This historic town in Victoria’s high country might just take out the prize for Australia’s prettiest town, thinks Craig Tansley, but there’s plenty to do here besides leaf peeping. Discover why Bright landed at no.7 on your Top 50 Aussie towns list.
If there’s a prettier town in Australia, I’m yet to see it. Bright may well be located in the fissures of north-eastern Victoria, but you’d be forgiven for thinking you’ve been transported to a 19th-century mining town in Colorado.
Set at the south-eastern end of a pine-clad valley dwarfed by the Australian Alps (and more specifically by Victoria’s tallest mountain, Mt Bogong), its leafy streetscape is dominated by century-old-and-then-some heritage buildings, some of which remain from the Victorian gold rush era of the 1850s.
A picturesque town blooming with green scenery
Its leafy avenues planted with elegant European trees blaze with colour in autumn, while wildflowers bloom just beyond town. The Ovens River flows right through Bright, providing a hell of a backyard view for the cafes, restaurants and breweries built by its banks. Here, with its sprawling outdoor terrace, the iconic Bright Brewery serves as the town’s main gathering point in summer months especially.
Alfresco dining at the Bright Brewery.
Local artisan food makers and producers set up stalls at weekly farmers’ markets and walking trails crisscross town, connected by swinging bridges over calm, clear water that is ideal for family swims.
It invites you to explore its great outdoors
The 100-kilometre Murray to Mountains Rail Trail passes through town, too, its easy-to-ride off-road cycling trails that follow the region’s old railway tracks delivering you to nearby produce farms and wineries.
The verdant vineyards around Ringer Reef Winery.
Bright is part of the Alpine Valleys Wine Region, one of the oldest wine-growing districts in Victoria and home to 12 cellar doors set on rambling estates surrounding town. Set across five mountain valleys, with 30 grape varieties, this is one of Australia’s most underrated wine regions –for the scenery viewed from its tasting rooms alone.
Sample top drops at Ringer Reef Winery.
A perfect haven for adventure seekers
And there are plenty more excellent adventures to be had in the region besides. From tandem micro-light flights off the tall peaks surrounding Bright, to abseiling the sheer cliff faces of nearby Mt Buffalo National Park , to skiing or mountain-biking the slopes of two of Australia’s best-known ski resorts, Falls Creek and Mt Hotham, part of a spectacular loop road that connects Victoria’s highest country.
Or you might not want to leave town at all. And therein lies Bright’s charm. There’s a festival on almost every weekend, especially in summer and autumn. Or a sporting event – like the Audax Alpine Cycling Classic , one of Australia’s premier mountain bike races, held each Australia Day weekend.
And some of the restaurants and cafes along its main drag are rated among regional Australia’s finest.
Have a delightful conversation over coffee at Sixpence Coffee Roasters.
Craig Tansley has been a travel writer for over 20 years, winning numerous awards along the way. A long-time sucker for adventure, he loves to write about the experiences to be had on islands, on the sea, in forests or deserts; or anywhere in nature across Australia, and the world.
Beyond the winding bitumen and coastal views lies another side to Victoria’s most famous route.
There’s something hypnotic about this stretch of Victoria’s coast. Maybe it’s the way the road hugs the ocean so tightly, or how the cliffs catch the sun in colours you can’t name. Or, for local Victorians who drove this route as kids, maybe it’s the memories of winding through the impossibly tall trees as they seemingly guide you on your journey like wooden guardian angels. Most travellers know it for the 12 Apostles, but there are plenty of alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road equally as worthy of your time.
So, next time you’re in that neck of the woods, park that car, stretch those legs and try these experiences.
1. Discover living culture at Budj Bim
Walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Breakaway Creek’s Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a masterclass in educational storytelling. Join a guided tour with Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism to walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system, where the Gunditjmara people built sophisticated eel traps and stone channels more than 6,000 years ago.
Budj Bim’s aquaculture system predates Egypt’s pyramids by roughly 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest examples of human engineering on Earth. If that’s not enough to get your history-loving family members involved in this road trip, we’re out of ideas.
2. Unwind in the hot springs at Warnambool
Let mineral-rich water heal you.
