Mansfield is more than just winter sports.
It’s the perfect holiday spot for families, whatever the season. It’s renowned for its national parks, mountains, lakes and rivers. The Howqua and Delatite rivers outside Mansfield are popular with canoeists and white water rafters. Lake Eildon is a summer watersports haven. There are plenty of camping and hiking spots. This is nature at its most spectacular.
If you’re a ski enthusiast then you know Mansfield’s convenient proximity to some of Victoria’s best ski fields. But even if you’re not yet familiar with this charming town, you might be familiar with its history.
Located at the foothills of the spectacular Australian Alps, Mansfield Victoria was founded by cattlemen and the area has been home to generations of legendary horsemen. The nearby high country is where The Man from Snowy River was filmed, and many locals are still born and bred in the saddle. Mansfield is part of the Ned Kelly Trail. There’s a monument in the town square to the policemen killed by the infamous Kelly gang and Ned himself roamed the nearby Tolmie Hills.
Despite this hardened heritage, nowadays, you’re more likely to run into skiers and snowboarders than bushrangers and cattlemen. Mansfield is the gateway to the nearby slopes of Mt Buller and Mt Stirling. The region is a snow enthusiast’s paradise, with something for everyone, from Stirling’s cross country trails, to Buller’s kid-friendly Family Run and its adrenaline junkie’s slope, Fanny’s Finish.
Exploring the area is easy. Want to explore it on foot?
Choose one of the many bushwalking or hiking trails. Prefer the comfort of a car? Take a 4-wheel drive excursion.
Feel a little more adventurous? Tour the area on horseback or even on a camel. And if you prefer to view Australia’s most stunning alpine scenery from above, then you’re in luck, because the area is famous for its hot air balloon tours.
Keeping the kids entertained is a breeze
They can handfeed many of the animals at the Mansfield Zoo. Or you can try to lose them in the High Country Maze. The whole family will enjoy the local Armchair Cinema. And don’t forget to treat yourself and visit the local cellar doors. Mansfield produces some of Australia’s top-ranking wines.
Go ahead and visit Mansfield Victoria this winter. You’ll discover a town that offers so much more than just skiing.
Things to do in Mansfield Victoria
About Jane Tara
Jane is a travel writer, author, and the director of Itchee Feet, a publishing company that produces travel books for kids, and travel information for their parents. She has written for Sunday Telegraph/Sunday Magazine, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Telegraph, The Age and The Courier Mail, Marie Claire, New Woman, and Punto! She has over two-dozen children’s picture books published in Asia, and two novels published through Momentum Books. She has spent years travelling, and has lived in Tokyo, London, Vienna, New York, and various parts of Australia. She is currently based in Sydney, with her partner and their four sons.
