See, do & eat
Bright is at the centre of Victoria’s Alpine Shire, nestled between Mount Buffalo and Mount Beauty. Its four distinct seasons open it up to a wide variety of outdoor activities throughout the year. And with that, you’re guaranteed a great time, night and day. Regional Victorian towns also offer some of the best local produce around and the Alpine Shire is no exception.
Never been to Bright before, or has it been a while? Here are a few of the best things to see, do and eat while you’re here.
1. The autumn leaves drift by my window…
Bright’s iconic European trees in the township and surrounds are famous nation-wide for putting on a spectacular display of colour as the seasons change to the cooler months.
The Bright Autumn Festival has been running since 1962, and runs from around late April every year. Specific dates for each year can be found at the autumn festival’s website here. As one of the longest-running continuous festivals in Australia, demand for attendance is high, so it is advised that you book well in advance.
2. Climb every mountain
Bright is a great place to base yourself if you’re into doing a bit of everything, in town and in surrounding areas.
If you’re the outdoor type, a big choice of hiking and sightseeing options are available in every direction — Mount Hotham, 55 minutes’ drive to the south, Mount Beauty, 30 minutes’ drive to the east and Mount Buffalo, 50 minutes’ drive to the east.
- Mount Hotham — a skier’s delight in winter with amazing alpine views. Whether skiing down the slopes or traversing the cross-country trails in winter, or exploring these trails on foot or bike during other seasons, it is well worth a day trip.
- Mount Beauty — again, for skiers, a stop-off town for hiring gear to take to Falls Creek. But for those with other interests, Mount Beauty offers a beautiful setting, cafes restaurants and more; it’s another great day trip.
- Mount Buffalo – Speaking of views, Mount Buffalo is an easy 45 minutes’ drive from Bright. There is even a lake! For the energetic, you can park at the base and hike your way up to ‘Bents Lookout’ or ‘The Horn’, then grab a snack at the Mount Buffalo Chalet to prepare you for your trek down.
3. Splish splash
Opened in 2014, the Bright Splash Park offers great fun in the warmer months for the kids. Located in Centenary Park, adjacent to Morses Creek, this park entertains kids (and big kids, let’s be honest) of all ages. And the best thing? It’s absolutely free-of-charge fun!
4. Food, glorious food
Many regional Victorian towns are known for their culinary attractions. And Bright is no exception.
Morning time (or anytime if we are honest)
Coffee, coffee everywhere – and it is! There are heaps of great coffee shops in Bright, but of course we have a few faves. You’ll find your own too, but here are two of our favourites:
Food Wine Friends at the top of Ireland Street is always our go-to for our ‘quick shot stop’ and the closest to Red Tank Road. The vibe and the staff match the yumminess of the coffee.
For a home-grown retro feel, Coral Lee Café in Barnard Street is another great place for a great brew, while you listen to some great vinyl classics.
That said, it hardly feels fair to have favourites — Bright has so many fantastic cafés, and there are plenty more well worth discovering, including:
Lunch time
For those famous Aussie staples, whether savoury or sweet, you can’t go past Gumtree Pies: all manner of savoury flavours of pie, bought hot for immediate enjoyment or in cold packs for cookin’ up ‘back at the house’. And if you want to step back in time to when a salad roll was made painstakingly slowly, with love, and every element was fresh and carefully curated on a soft sesame seed bun, then Morse’s Creek Bakery is the place to be. And there is more, of course:
Evening time
Bright has an abundance of eateries within walking distance of each other – everything from casual fish and chips, authentic international fare and locally-focused Australian fusions. It is hard to pick a favourite so here are some we thoroughly enjoy frequenting:
For an evening swill, or just a respectable tipple, Bright brings you everything from the local Australian experience you expect to excellent bars and pubs:
5. Art for art’s sake
Book Accommodation
Luxury accommodation at beautiful Bright
Within the surrounding alpine peaks, river valleys, and high plains of this region are the boundaries where the traditional lands of the Dhudhuroa, Taungurung, Waywurru, Gunaikurnai, and Jaithmathang peoples meet. We acknowledge these First Peoples as the original storytellers and Traditional Custodians of the Alpine Shire and pay our respects to Elders past, present, and emerging.
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