Lake Mountain

Lake Mountain is a 1433m mountain and cross-country ski resort that is located in Victoria, Australia; approximately from Melbourne. It is the most popular ski resort in Australia in visitor numbers due to its proximity to the populous city of Melbourne, mainly from casual visitors. Lake Mountain Alpine Resort is an Unincorporated area of Victoria surrounded by the Shire of Murrindindi.There is no lake at Lake Mountain, the area was named after George Lake, who was the Surveyor-General of the area including the mountain.Location and featuresThe Lake Mountain Alpine Resort is situated in a saddle between Lake Mountain and Echo Flat and provides access to a cumulative trail network through the surrounding Yarra Ranges National Park. It is an exclusively cross-country skiing resort, but the majority (80%) of the visitors to the resort throughout the year are a family demographic, with family groups being the main constituents. There are up to seven toboggan runs, though two main runs, which are open to the public. The first and most popular is directly adjacent to the Lake Mountain Alpine Resort Day Visitor Centre, while the second brachiates off of the first for a longer and somewhat steeper slope. Snowboarding is not permitted.The centre was opened on 12 June 2004 at a cost of 3.7 million along with the refurbishment and restructuring of two other buildings, a toilet block and visitor's locker room area, and the Ski Patroller's Centre, the main area for the coordination and first aid treatments employed by the Ski Patrollers. It has several other facilities, such as two fully equipped conference centres and a licensed café bar. The Heights Bar and Café remains open all year round, to accommodate bushwalkers and bike riders.