Part of Mount Buffalo Chalet will be used to help accommodate regional workers from as early as next year.
The Victorian government has confirmed it will help fund the Mount Buffalo Chalet Regional Worker Accommodation Project through round two of its Regional Worker Accommodation Fund.
Minister for Regional Development, Jaclyn Symes, said the project is part of the wider refurbishment of the heritage-listed Mt Buffalo Chalet by commercial operator Belgravia Group, which entered into a 40 year lease of the facility with Parks Victoria last year.
Minister Symes said Belgravia will build 38 bedrooms that can house up to 42 key workers in tourism, hospitality and agriculture in the alpine region.
Richard Thornton, chief executive officer of Belgravia Outdoor Education, said the project will see former staff quarters at the rear of the chalet converted into 38 new, predominantly self-contained single bedrooms.
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"We're looking at completion by July 1 next year," he told the Alpine Observer/Myrtleford Times.
"The accommodation will be completely separate to other parts of the chalet and have its own entrance.
"While we will use some rooms for our own staff, the majority will help accommodate wider staffing needs in the region.
"There is a big demand for staff accommodation in local tourism and agricultural industries, be it for seasonal things like the snow, fruit/grape season and the likes.
"Accommodation will be both short and long term....we would expect it to be fully utilised by the end of next year."
Mr Thornton said the project was yet another exciting step in breathing new life into the historic chalet, which had sat idle since 2006.
He said use of the chalet as a vibrant outdoor education centre for visiting groups had been progressing well this year, with North East and Melbourne schools using the facilities.
"We've had many school groups, with as many as 140 students, camping and staying in interim accommodation at the back of the chalet," Mr Thornton said.
"They've been making full use of everything on offer, including caving, abseiling, bushwalking and kayaking and canoeing on Lake Catani.
"We will have accommodation for schools in the chalet sometime next year."
Meanwhile, the wider public will get access to the chalet when the newly renovated cafe re-opens in late December.
"It will be open daily through the school holidays and summer," Mr Thornton said.
