Vail has had a long-standing sister city relationship with the Mansfield Shire (County) in Australia. The Mt. Buller Ski Area is located in the Mansfield Shire. A private company, Buller Ski Lifts, owns the ski area. The Mt. Buller Alpine Resort Management Board manages the resort.

The Vail Valley Exchange has nurtured this relationship. It began as a ski-corporation-to-ski-corporation relationship. In the past, VVEx has coordinated the Shires' desire to train its citizens in the Town of Vail, Vail Resorts, Town of Avon and Eagle County, and so played a role in bringing employees to the community in the mid to late 1990’s. The main part of that program that still exists is for the bus drivers, which is coordinated in full by the Town of Vail. In 1998, a delegation from the above-mentioned entities visited the Mansfield Shire. Currently the VVEx coordinates the high school exchange for the Town of Vail and its Vail Youth Ambassador Program. For more information, please see: http://www.vailgov.com/default.asp

From the Australian perspective, creating employment and relevant training for young people is the greatest challenge confronting their regional communities in Australia. Mansfield Shire established a close working relationship with Mt Buller Lift Company and VVEx to identify significant seasonal employment opportunities during the northern hemisphere ski season. Due to the reverse hemisphere seasons, this unique and innovative program is addressing work force shortage issues in Vail and the surrounding area, while establishing a more professional work force for the expanding tourism and hospitality industry in Victoria, Australia. An integral element of the program has been the establishment of a formal sister city relationship, which has enabled the VVEx, with the aid of Vail Resort Company, to secure the relevant employment and training Visas. During the 1998-99 Ski season, 88 young people from Australia were able to experience the internationally renowned Vail Valley.

To learn more about this program please see: http://www.mansfield.vic.gov.au/

The VVEx board currently consists of Merv Lapin, Kim Newbury, Cory Swisher, Doug Wooldridge and Scott O’Connell, who is the president. Chip Domke is the Executive Director.