Top 20 Things to do in Bright
There are enough things to do in Bright for you and your family. The coastal town of Bright, located at the foot of the Australian Alps, is famous for its picturesque streets, tree views, local food and wine, shopping malls, markets, and outings such as hiking, cycling and paragliding.
All of this, in the vicinity of Victoria’s alpine ski resorts, has firmly established Bright as one of Australia’s most popular tourist destinations, therefore, you can also look for other places to visit in South Australia.
Visiting Bright is pure bliss because the natural beauty of Bright attracts tourists as well as the great food, amazing walking trails, and alpine valley attract tourists. This place has some adventures to do, such as bike tours, mountain biking, and bike rides, which are amazing things to do in Bright.
Things to do in Bright
1. Enjoy the Bright Autumn Festival
The Bright Autumn Festival is one of the best things to do in Bright if you are here during this season. It has been celebrated here since 1962, making it one of the oldest ongoing festivals in Australia.
In 1962, Bright celebrated its 100th Anniversary and the town organized a variety of activities to celebrate the event. Since then, Bright has continued to celebrate each Autumn. The Art Exhibition is now very popular and is the largest exhibition at the Bright Art Gallery.
The Bright Autumn Festival celebrates autumn and harvest in Victoria’s High Country. At the time, Bright was known as the winter solstice, and the Autumn Festival was an attempt to attract visitors during quiet time.
2. Spend a Day in Bright Splash Park
A splash park with Bright’s new nature theme has opened in Centenary Park, near Morses Creek, and is a great card to draw families to Bright and circulate in the warmer months. As the design focuses on regional mining heritage and the natural environment, there are four splash pads, each designed to suit age groups ranging from young to old. The surface of the splash pads is insulated concrete.
The park is designed to match the skills of the graduates, but parents still need to judge their child’s ability to use certain elements. The dredge bucket pad is fun and is best suited for older kids.
Not surprisingly, visiting Bright Splash Park and River Pool is among the favourite things to do in Bright for families in summer.
3. Walk on The Rail Trail
The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail is a bicycle and pedestrian railway line north of Victoria, Australia. It runs from Wangaratta to Bright, with a side branch to Beechworth, following the former Bright railway line.
Murray to Mountains Rail Trail should be on your list of things to do in Bright as you can ride around the heart of the Victorian alpine region. Enjoy beautiful hidden valleys, spectacular mountain scenery and a network of beautiful producers, well-known underground doors, cafes and craftsmen. Cool off rivers and streams along the way.
The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail takes over 100 miles, traversing the heart of the Ovens Valley. The closed off-road route is the main route where the connected routes lead from the plains around Wangaratta to the famous Alpine Bright town and the historic Beechworth, through the beautiful treasures of Milawa and the hidden valley of Wandiligong.
4. Do BikeTours or Bike Riding
Walk around any of the Bright Campgrounds at any time of the year and you will see hundreds of bikes. It is a great place for cycling for kids and families.
The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail offers safe, and flat rides from Bright and across to Porepunkah, while the MTB along the river trails provide a good first impression for children to hone their off-road skills. Slowly up the green and blue paths at Mystic MTB Park and cool off by immersing yourself in the river at the end of the day.
5. Explore the Mystic Mountain Bike Park
Mystic Mountain Bike Park is built for riders and it is one of the top things to do in Bright for cycling enthusiasts. There is something for all the mountain bikes, with a large network of built-in local trails near the built-in gravitational trails.
Warm up on the flat, twisted paths along the river before you get to the top of the uphill tracks and send it as fast as you can to get back down.
All this in the city Bright, is crazy about cycling with good support services, rental bikes (mountain bikes, hybrids and electric bikes), pubs, cafes, restaurants, plenty of seating options and more.
The Ovens River flows through the city and the water park area where it meets Morse’s Creek, is ready to cool off soon after your trip. Follow that with a beer at a bar or dinner in town and hit the perfect day by bike.
