Established in 1856 and originally known as the Ovens township or Morses Creek Settlement, Bright is central to a range of diverse activities, culture and history. With Yack (Yackadandah), Beechworth, Harrietville, 'Kelly country', abandoned mines and ski-fields an easy drive away, Bright is the perfect stepping off point to explore the region.
First nations people enjoyed a connection with the area for 1000s of years prior to European settlement of Victoria, visiting the high country for ceremonies and food gathering.
In the 1850s the goldrush brought thousands of prospectors keen to try their luck in the diggings to the region from all over the world. These dream-of-fortune gold-miners were soon followed by further waves of migration including pastoralists and their cattle, small share farmers (such as Ned Kelly's parents and grandparents), timber cutters and more, all keen to make a go of it in this strange new land.
These days Bright is surrounded by tiny towns that once boomed which are well worth a visit and the region hosts several fascinating museums dedicated to preserving the stories of the area and its citizens.
There's no reason to go hungry when staying in Bright, incredible food and wine offerings are all part of the experience.
Thanks to its rich soils and cool climate the area is perfect for a variety of produce including berries, nuts, apples and pears, olives and citrus. Organic pork is grown by small boutique farmers and prime beef and lamb are raised on the high plains. Tasty artisan cheeses are made from the milk of local goats, sheep and cows who feast on the rich pasturelands. With all of this on offer, its only natural that these products are central to the unique dining experiences created by local chefs in the many cafes, bakeries and restaurants.
The climate and soil also allows for the production of wine from grapes which can't be grown elsewhere in the state and presents ideal conditions for the growing of hops used in the region's handcrafted ales.
The local produce is exceptional. The first high country Perigord truffle was found in June 2018 at Smoko.
The region is a foodie's dream bursting with great food, farm gate produce, wineries and specialist microbreweries just waiting to be explored.
In February 2018, the Paragliding World Cup was held in Bright.
Apart from cycling, there is a long list of other activities to be explored all year round in the picture perfect country of Bright and surrounds.
In winter the nearby ski fields are popular with downhill and cross country skiers, snowboarders and tobogganers alike. If you need to hire snow gear we recommend Porepunkah Ski Hire.
In the warmer months there are farmer's markets, music and film festivals and many kinds of outdoor activities including walking trails, horseriding, paragliding and one of Bright OnBike's personal favourites, tubing. Floating the serene river stretches of the 'Ovens' and shooting the occasional river rapids mounted on nothing but a car tyre tube, is a truly memorable experience!
More can be found in the Bright and Surrounds Visitors Guide.
To book a stay at Bright OnBike, please visit our Bookings page.
All other enquiries to Bright OnBike can be made below.
We will generally respond to your enquiry within 12 hours.
