ALPINE AURORA - BULLER NIGHTS

Mt Buller launched a new “Alpine Aurora” light and sound experience on Saturday night.

The resort is continually adding to the lively après scene in the Mt Buller village with new experiences for guests to enjoy ‘after dark’ including free village DJs and musical entertainment, marshmallow toasting sessions around the village firepits and “Twilight sessions” that stretch the snow day late into the night with extended skiing and boarding on Bourke Street each Wednesday and Saturday in peak snow season.

Chief Operating Officer Mark Bennetts started work on the concept more than 5 years ago with a vision of using light and sound to enhance the experience in the village.  “We wanted to bring our lovely village square to life in a way that attracts more people to the resort and encourages day visitors to stay longer and our overnight visitors to venture out into the crisp night air to walk, eat and play”.

Mt Buller offers some of the best night-sky viewing conditions in Australia and is an ideal location to see the actual Aurora Australis when it’s visible.  The naming of the light installation “Alpine Aurora” was chosen by the community and references a connection to the night sky, “it’s a deferential nod to our star-gazing credentials and the front row seat to the galaxy we have up here” explains Bennetts.  The Astronomical Society of Victoria can vouch for the good viewing conditions in all seasons.

Winter Olympian and resort Ambassador Jacqui Cooper was delighted to gather with locals and guests in the village to launch the new display, “What a magical addition to our beautiful alpine village and I am thrilled to be here for this first “Alpine Aurora”.  It’s moments like this I love sharing with my children on the mountain.  Walking through the village at any time of night or day is special; these lights and soundscapes add another dimension to the evening experience” she said.

A suite of 8 lighting units are positioned around the village projecting from high on the Kooroora and Cattleman’s buildings into and across the Village Square playing across the whole zone creating dynamic layers of light and patterns in choreographed music ‘shows’ that run for 5-minute intervals in hourly slots each evening. In between these light and sound shows there are an eye catching array of shapes and colours then play on the snow, trees, sculptures and buildings.

The installation has been designed and implemented by an artist-led creative consultancy, Artbox, who are specialists in ‘placemaking’ and creating public art collaborations.  Artbox have applied their skills to the complexities of an alpine environment and have been working closely with resort management to create an experience tailored to Mt Buller, “Being high in the alpine does pose some distinct challenges however there are exciting aspects such as mist and snow that make the light shows even more magical in these settings,” said Executive Producer Leo Gester from Artbox.

“It's great to be pressing the button on this project and seeing this first phase of the project underway after years of planning. What is even more exciting is the potential to use this technology to share stories, create art, engage with guests and activate our village in limitless ways.  We see so many options to tailor the “Alpine Aurora” and include light and sound as part of our year-round calendar of events” said Mark Bennetts.

Visitors to Mt Buller can experience the Alpine Aurora in the village with shows on the hour from 6pm nightly during snow season from Saturday 15 July.