6. Look at the Bright Art Gallery
The art gallery at Bright and Cultural Center is a community-owned gallery located in the beautiful Alpine Shire town of Bright, Victoria. This is one of the things to do in Bright if you want to know about the culture of the place.
Founded in 1962, the purpose of the Art Gallery and Cultural Center is to provide a diverse program of various art exhibitions, workshops and cultural information.
The highlight of the annual Art Gallery is the annual Autumn Art Show. Now in its 50th year, the Autumn Art Show is held annually to coincide with the famous Autumn Festival when the city of Bright shines with the colour of Autumn.
Each year the Autumn Art Show attracts more than 800 entries and celebrates the talent of Australian artists from across the country who compete for many awards for their oil work, watercolour, pastel, mixed media, paintings and miniature paintings.
The Grand Prize is the winner of the “Best Exhibition” award and the Brilliant Art Gallery retains work in its Eternal Collection of over 350 Australian artworks collected over the past 50 years.
7. Visit the Mount Buffalo National Park
Mount Buffalo National Park is home to crystalline cliffs, rugged granite, falling waterfalls, glaciers, and spectacular wildflowers. The park has more than 90 miles of hiking trails, scenic views, waterfalls and a wide range of fun activities such as rock climbing and hang-gliding.
Mount Buffalo is an all-time playground. In the summer, wildflowers abound, and the park is a cool place to escape the heat of the lowlands.
Take a magnificent 360-degree view from the summit of the Horn and the delightful Gorge Heritage Walk. Enjoy picnics, boating and camping on Lake Catani in the summer months. In winter, the park is perfect for skiing in a country with a flexible landscape, majestic sub-alpine landscapes and an easy 14km stretch of marked skiing trails.
The park offers safe and accessible tobogganing areas and snowmobiles, which provide great fun for the whole family, hence it is one of the best things to do in Bright.
8. Enjoy Locally produced Wines at Ringers Reef Winery
The Ringer Reef has a comfortable and welcoming basement door and the family is delighted to take customers to a variety of wines. You will have the opportunity to taste and purchase a variety of wines.
With a spectacular view of Mt Buffalo and the Buckland Valley, it is also a peaceful place to enjoy a glass of wine on a plate of food. Mark and Julie, the owners are also avid fans of live music and often host independent artists from near and far.
9. Have Family Time at The Bright
Bright Brewery is an independent brewery and restaurant located in the heart of the beautiful Bright.
In the background of the magnificent Victoria Alps, their priceless values - practical, durable and authentic – are the cornerstones of everything Bright Brewery does. From brewing liquor that reflects a vibrant and wild environment to embracing the outdoor life provided by the region, Bright Brewery helps build the heart of a vibrant community.
The bar is located on the banks of the Ovens River; a place for families to relax in the sunshine, cyclists to relax their tired legs, and paragliders to dream of their next flight over the mountains.
There is live music every Sunday, featuring local artists and leading tourists. Relax outside the Hop Terrace or in the bar.
Explore Bright Brewery Beers and Season Drinks with 24 short touches. Try a tasting tray or indulge in a delicious beer-like meal. Relax on one of the couches by the fire, and have access to free Wi-Fi.
10. Walkthrough the Nightingale Brother Cider and Apple Farm
Nightingale Bros is proud to offer the best seasonal product offered by the region. Visit the farm gate store for freshly picked apples, nuts, berries and fruits of the year as well as a large list of locally produced jam, chutneys, vinegar, oil, gifts, and goodies.
Also available are their Alpine Cider and Sparkling Apple Juice, which is naturally made with 100 per cent Nightingale Bros Apples hand-picked.
The Nightingale family has been cultivating fresh alpine apples in the historic Wandiligong Valley since 1954. Nightingale Bros sincerely invites you to visit the orchard and the farm gate to enjoy a magnificent view of the mountains and the surrounding landscape.
