. All vehicles pay a Resort Entry fee and display a dashboard pass. In summer you can drive up without charge.
How much is a Mt Buller vehicle season permit?
For 2026 it was $635 online and $810 in person, for car parks only with no village access. The All Resorts permit was $959.
How long is the drive from Melbourne to Falls Creek?
About 4.5 hours from Melbourne, and under 2 hours from Albury-Wodonga.
Which snow is best for a day trip from Melbourne?
Lake Mountain (120 km, 2 hrs 10) and Mt Baw Baw (175 km, 2 hrs 45) are the closest by Visit Victoria's figures. Mt Buller is 3 hours or more each way.
Do I need chains for a day trip to Mt Buller?
Yes. All vehicles including AWD and 4WD must carry diamond-pattern chains in the declared snow season, and you fit them when directed. Hire them in Mansfield or at Merrijig or Mirimbah, because they cannot be hired on the mountain.