If your legs need a break after a long drive, Deep Blue Hot Springs is your remedy. The geothermal pools sit just metres from the coastline, filled with mineral-rich water that bubbles up from deep underground. Move between open-air baths, waterfall pools and quiet zones made for meditation.
The water in Deep Blue’s geothermal pools comes from an ancient aquifer nearly 850 metres below the Earth’s surface, which, in non-scientific terms, means it’s far more likely to have healing properties than the mineral water you’d find at the supermarket.
3. Take to the air at Princetown
See an icon from a different view.
You may have seen the Twelve Apostles from the trusty viewing platform, but a helicopter flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters shows you just how sprawling and rugged this coastline really is.
The trip covers everything from Port Campbell to London Bridge (not to be confused with the UK’s own), giving you a rare chance to watch waves carving the limestone cliffs from above. It’s worth noting that the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles are said to erode by roughly two centimetres each year, so the longer you leave it, the less of the Apostles you’ll see.
4. Step into the past at Flagstaff Hill
Visit a time of yore.
Continue the tour through Warnambool at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum , a recreated 19th-century port town. Hear stories from the days when shipwrecks were as common as seagulls, with an astounding 180 ships believed to have sunk along the Shipwreck Coast in less than five years.
The night show, complete with lights, sound, and sea spray, brings the coastline’s most dramatic stories to life.
If you’re staying the night, Simon’s Waterfront offers relaxed dining with fresh local seafood and oceanfront views. Order the catch of the day and toast to the sailors who never made it ashore.
5. Learn to surf in Torquay, Lorne, or Anglesea
Learn how to hang 10. (Image: Visit Victoria)
Whether you’ve surfed before or can barely stand on a board, Go Ride A Wave will have you upright in no time. Torquay’s calm beaches are ideal for first-timers, while Lorne and Anglesea bring a bit more energy for those unafraid to get dunked.
Bells Beach, just down the road from Torquay, has even hosted the world’s longest-running professional surfing competition since 1962. So, for those eager to have a gander at pros using surfboards like they’re an additional appendage, the competition usually runs sometime in autumn.
6. Tackle the trails in Forrest
Hire a bike and explore MTB trails through the Otways.
Forrest is a haven for mountain bikers thanks to an expansive network of trails through stunning natural scenery. The Forrest trail network has almost 100 kilometres of singletrack across 36 trails, so there’s something for every level of rider. That’s including more than 60 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails winding through the Otways’ dense forest. Cycle through ancient myrtle beech trees and towering tree ferns, with smaller ferns and soft mosses forming a carpet at your feet.
Hire a bike from Forrest MTB Hire and take your pick from easy, scenic rides to more challenging singletracks, such as Red Carpet or Rollercoaster.
7. See wildlife up close in Apollo Bay
Get help spotting the locals. (Image: Doug Gimsey)
If spotting koalas and kangaroos in the wild feels like winning the lottery, Wildlife Wonders gives you guaranteed sightings without cages or crowds. Every visit to the sanctuary helps fund the Conservation Ecology Centre which supports endangered species across the Otways, so your business is appreciated by humans and animals alike.
The guided walk takes you through protected Otways habitat where you might spot potoroos (or joey lookalikes for those unfamiliar with a potoroo), wallabies, and sleepy koalas lounging in the trees.
8. Visit the Cape Otway Lightstation
Delve into the tales of Cape Otway Lightstation.
Towering over the sea on a cliff above the Southern Ocean, Cape Otway Lightstation has been guiding ships since 1848. Before the lighthouse was built, Cape Otway was one of the most treacherous points on the Victorian coast, with dozens of shipwrecks occurring in its surrounding waters. Pick the right day, and you may bump into a local willing to tell you about the wreck of Eric the Red .
While at the Cape Otway Lightstation, explore the keeper’s quarters, walk the coastal trails, and take in views that only stop short at the horizon.
And no, contrary to popular belief, the Round the Twist lighthouse is actually located in Split Point, just shy of two hours in the direction of Melbourne. Nothing’s stopping you from embarking on a lighthouse crawl, though.