11. Observe the Alpine National Park
Observing the great Alpine National Park is also among the fun things to do in Bright from the centre of Gippsland to Kosciuszko National Park in NSW, which forms the largest national park in Victoria and protects some of the world’s rarest areas.
From the magical snow gum forests to the world’s longest flowering tree – the Alpine Ash – endangered mountain pygmy possums, alpine dingo, Bogong moth, wildflowers and grassy plains on open mountain peaks; the heavy life in these high snow packs is Australian in particular, incredibly beautiful and extremely fragile.
Admire the Spectacular Display of Nature
Alpine National Park is home to more than 1,100 native species, 12 of which live only within the park, including the Bogong daisy forest and silky daisy. It is also home to the endangered mountain pygmy-possum, the only wildlife in the world.
Blossoming alpine wildflowers in summer or the snow reaching the waist in winter, your taste will vary greatly depending on the season you are visiting. The park’s alpine campgrounds and hiking trails are best enjoyed in the warmer months from November to May, with wildflowers setting spectacular displays in January.
From June to October, snowfall is rampant in the mountains and brings with it the opportunity for snowboarding, snowboarding and tobogganing at Mount Hotham, Dinner Plain and Falls Creek.
12. Be a Part of the Spring Festival
The bright and surrounding valley is a great place to relax, refresh and explore during Spring. Visit Mount Buffalo National Park for a spectacular view and take in the beautiful wildflowers along Bogong High Plains.
Discover one of the most exciting spring festival events, enjoy the Month Market or the Monster Street Market and enjoy the Grand Spectacular Fireworks and concert.
Enjoy the taste of various restaurants, cafes, bars, coffee shops, bakeries, speciality stores, liquor stores, wine shops and the chocolate industry. The festival is run by volunteers who donate their time freely as they love Bright.
13. Embrace the Beauty of Lake Catani
Lake Catani is a paradise for nature lovers spending a day here and is one of the best things to do in Bright. Located on the plateau of Mount Buffalo, 28 km from Porepunkah, the surrounding area of Mount Buffalo National Park offers a wide range of landscapes ranging from tall eucalyptus forests to alpine highlands and glaciers.
Located in the heart of the beautiful Snow Gum forest, this picturesque and family-friendly camping site in the Alps offers 49 camps. Some are suitable for small caravans and campervans and some are for car and tent camping. Entrance camps provide campers with a quiet environment.
There is also a special area reserved for schools and community groups, and several camps are available for walkers who can walk, as well as easy access to toilets and hot showers.
While campers need to be able to fend for themselves with drinking water, a good camping site contains everything else you need to stay comfortable – from toilets and hot showers to laundry and even basic laundry. The cosy mess hall has tables and fireplaces for shared use, perfect for rainy days.
Nearby, the newly renovated picnic area overlooks the lake in the famous Lakeside Day tourist attraction. With easily accessible toilets, free gas frames and tables, it is an excellent setting for a picnic by the beach, to enjoy a cool swim or rowing.
14. Find Peace near Ovens River
The Ovens River trek begins in the Victorian Alps, traverses the Ovens Valley and flows through Bright, Myrtleford and Wangaratta, where it meets the King River.
Wetlands provide ideal conditions for native fish, such as the famous Murray Cod, and freshwater turtles to thrive. It is also home to endangered wildlife including the Powerful Owl and the Squirrel Glider.
The red gum forests and wetlands of the lower Oven Observatory are fed by the natural flow of the upper river. With shady banks and sandy beaches, the Ovens River is famous for its family, swimming, boating, camping and fishing.
15. Look at the Dinner Plain
The Dinner Plain is an ideal place to escape from the world, so if you are looking for relaxing things to do in Bright then this is your destination surrounded by a clean environment and endless entertainment opportunities. Visiting this place is among the best things to do in Bright.
