5 Family Fun Adventures in Bright, Australia

5 Family Fun Adventures in Bright, Australia
Alexandra
Alexandra 
Updated
| 5 min read

Nestled in the High Country of Victoria, Australia lies a small tourist town. Year-round events, shops, and a national park just around the corner await you when you stay in this beautiful lush valley of Victoria. The great outdoors is made accessible with a variety of activities in this town for a beautiful autumn season, winter snow, or summer sunshine for a wonderful vacation! A suitable family spot for unplugging from our gadgets and reconnecting with family.

Rent a bike

Bright is known as a cycling haven. The town has more than 3 bike rental shops, including one that has turned itself into a hotel and café to boot. Many of the accommodations and bike shops provide cycling maps free of charge. The town is surrounded by several different trails that go for hundreds of kilometres compared with just a few for the town next door. There are several group tours, foodie themed routes, and even a brewery tour available for those wanting to mingle and meet fellow cyclists. The Murray to Mountains Rail Trail is a great way to move between towns. The trial stretches from Wangaratta all the way to Bright. Much of the trial is flat around Bright, and there are highlights of the history of the area that dot the trail. This is a great way to break up the cycle, stop, learn, and read about the Western settlers from this part of Victoria.

Bright Electric Bikes

Address: 2 Delany Avenue

Price: from $15-65 USD for hour, half, and full day rentals. Includes non electric bike rentals, kid tagalong, and kid trailer rentals

Opening Hours: Thursday - Tuesday, 9am - 6pm

Contact: (03) 5755 1309 or info@brightelectricbikes.com.au

Website: Bright Electric Bikes

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Walking tours

Suspension bridges dangle between the Morses and Ovens River that flow through Bright. Many of the paths follow one river or another. Walk through farmland, paved roads, lush forestry, and even catch a sight or two of the beautiful wild birds that belong to Bright. Like cycling, many of the accommodations provide walking maps that detail length, difficulty, and what to do. Stop by various parts of the river beds to skip stones, or take a picnic on the grass. Whatever you choose, you’re sure to enjoy the relaxing outdoors. One of the most popular trails is the Canyon Walk. Bright used to be a huge mining town and as such the river beds have deep pockets of earth that have been carved away. The exposed rock and clay make for beautiful deep red contrast to the waters of the rivers. Pebbles and rocks come in all shapes and composition on the shore line. The Diggings Walk will take you to Wandiligong. While a bit of a stretch out to get to, you’ll be rewarded with a wonderful Chinese Swinging Bridge to pay homage to the Chinese immigrants who followed the call of the gold rush all those years ago. In fact, Wandiligong used to host hundreds of Chinese immigrants during the height of the gold rush. Nearby in town is also a huge hedge maze!

Bright Walking Trails

Price: Free

Website: Bright Walks & Trails Guide

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Local craft cuisine

Bright knows how to treat its visitors. There are plenty of restaurants, shops, and stores of all sorts to discover gifts and treats to delight us. Here are some of the best:

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Le Blanche Ice Creamery

5 family fun adventures in bright, australia | le blanche ice creamery
Source: Pic Jumbo

Situated just in front of the Morses River and the riverside park, Le Blanche sits ready to serve its creamy, frozen delights to any passerby. Their ice cream may not be the best you’ve ever had, but they offer a number of home-made flavours that are beyond the normal Neapolitan offerings. If you’re lucky enough to grab them that is! This establishment is often busy all day long from opening to close. Rum Raisin was a divine treat, and others have noted it for its Apple Pie variation. So pick up a treat and saunter over to the park to lap up your sweet treat by the flowing water of Bright.

Le Blanche Creamery

Address: 109 Gavin Street

Price: from $3-10 USD

Opening Hours: 10am - 8pm. Off peak hours mary vary

Access: From the center of town, a 3 minute walk. Head north east, take a left on Barnard Street, and Le Blanche will be at the intersection of Barnard and Gavin.

Contact: (03) 5755 1243

Website: Le Blanche Creamery

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Italian-Indian at Shimla

5 family fun adventures in bright, australia | italian-indian at shimla
Source: Puzzled Pilgrim

Can’t decide on one cuisine? Treat the whole family at Shimla, the Italian-Indian restaurant. Owned by a couple who have been in the business for quite some time, this establishment lets both cuisines shine on their own terms, together. Just to be clear this is not a fusion kind of place. It is just a dual menu kind of deal. A kid’s menu is provided as well if you’re looking for something simple and well known. The owners are nothing but gracious, and often come out to check on their customers. A wonderful spot for a family meal.

Shimla

Address: 5 Camp St, Bright, Victoria 3741, Australia

Price: from $15-23 USD

Opening Hours: 6pm - 10pm Thursday through Monday

Access: 4 min walk from downtown roundabout

Contact: (03) 5755 1676

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Bright Chocolate – Bean to Bar

Speaking of treats, there is another sweet store just a skip away from the ice cream parlour. Ever wonder how chocolate is made? Then this is your stop! Tastings, a factory tour, and more can be found within the confines of this shop that offers so much more than just chocolate. The business really caters to the exploration and understanding of chocolate bar production. Their offerings rotate frequently, and their products are sold throughout Victoria, a nod to their reception of others outside the tourist offerings. Stop by and figure out what makes these bars so good!

Bright Chocolate

Address: 8/3 Riverside Ave, Bright - PO Box 544 Bright VIC 3741

Price: from $5-10 USD

Opening Hours: 10am - 5pm

Access: 4 min walk from downtown roundabout

Contact: (03) 5750 1235

Website: Bright Chocolate

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Bright Splash Park

Cool off by the river
Source: Puzzled Pilgrim

Grab your swimsuit! We’re taking a dip! Bright has a wonderful little waterpark that is great for the younger crowd. It’s situated near the Morses and Ovens River. The water park has a set of water features for different ages from small sprinklers to a top-heavy drench bucket in Centenary Park. For older crowds, it’s not uncommon to find a few people sunbathing by the river bank, or dipping their feet in the river. If you’re lucky, a few of the slides built right on the river bank may be in operation!

Bright Splash Park

Address: 5/6 Anderson Street, Bright

Price: Free

Opening Hours: 9am - 6pm. Closed on public holidays.

Duration: around 3 hours required.

Access: 7 min walk from downtown roundabout

Website: Bright Splash Park

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Mt Buffalo National Park

This national treasure offers a range of short to long excursions that can take in varying levels of difficulty. Take in a hike, visit the waterfalls, or camp in one of the various sites. Don’t think the park is limited to the seasons either. Winter also offers a chance for tobogganing, snow shoeing, or cross country skiing. Looking to spot some wildlife? The park is also host to kangaroos, wallabies, possums, gliders, a variety of birds and wombats. Don’t forget to check out Dingo Dell for a chance to spot these canines and take in a treat at the café. We absolutely recommend you drive up the Chalet for breathtaking views. There are several foot paths that follow the Crystal Creek, head out to a nearby lake, or a small heritage loop that goes from the top of Mt. Buffalo. The Chalet, while not currently operable, is a beautiful piece of architecture with bright gardens. The top of the mountain is also host to a paragliding launch pad!

Mt. Buffalo National Park

Address: Mount Buffalo VIC 3740, Australia

Price: Free

Opening Hours: Dawn to Dusk

Access: 45 min drive from Bright

Website: Mt. Buffalo National Park

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A true tourist town for all ages

Bright isn’t just a small one-off vacation location. It is a true tourist town but it caters to all sorts of ages, groups, and activities. From the beautiful slow river walks to the winter tobogganing, there are plenty of adventures that await! So what are you waiting for? