Explore Bright

Bright ~ Victoria High Country

Bright is a popular tourist town on the banks of the Ovens River in the foothills of the Australian Alps. It is located 327 kilometres north-east of Melbourne, in the Victorian High Country.

Bright has lovely tree-lined streets, great local food and wine and lots of fun outdoor activities.

When we stayed in Bright, we explored the town centre and Ovens River and wandered along the Canyon Walk. We also visited Porepunkah, the Red Stag Deer Farm, Stony Creek Fish Farm and Harrietville.

Town Centre

The town centre of Bright stretches from the Great Alpine Road up to the war memorial tower at the roundabout in front of the Alpine Hotel, then continues south along the broad, tree-lined boulevard of Ireland Street.

Here you will find a great selection of cafes, restaurants and boutique shops, including homewares, clothing, jewellery, antiques, op shops, bookstores, outdoor and adventure gear and bike shops. There is even a Christmas Shop and a Fairy shop.

After exploring the town centre, we wandered down to the Bright Brewery.

The Bright Brewery is a fantastic family-owned brewery overlooking the Ovens River. It is open daily from 11.30 am and has a great range of locally brewed craft beers, a locally inspired brewpub menu, and a relaxed, family-friendly atmosphere.

Centenary Park

Centenary Park is a lovely park close to the town centre on the Ovens River. It has Picnic shelters, BBQs, toilets, playgrounds and a walking path along the river.

It is a popular spot for picnics, relaxing and swimming in the warmer months.

You will also find the Bright Splash Park here on the edge of Morses Creek. The Splash Park incorporates elements of the region's mining heritage and the natural environment.

Canyon Walk

We walked along the river from Centenary Park to Howitt Park, which has some lovely street art on the Sibley Sound Shell. There is also a great mural of a platypus under the bridge.

We then began the Canyon Walk along the Ovens River. The Canyon Walk is a relatively easy 3-kilometre circuit that meanders along the edge of the river, with interesting information boards about Bright’s Gold Mining History along the way.

There are two swinging bridges along the track with wonderful views over the Ovens River.

Porepunkah

Porepunkah is a lovely little village 6 kilometres north of Bright on the junction of the Buckland and Ovens Rivers.

We enjoyed wandering around the village centre, which has several cafes, the Punkah Pub and a lovely park along the river.

1.2 kilometres from the Porepunkah Town Centre along the Murray to Mountains rail trail is the Colour Bridge.

This stunning installation was designed by Skunkcontrol and features a fun walkway of colourful flowers and butterflies. It's amazing to see on a sunny day as the sun rays shine through the flowers.

Then we drove approximately 13 kilometres to the Red Stag Deer & Emu Farm.

Red Stag Deer & Emu Farm

The Red Stag Deer & Emu Farm is a 70-acre farm, and they are open daily from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. 

It also features a lovely restaurant, and we enjoyed a delicious Devonshire tea on the balcony with stunning alpine views in all directions. 

We then wandered around and saw the deer, emus, ostriches and other farm animals. You can also feed the animals, and there is a mini golf course.

Stony Creek Fish Farm

The Stony Creek Fish Farm is located at the base of Mount Feathertop, approximately 20 kilometres from Bright towards Harrietville.

They have a cafe and store stocking local produce, stunning gardens, and you can try your luck at catching a fish or two.

The Stony Creek Fish Farm is open Friday to Monday from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm. We enjoyed wandering around the beautiful gardens and had a lot of fun catching a couple of Brook trout for dinner. 

The fishing poles and bait are provided for free, and you pay per kilo for the fish you catch. They even clean and gut your fish for you.

Harrietville

Harrietville is a lovely little village at the base of Mount Hotham, approximately 24 kilometres from Bright.

Pioneer Park is located in the centre of town on the banks of the Ovens River, and it has historical displays commemorating the village's gold mining history.

Harrietville was established when gold was discovered in 1852. It soon became one of the region’s richest alluvial goldfields, attracting miners from across the world. Early prospectors panned the creeks by hand before larger dredging operations took over in later years.

During the height of the rush, the town thrived with hotels, stores, and a lively mining community. Today, Harrietville’s heritage buildings and remnants of its gold mining past still echo the prosperity of its golden beginnings.

Tavare Park is on the other side of the river and has a lovely gazebo, playground and picnic area. A swinging bridge crosses the Ovens River, making it easy to access both parks.

We then went to the Tronoh Dredge Hole, which is a popular spot for swimming, fishing and kayaking.

The Tronoh Dredge Hole

The Tronoh Dredge Hole was created during large-scale gold dredging operations between 1942 and 1954. At the time, the Tronoh dredge was the biggest in the Southern Hemisphere and extracted vast amounts of gravel and gold from the Ovens River flats.

When operations ceased, this site gradually filled with water, forming the deep lake seen today. There is also a lovely 1.4-kilometre walking track around the lake.