Bright, Victoria
Australia
Travel Guide...
Have you been to Victoria's Bright?!
It’s one to add to your list if you’ve never been. If you’ve been, I’m sure you love it as much as I do!
As a town, I give it a solid five out of five. It ticks all of my boxes: a beautiful setting (hello crystal clear river and snow-capped mountains in the distance), wine bars, a coffee roaster, quality shopping, an op shop and a plethora of things to do...or simply a lovely setting for doing nothing at all.
It sparks many lovely memories for me of the good old days, travelling in Europe. It just has that European Alpine feel, crisp air and grand deciduous trees. And honestly, in a time where I can’t travel to Europe, the benchmark for me, of a good town is in its similarities to Europe.
Travelling with kids?
Whoever planned this town, should receive a medal from every parent. The brewery is located next to a fantastic playground. What a win!
We were lucky enough to visit a few weeks ago which will make it my fifth visit. While there are still many places in Bright we are yet to visit, we have ticked many off our list…here are some of our recommendations from our long list of Bright favourites:
For wining, dining and caffine-ing:
· Billy Button Wines Cellar Door: A wine bar in the centre of town, with so many wine varieties to try (for free!). You can also order cheese platters and local produce.
· Reed & Co Gin Distillery: Cool fit-out, lovely service and three distinctly different gins to try. Can’t fly because of the pandemic? No problem, take a gin flight right here…unlike a Qantas flight, you won’t feel groggy afterwards…unless you drink too much of course. Gin distillery by night, coffee roaster by day:
· Sixpence Coffee Roasters: in the same building as Reed & Co. you will find Sixpence Coffee. A great place for your morning coffee…or in my case, coffees (hey, I’m on holiday!). Note: this place isn’t open on weekends, however they have another site in the industrial estate which is open on weekends. You’re welcome.
· Sir Loin’s Bar and Grill: If you have a pun in your business name, consider me a client. Not only does this place boost a punny name, hidden underground, you will also find delicious tapas and bigger meals if that’s your jam, with a lovely selection of wines. I felt the prices here were really reasonable too!
· Bright Brewery: After a big day on the slopes, this is the place to be. Or in my case, after a day of drinking wine, eating and relaxing…grab yourself a paddle of beers and get tasting. As I said, a brewery, next to playground, this place is a win for parents and children alike.
· Gum Tree Pies: As a vegetarian, I can’t comment on the quality of the meat pies, however, I would happily drive the four hours to Bright, just to pick up one of their panang curry pies. Do yourself a favour…yes, even you, meat lover.
· Morses Creek Bakery: When you’re on your way home, cheer yourself up with a delectable pastry from here.
Activities:
· Saturday Market: You could spend a weekend visiting farm gates to pick up local produce…or, find the farmers market, where they are all in the one place! If it’s not on in Bright when you’re visiting (3rd Saturday of the month), it’ll be on at a nearby town. (Check the Visit Bright website).
· Bright Electric Bikes: Ever wondered what it’s like to be an elite athlete? I have. And now, thanks to the aid of an electric bike, I know! If you’ve never ridden an electric bike, that’s exactly what it feels like – as though you’re an elite athlete! We had a wonderful day riding along the rail trail, through the trees, through Porepunkah to Ringer Reef Winery and back. What an exhilarating thing, to up a steep hill, with no effort at all, to a winery! What a prize! A pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
· Ringer Reef Winery: One of our favourite wineries. Lovely wines, made by a lovely family.
· Shopping: A really lovely variety of fashion and homeware shops to explore in Bright. My favourite is the hit and miss, Op Shop. Like any op shop, it can be full of treasures one day and completely picked over the next…that’s the appeal of op shops! I’ve found some fantastic vintage homewares here, I’m sure they come out of holiday homes.
· Red Stag and Emu Farm: A lovely place to visit if you like funny animals and beautiful scenery, especially if you have children. I’ve heard the restaurant is top notch with sweeping views of the mountains, however, I haven’t visited yet.
· Walks and hikes: You’re spoilt for choice in Bright and the nearby areas. My tip is to head to the Visitor Centre in town and let them know your abilities, what you’d like to see and they will map out a walk for you! (Same goes for any other recommendations you might want).
Day Trips:
· Myrtleford: Sweet country town with shops, walks and cafes to explore. An excellent op shop.
· Wandiligong: Gorgeous area, straight from a sweet children’s storybook. The town’s is uniquely on a large looped road with a pub, restaurant (5 Acres), scattered along the way and woods and the ‘Chinaman’s Bridge’ hidden in the middle of the loop. Just outside the ‘loop’ is Alpine Cidery, for all your cider and produce needs.
· Harrietville: Another picture-book town. Not much going on, but that’s the charm. My kids can highly recommend skimming rocks into the river for hours on end.
· Snow! Hotham, Buller, Falls Creek, Buffalo – so many options within a few hours from Bright. As I’m no pro skier (or snowboarder) for that matter, best to consult the customer service officers at the Visitor Centre, and check out the snow cams online.
· Accommodation: We’ve always been lucky enough to stay with friends in Bright…other than our last trip where we stayed with our extended family at The Big 4 Caravan Park. We stayed in their new studio one bedroom apartment, which I can definitely recommend to families! Space to play inside as well as outside with a BBQ.
Just remember to head to the Visitor Centre for further advice and recommendations! That’s normally my first port of call when visiting any town…always such a fantastic service, thanks government!
Visiting Bright?! Enjoy. Can't deny, I'm a little bit jelly! x
Love, Jamie xo
Jamie is the Director of Bedford Avenue Marketing. For the latest marketing advice, tips and tricks, subscribe to the Bedford Avenue Marketing list or follow along on Insta: @bedford.aveune.marketing
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