Coltish conferencing

A true outdoorsy experience awaits conference delegates in the Victorian Snowfields and High Country.

The appeal of the Snowfields and Victorian High Country in winter is easy to understand. That the summer months are also extremely popular for meetings and conferences won’t come as too much of a surprise when one considers the majesty and beauty of the area, as well as the isolation favoured by many corporate groups.

A centre for the region is Mansfield, which lies 185 kilometres from Melbourne. It is close to where Ned Kelly and his gang ambushed and killed a group of policemen in 1878. A little further on from Mansfield is Mount Buller, one of Victoria’s largest and most popular ski resorts, taking in part of the south-eastern section of the 646,000 hectare Alpine National Park.
In winter, skiers flock to the 80 kilometres of groomed trails, with cross-country skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing and ice-skating exceedingly popular. In warmer months, there’s hiking, horse riding, kayaking and whitewater rafting.

The Pinnacle Valley Resort has created quite a reputation for the quality and creativity of its conferencing, as well as its teambuilding, motivational and leadership programs. Mountain biking, abseiling, orienteering, bushwalking, golf and tennis are just some of the activities on offer.

>> Conference & meeting venues in Snowfields High Country, VIC

Passing through the Alpine National Park is the Great Alpine Road, extending some 300 kilometres from Bairnsdale in the Gippsland to Wangaratta in the north-east. It is Australia’s most accessible alpine road and is open throughout the year. This is The Man from Snowy River country, and the historic huts of the pioneering cattlemen can still be visited near Mount Buller and Bogong High Plains. The Mansfield Mountain Country Festival is just one of the local festivals that pay homage to this adventurous heritage.

The wine trails of the region highlight the cool-climate products, such as chardonnay, gewürztraminer, pinot noir, riesling, merlot and shiraz. Such a bounty is a prime reason for the area’s increasing popularity as a conference and meetings destination.