The Dinner Plain is located just 15 minutes from Mount Hotham and is a town full of Australian rustic charm. It is a great place to hike in the mountains at any time of the year, especially in winter when the Alps are a haven for skiers and snowboarders, couples and families, all enjoying the benefits of the snow-covered Dinner Plain.
The cosy town is an ideal place to relax and unwind. The Dinner Plain has some of the best scenery of the town and the forest, as well as wine and fine dining options.
In winter, there is a complete ski resort, complete with skiing and ice skating to make it the best in the snow. Ski hill also operates on Wednesday and Saturday nights so you can swim under starlight. Throughout the year, the Dinner Plain has no hotel fee, so come and experience all that this alpine scenery offers.
16. Taste Wine at Feathertop Winery
Visiting Feathertop Winery is among the best things to do in Bright for those who love wines located in the heart of the Alpine Valley wine region, which is home to 22 different varieties, and has been planted and lovingly raised by hand over the past 30 years.
Create your instal in the beautiful vantage point overlooking Mount Buffalo, whether you enjoy a relaxing long lunch on the plains on a cool summer day or stay in the nearby houses as a basis for exploring the beautiful things outside. If you are determined to do more than just taste wine, be sure to check out the list of wine tastings that gives you a sense of “encounter with the maker”.
17. Got to Mt Stanley for Berry Picking
Stanley is located in the picturesque highlands of North-East Victoria, 10 minutes outside of historic Beechworth. Surrounded by fruit trees and nuts as well as pine forests and old eucalyptus forests, berry picking here is among the fun and engaging things to do in Bright.
There are a variety of plants, animals and beautiful local products with hot summer berries, cherries, apples, walnuts and chestnuts throughout the fall.
Mount Beauty Bright and the surrounding valley are a great place to relax, refresh and explore this Spring. Visit Mount Buffalo National Park for a spectacular view and take in the beautiful wildflowers along Bogong High Plains.
Discover one of the most exciting spring festival events, enjoy the Month Market or the Monster Street Market and enjoy the Grand Spectacular Fireworks and concert.
Enjoy the taste of the foods of various restaurants, cafes, bars, coffee shops, bakeries, speciality stores, liquor stores, wine shops and the chocolate industry.
18. Visit Food Wine Friends
Food Wine Friends is a managed and used family cafe based in Bright, Victoria. A small warm and cosy cafe that always feels like home, with tables of all sizes and comfortable sofas ready to enjoy a cup of coffee on a winter day. Find a pleasant spot for yourself and enjoy.
They offer a diet of all kinds including vegetables, vegans, gluten-free and allergies. Food Wine Friends also has many local products available that include honey, jam, sweets and more. They love delicious coffee, food and good air for all their customers.
19. Make Memories with Reed and Co Distillery
Reed and Co Distillery is managed and operated production facility and brewery in the mountain town of Bright, northeast of Victoria.
Their philosophy is simple, they are attracted to the natural environment and are there to build the Australian spirits of excellence and knowledge that will represent the region and they are worth sharing with others.
As distillers who become chefs, they want to discover, continually explore, taste, and explore strategies to create quality that stands for both and captures the taste of the North East.
20. Shop at Sunday Market in Bright
Strolling around the Sunday market in Bright is the best thing to do in Bright. Bright Market is an exhibition of local producers, arts and crafts from Bright and Surrounds all in one place, on the banks of the beautiful Ovens River.
Food producers include fresh fruits and vegetables, trout, wineries, jam and preservatives, sweets, nuts, olive oil and much more. Local art, jewellery, children’s clothing, art, pottery, leather works, wooden toys, candles and wellness, plants and much more.
Something to Take Away
There are many things to do in Bright as Bright is a well-known tourist destination located in the heart of the Alpine valleys of North East Victoria. A famous year-round holiday destination, Bright is known for its amazing seasons, autumn leaves, glistening river parks and hiking trails roaming around the town centre, easy access to the Alpine High Country and a variety of festivals and events.
