THE Alpine community waits with bated breath to learn the future of hospitality in the famed Mt Buffalo Chalet, after the period for interested parties to lodge expressions of interest for cafe operations officially closed on April 15.

The tender, offered by Parks Victoria, was for a year–long operator to create an engaging and sustainable café operation in the front rooms of the chalet, which has laid dormant since to 2006/07 bushfires ravaged the region.

After works were undertaking to restore the historic building to its former glory, Parks Victoria initially called for expressions of interest in November of 2020, but due to complications around COVID–19's impact on the hospitality industry, received no applications.

While the period to lodge expressions of interest has expired, Parks Victoria said it will be weeks before the next steps needed to breathe life back into a building which means so much to the alpine area can be determined.