Restaurants
Hotel High Plains
Hotel High Plains hosts the Cobungra Bar and Stones Throw Restaurant, both of which serve a delicious range of food for dine-in or take away. Known for their delicious wood-fired pizzas this place is definitely worth coming in for a meal or drink. A large selection of local wines and 6 different tap beers will keep you hydrated over a game of pool or darts, a romantic dinner, or family meal. Call 5159 6324 to make a booking.
Ramada Resort by Club Wyndham
Ramada offers a wide array of cuisine made from locally sourced ingredients. Open for Lunch and Dinner the menu changes often so you will always be able to find something delicious to try. The bar has a daily happy hour from 5-6 pm and many locals would recommend enjoying this around their recently renovated heated fire pit. Bookings for Dinner are essential so please call 5159 6500 to avoid missing out.
Dinner Plain Hotel
This iconic pub features a huge lounge, three spectacular open fireplaces, and a bar-bistro serving your pub favourites. A great venue for larger groups and families with the largest indoor seated capacity in the village. Call the pub on 5159 6462 to make a booking for lunch or dinner and if you're a fan of the mighty chicken parma, don't hesitate to order one!
Alphutte
Located on the roundabout this lovely little restaurant serves up something different every season. It usually serves a gourmet pizza and pasta menu but hosted a fantastic pop-up from the renowned Prahran restaurant Gitan. Locals and visitors alike are interested to know what's coming next at Alphutte!
The Stables Cafe @ DP Central
Located in the Onsen complex on the roundabout, this newly established cafe and store is a great stop for a quick coffee and breakfast wrap. Stop in for a chat, grab a bite or browse their selection of supermarket goods for those extra items you forgot to purchase.
The Hub Cafe
The Hub is a new social enterprise driven to foster social change in the village. Serving locally roasted coffee and beautiful bites this business has a mission to improve the health, social and mental wellbeing of the Dinner Plain & Mount Hotham Community. You'll find the Hub across the road from our office.
Cafe Play
Located in the building at the bottom of the Dinner Plain Ski Run, this licenced cafe serves great hot chocolate, a wide array of snacks and a small selection of beverages. It's a great place to sit while the kids play on the slopes.
Supermarkets
The Brandy Creek supermarket is open during winter and is located on Big Muster Drive. The Stables cafe also stocks a small selection all year round. At Mt Hotham a supermarket opens over winter in the White Crystal building as well as at the General Store in Mount Hotham, summer and winter phone 5759 3523.
Special Events
Sled Dog Challenge
Australia's original, and most prestigious Sled Dog race annually sees Sled Dog teams from across Australia competing for victory on the stunning tree-lined trails of Dinner Plain. More than 60 Mushers and in excess of 300 dogs flock to the village for several days of fun competition across several different classes. With many of our properties being dog-friendly you can even bring your best mate along to Dinner Plain. However, the event coordinators ask that for the weekend of the challenge, non-competing dogs are kept well away from competing dogs.
Pub to Pub
This Cross Country Skiing Race is over 20 years old. The famous 10km race from the General Store to Dinner Plain Hotel is an event for skiers of all ages and abilities, you'll find first-year skiers lin expanses of Paw Paw Plain, offering glimpses of Mount Tabletop and the Dargo High Plains. It drops to Mother Johnson Flat, and then past the old cattle yards of JB Plain before crossing several small creeks and springs as it heads to Dinner Plain. You can visit the pub to pub website for registration and more information.p with Australian ski champions. This popular and well-marked trail winds through a woodland of snow gums, with their gnarled, brilliantly-coloured trunks a vivid contrast to the white surrounds
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Getting to Dinner Plain
Getting to Dinner Plain is an adventure in itself. The Great Alpine Road in High Country Victoria stretches 303 km from Wangaratta to Bairnsdale, reaching 1,840m at Mount Hotham to set the record as Australia's highest road. It is one of the most spectacular roads in Australia, with views like nowhere else in the country. The journey along this road will take you through rolling river valleys, pristine bush, quaint towns and gourmet food regions, with the best bit of all climaxing with dizzying views of Mount Buffalo and Mount Feathertop as you spiral your way up Hotham. Unlike all the other major ski resorts, there is no resort entry fee in Dinner Plain.
