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Bright
Bright is located on the scenic Great Alpine Road between Porepunkah and Harrietville in
the gorgeous Ovens Valley. Bright is a very popular
tourist destination due to its close proximity to
the mountain resorts of Mount
Buffalo, Mount Hotham and Falls
Creek.
Bright is famous
for its avenues of 70 year old deciduous trees including oaks, elms,
poplars
and
Japanese
maples.
The
town
is also known
for
the Bright
Autumn
Festival, Springtime in Bright Festival, food and wine, fishing, canoeing,
rafting, cycling, bushwalking, 4WD, hang gliding, paragliding.
The first European settlers in Bright
arrived after the exploration of Hume
and
Hovell
in 1824. The cattlemen
began grazing their cattle in the High Country
in the middle of the 19th century. About the same
time the gold rush hit the area in the nearby Buckland
Valley yielding rich finds. When the Italian migrants
arrived after the first and second world wars they
brought horticulture skills and started wine making.
Bright is ideally located at the foot
of the Victorian Alps, enjoy fresh alpine air and
changing seasons.
For garden lovers the spring
and autumn displays are a must see, with the avenues
of trees and beautiful gardens putting
on a wonderful show
of colour.
For winter alpine sports enthusiasts - skiers
and snow boarders winter is the best time to visit
and summer is perfect for bushwalking, mountain
biking and other adventure sports such as white
water rafting.
Autumn Festival
The Autumn Festival held in late April-early May celebrates the beauty of the
seasonal change. There are street stalls, a gala day, a float parade, live
entertainment, dances, concerts, and the Bright Art Exhibition
Historic Buildings
Bright has maintained its character
and charm, with its old-fashioned
guest
houses and
historical buildings. Gallery 90 located at 90
Gavan Street is an old 1850's old
timber house. The bricks seen at the rear of
the house were brought to
Australia by a sailing ship which used them as
ballast. Also dating back to the 1860's is A.J.
Lock's
shop.
The Park Street
Court House, was built
in 1861, the lock-up adjacent
to the court is constructed from
rough hewn logs and was constructed
in the 1870s and
moved to its present site in 1975. There are
also several historical churches including part
of the Anglican Church,which was constructed
in 1870, the old Methodist building
in Ireland
Street was constructed in 1884 and the
Presbyterian
Church
in Park St was constructed in 1880 and is now
a gallery.
Food
Many of the local restaurants and cafes provide seasonal menus promoting the
local produce. Outside dining is a delightful experience for many months
of the year and the Alpine High Country provides many beautiful spots to
enjoy a gourmet picnic.
Local produce is available year round,
including, trout, beef, olive oils with seasonal
produce apples available autumn-spring, asparagus
spring and summer, chestnuts, hazelnuts, walnuts
and persimmons in autumn, and many berries available
in summer through autumn. Watch out for the 'Open'
signs at the growers' gates to buy direct from local
farmers or visit one of the specialty food stores. Wine
Grapes have been grown in the Alpine Valleys
since the late 1800's, although the vineyards have
only
recently become recognised for the quality of
wine produced. The Bright area is a true cool
climate region. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir
wines are produced
with
wonderful depth of
flavour. You will also
find impressive Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc,
Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot, along with
Italian varieties introduced by Italian
settlers such as Pinot Grigio, Marzemino
and Fragolino.
There is about a dozen wineries are
dotted through the surrounding valleys and towns,
including
Myrtleford,
Porepunkah,
Tawonga, Tawonga South, Eurobin, Gapsted, Rosewhite,
Kancoona South and Mongans Bridge in the Kiewa Valley.
A number have cellar doors and invite you to try
their wines with local cheese and antipasto platters,
traditional
Tuscan
food or a menu created around seasonal local produce.
AUTUMN
The average temperature is 20 degrees celsius. The
air turns crisp and the grapes are harvested.
Log fires start to burn and the autumn trees put
on their exquisite display of colour.
WINTER
Winter is when skiers and snowboarders head for the
surrounding alps to enjoy the magical playground
of snow. If you are not a skier why not come and
enjoy a romantic weekend in front of a log fire.
The average temperature is 12 degrees celsius
SPRING
Spring heralds the melting
snow, the rivers swell creating a paradise for
white water
rafters,
kayakers and canoeists
. The local orchards display their spring blossom
and the trees burst with bright green new foliage.
The average temperature is 19 degrees celsius
SUMMER
With an average
temperature of 28 degrees celsius summer is the
ideal time to enjoy a picnic, bush walking, mountain
biking and fishing.
By Car
Bright
is situated on the Great Alpine Road about 3 and
a half hours from Melbourne via the Hume Highway.
By Bus and Rail
There are rail / bus
connections available from Melbourne via Wangaratta.
By Air
Regular air services operate to Albury which is
about an hour and a quarter away by road.
For more information about Bright visit
http://www.visitalpine.com/
If you would like to display your business here,
click here to contact us.
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