Bright is a quaint ski resort style town with something for everyone; rugged scenery, shopping, and great food options. Read on for an itinerary of how you should spend a long weekend in Bright.
Day 1: Traveling to and exploring Bright
It takes about 3.5 hours to drive from Melbourne to Bright, so set off early to make the most of your day. About 2 hours into your drive, you’ll come through Euroa where you can stop off at Mely and Me for a delicious coffee and brunch. If traveling from Canberra, Albury or Wodonga are excellent options as a pit-stop.
Park up in Bright and stretch your legs on the Ovens River Canyon Walk. This is a lovely 3-6km loop along the river with two scenic swing bridges. You can choose to return halfway for a 3km walk that takes about an hour, or complete the full 6km loop in around an hour and a half.
Head for a late afternoon drink at Bridge Road Brewery, sample the local beer, take in the atmosphere, and live music. We’d also recommend the food here so it’s also a good option for dinner.
Depending what time of year you visit, drive across to Huggins Lookout for sunset if you can! Otherwise you can visit in the day like us and you’ll still be treated to some incredible views.
Head back into town for dinner at Tomahawks. This restaurant has the best Asian fusion food we’ve had in Australia and we’ve tried a lot of Asian fusion restaurants! Some menu highlights include the ceviche, chargrilled brocollini (I was surprised how good this was!), and sticky fried chicken.
Day 2: Exploring Mount Buffalo National Park
Have a slow start to the morning with a breakfast at Sixpence, they have excellent coffee and we highly recommend their cinnamon buns!
Then start the drive to the Horn Lookout at the summit of Mount Buffalo. It’s around a 45 minute drive from the centre of town but there’s plenty to explore on the way! If you’re here in winter then snow chains are recommended.
The Mount Buffalo National Park is packed full of waterfalls and walking opportunities but we’ll sing out just a few of our favourites.
You can tick off two waterfalls along the same 30 min walking track, Ladies Bath Falls and Eurobin Falls. The staircase up alongside Eurobin falls was spectacular and it’s a really unique looking waterfall!
Next stop is Rollasons falls which is a 1.5 hour walk through beautiful forest before arriving at the swimming hole and falls. As usual, these waterfalls are best visited after a downpour which we were lucky (or unlucky) to have!
After visiting a few waterfalls a great lunch spot can be found at the scenic Lake Catani. This lake has a wonderful loop walk but there’s also plenty of spots lakeside to stop for a picnic. When we visited, there was a fog on the water making it such an atmospheric place to be!
The Highlight for the trip to Bright has to be The Horn Lookout. There’s a small car park at the Horn picnic area but you can park at the Cresta Valley car park if you fancy a longer walk.
It’s a fairly easy ascent with clear steps taking you to the pinnacle but the highlight for us has to be had at the picnic area.
You really feel like you’re on top of the world here, and the views only get better the higher you go. From here, you can see all the way to the Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales, provided the skies are clear, where the rugged mountains and pristine wilderness create a stunning backdrop.
Day 3
Your last day here should totally be about soaking up everything the township has to offer. Check out any shops you haven’t hit up yet and grab a coffee at another cafe before you head out. You can even kayak here if you have more time to spare.
Bright is such an awesome place to visit any time of year, and it’s got so much to show off with the changing seasons—whether it’s a gloomy rainy autumn day, a bright and cheerful one, or even blanketed in snow, the views will totally blow you away!
What if the weather is bad?
If you know Victoria then you know the weather can be unpredictable and Bright is no exception. Fortunately rain really makes Bright pop with the waterfalls and river really coming to life! If you don’t fancy getting wet or need a break from the rain, Bright is blessed with plenty of cozy cafes and even an escape room which can be perfect sanctuaries whilst you wait for the weather to clear.
House Hoppers 