By Car
From Melbourne - The fastest and most common way of driving to Dinner Plain is via the Hume Highway, exiting at Wangaratta to join the Great Alpine Road. It's also possible to exit at Glenrowan and continue on to Snow Road, which cuts through the Milawa Gourmet Region. But this is not the only way to get here. In winter when the snow is falling, the southern route via Bairnsdale and Omeo is generally safer, with less snow and ice on the road.
These two routes can be combined into a wonderful loop out of Melbourne that explores both the High Country and Gippsland.
From NSW - If you're coming down from the NSW border, the most direct route to Dinner Plain is to travel down the Hume Highway, exiting at Wodonga to drive south via Yackandandah and Bright.
Snow chains & antifreeze
With the snow comes fresh chilly temperatures, which means you'll need to take a few extra precautions. If your vehicle takes Diesel we recommend you use antifreeze and alpine diesel in your tank to make sure your car continues to run smoothly. And as the road can get snowy or icy, you will need to drive cautiously.
For your safety, snow chains must be carried at all times during the snow season and be fitted when directed at signposted chain fitting bays. Please note: it is law to carry chains in your car prior to ascending the mountain from either Omeo or Harrietville. You can hire chains at the base of the mountain at Hoys in Harrietville & Hoys Chains Omeo, Rays Ski Hire in Myrtleford and Billys Ski Hire and Service Station in Omeo and at various other ski and snowboard outlets. Below are some things to remember about chains.
- Have a test run at fitting the chains before you come up to the snow so that you feel comfortable putting them on your car.
- Ensure that you fit the chains on the driving wheels. Front wheels if it is a front wheel drive and the back wheels if it is a rear wheel drive.
- Use the chain fitting bays to put on and remove chains
- Note that you can be fined if you are not carrying chains or do not fit them when instructed.
- It is difficult to fit chains to cars that are covered in snow. If you did not require them on your trip up, you might like to fit them in your car park upon arrival as it will save you time on your trip home if chains are required. If not, just remove them before you leave.
- Do not drive faster than 40km/hour when you have chains fitted on your car.
Car Parking
Please park in designated areas at your accommodation. Fines will be issued for vehicles parked in no standing areas. If you have more cars than advertised spots at the property you will need to park additional cars at the overnight car park located at Scrubbers End. Permits for this can be obtained from our office free of charge.
Petrol Stations and Alpine Diesel
There are no petrol stations located in Mount Hotham or Dinner Plain so it is essential that you fill your car up before you start to come up the mountain. The last petrol stations before you come up are located at Bright and Omeo. If you have a diesel car it is very important that you have alpine grade diesel in your car. It has certain additives that stop the diesel from freezing. Most petrol stations located in the alpine area should have alpine diesel, but it is always a good idea to check before you start to fill up your tank.
Resort Entry
Dinner Plain is located outside the Mount Hotham Resort border. People who are visiting Dinner Plain do not need to buy resort entry unless they plan to visit Mount Hotham and park their car in the resort boundaries. Hotham visitors will be able to pre-purchase resort entry via internet or Smartphone access. Visitors to Hotham Alpine Resort without internet or smartphone access can purchase ticket-less resort entry over the phone, at off mountain providers including Hoys in Harrietville and Billies in Omeo or at the Resort Management Board Office in Hotham.
For more information follow this link to commonly asked questions.
To book your resort entry, click here.
Access by Public Transport
Busses connect Dinner Plain with Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney as well as train services in Wangaratta and Albury, as well as Albury and Melbourne airports.
Snowball Express - The Snowball Express, operated by Alpine Spirit Coaches connects Dinner Plain with Melbourne's Southern Cross Station via Melbourne airport, Myrtleford, Bright, Harrietville and Mount Hotham. It is the safest and most direct seasonal route bus service from Melbourne.
Snowballexpress.com.au 1300 656 546
Alpine Spirit Coaches also offers professional Coach Charter and Private Transfer services for schools, groups and individuals from any location including but not limited to Albury Airport, Hotham Airport and Melbourne Airports.
office@alpinespirit.com.au 03 5752 1333
Alps Bus Link - The Alps Bus Link by Dyson group operates between Omeo and Bright three days a week on Sundays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout both summer and winter months. It is an affordable transport option. The service also links up with V-Line train services operating from Wangaratta and Bairnsdale.
dysongroup.com.au/alps-link 5151 1711
