Operators of Mt Buffalo Chalet have resumed building work this week on their cafe, but concede it may not be ready to open to the public until late summer.

Mt Buffalo National Park's partial re-opening last week after its closure since 26 August for the manhunt of fugitive Dezi Freeman allowed chalet operator Belgravia Group to get back on site with contractors, with works recommencing on Monday this week.

"We're cracking on immediately with the cafe works but we're eight to 10 weeks behind," Richard Thornton, chief executive officer of Belgravia Outdoor Education, told the Myrtleford Times/Alpine Observer.

Before the park closure the cafe was scheduled to open daily from December, helping get day visitors back inside the chalet as part of its rebirth after sitting idle since 2006.

"We're really pushing to get the cafe opened in the January holidays, we'd love to be open then, but it may be a big ask," Mr Thornton said.

Refurbishment works on the chalet to help accommodate regional workers from as early as next year are also to commence shortly.

"We're trying to get that back on track...it has a longer time frame and we hope we can speed it up," Mr Thornton said.

The Victorian government is helping bankroll the Mount Buffalo Chalet Regional Worker Accommodation Project as part of the wider refurbishment of the heritage-listed Mt Buffalo Chalet by Belgravia Group, which entered into a 40 year lease of the facility with Parks Victoria last year.

Belgravia will convert former staff quarters at the rear of the chalet into 38 new, predominantly self-contained single bedrooms that can house up to 42 key workers in tourism, hospitality and agriculture in the alpine region.

The project could be completed by July.

Mr Thornton said while being eight to 10 weeks behind on chalet works was disappointing, they were focused on getting on with the job and having people back as soon as possible, which includes school groups using the chalet and its surrounds as a vibrant outdoor education centre.

"The park's closure happened during our quietest time for school visits and we had no one booked in so there were no cancellations," he said.

"We've got several school groups coming before Christmas and we're looking forward to it."

The groups are camping and staying in interim accommodation at the back of the chalet, and enjoying activities such as caving, abseiling, bushwalking and kayaking and canoeing on Lake Catani.

Accommodation for schools in the chalet is expected sometime next year.