At Thursday night’s Ovens Murray Regional Partnerships Assembly in Wodonga, Regional Development Minister Jaala Pulford told the audience the government had “found a solution” for Mount Buffalo.

“A number of priorities were raised at last year’s Ovens Murray Regional Assembly,” she said.

“One of these was increasing the tourism offerings at Mount Buffalo.

“I am happy to say that we’ve now found a solution and I am looking forward to making a formal announcement soon.”

The Mount Buffalo Destination Advisory Group was formed in March 2016 to identify future tourism opportunities on the mountain.

In February the group formally presented its proposal which included glamping at Lake Catani, running school camps and re-purposing the majority of the chalet, starting with opening up a cafe in the building.

The group recommended a project manager be appointed to take the plans and costings further, so it’s likely the government’s announcement could be a commitment to funding such a position.

MBDAG member and Community Action for the Chalet chairman David Jacobson said the news was confirmed personally be Premier Daniel Andrews.

“I said to him congratulations in advance, I understand an announcement will be forthcoming and he confirmed it would, and he said he’d been hearing all about the project,” he said.

“I was holding the vision for Mount Buffalo documents in my hand and I asked if he’d seen it, and he said ‘No, but I’d like to’, and took that home with him.”

Browns Wangaratta was appointed to complete $2.8 million of restoration works at the chalet by the start of winter 2017.

Mr Jacobson said the works were ‘99 per cent complete’ and the rest would be done after winter.

“I looks like everybody is pulling together now and for the first time in the chalet’s history there will be co-ordination between a wide range of stakeholders,” he said.