Recently a group of
110 senior bushwalkers, from Adelaide, drove to Bright, a historical township in The Victorian Alps, for a week of enthusiastic hiking. The intrepid group, including many octogenarians, found an amazing choice of activities, but bush walks were the first priority. Other options ranged from shopping for bargain priced long underwear to cooking classes.
Currently the
Bright Spring Festival is approaching its final weekend. A complete schedule is available
online as well as at the volunteer manned information centre in Bright. The festival extends from October 14th to November 1st but there is always something to do in Bright. Visit this
website for more details. The Garden Tour alone is worth a visit to Bright this weekend.
Spring yields bountiful blooms and the air is redolent of delicate fragrances. For those enjoying a pleasant walk or drive, the grand Gardens Tour of Bright provides a whole day of pleasant activity. See this
website for current openings and prices.
On the weekend there will be a presentation on Water Wise Gardening, which might be passé now that the water catchment areas are full. Some venues are free but any small fee will be donated to the owner's favourite charity. Gardens vary from a working lavender farm to a kitchen plot with chook shed and sculptures. Some hosts offer free refreshments and all are happy to chat about gardening. The seniors, many of whom are avid gardeners, were thrilled at the high standard of horticulture in all the venues.
At Nan's of Green Gables, in nearby Harrietville, the visitors observed glorious parklands, with many rare conifers, dogwoods, bulbs and an old hops kiln relic. There was also an English maze, pond, camellias, azaleas, rhododendrons, and even gentle alpacas.
Flowing through the centre of Bright is the Ovens River. It has a rich alluvial gold mining history, and some of the group, looking for an easy yet picturesque walk, found that the Canyon Walk with informative plaques, yielded fascinating information. For the more resilient, nearby Mt Buffalo, with colourful bush scenery, offered longer hikes, ranging from easy to moderate. On the way there were breath taking panoramic views and valley vistas.
Summer in Bright might mean catching a trout in the mountain streams, sitting by, rafting, floating or swimming in the clear Ovens River. Young at heart love to play on the water slide.
The Hiking season extends into the summer and, with the extensive rain this spring, the whole area might remain green throughout summer and offer cooler than normal trekking. Nevertheless it is essential to take plenty of water and notify someone of the plan. Kayaking and Rafting are available too as well as horse-riding, hang gliding and scenic helicopter flights. Some romantics may prefer to go adventuring in a 4wd for sunset picnic. Information is accessible at this
website.
Another popular option during summer months is beer sampling at the
Bright Brewery. The historic company is notable, not only for tasty beer, but for interesting events including "brewer for a day" and live music.
Not to be forgotten are the award winning wineries or restaurants in the region. There are two ice creameries, excellent pub fare and Thai within the small town hub.
During autumn Bright is a photographer's delight, with stunning hues of reds, yellows and oranges in all the gardens, parks and along many roadways.
As the location in The Alps suggests, snow is plentiful in the winter and the usual sports are popular. Many visitors try their hand at cross country skiing, snow shoeing, or other snow play.
If you make it to Bright for this cosy getaway, remember that well behaved dogs are welcome.
On this final weekend of the Spring Festival you may be lucky enough to see the magnificent fireworks display at the sports oval on Saturday night.
Regardless of the season you will be impressed by the overall friendliness of the locals, who insist that Bright is the safest and most honest town in Victoria. The senior walkers of Adelaide agree that it was a worthwhile drive and will always have fond memories of Bright, any season, any reason.
