More than a dozen motorists and two hikers were rescued from the alpine region of Victoria during a precarious start to the snow season. The motorists were stranded near Mount Hotham while 50cm of snow fell around the Blue Rag Range Track near Dargo High Plains Road. Some vehicles were trapped with the occupants sheltering in their cars, and at least one person suffered minor injuries. Emergency services, including members of the Wangaratta Ski Club and the Country Fire Association, used snowmobiles to assist with the rescue. In New South Wales, two bushwalkers had to be evacuated near Mount Kosciuszko as snow fell across Australia.
Roads were closed across the Victorian Alps, and emergency services were on high alert. Local authorities had recommended that motorists avoid the roads due to the heavy snow forecast, yet it’s understood that not all gates were closed until after the weekend. The local Alpine Shire council had stated that all vehicles should carry chains during the snow season. Police in 2024 had turned back nearly 1,500 vehicles from the Mount Hotham area for failing to carry mandated wheel chains.
The Victorian and NSW snowfields saw significant snowfall, with Hotham Alpine Ski resort reporting 12cm of snow in 24 hours and predictions of 10-20cm more on Monday. Despite these chaotic conditions, all visitors were reported to have been rescued successfully.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jun/09/thirteen-people-trapped-in-cars-overnight-and-hikers-rescued-as-heavy-snow-falls-across-victorian-and-nsw-alps
