Mount Buller - Culture and History

The mountain was named in 1835 by Thomas Mitchell after an official in the colonial office. The first Europeans to visit the area on a regular basis were the cowherds who drove the graziers' cattle up from the valleys to the high plains in the summertime. The Hearns, for example, took up land near what is now Merrijig in 1862, grazing their cattle on Clear Hills. Another pastoral family, the Klingsporns, did much to open up the area by developing the road from Mansfield to Mt Buller. The first ski-lift went into service in 1949.

The Great Mountain Race of Victoria happens on November 1 and the inaugural Mt Buller Summer Open Day was held on November 2, 1998.For those with a 4WD, there are twelve 4WD weekends running from November to May. The Yulefest winter celebration runs from the start of the ski season on June 5 until June 27, the Christmas Week Celebrations in early August and the Spring Festival runs throughout September. A Thanksgiving Carnival is held in early October and there are innumerable skiing championships in the winter.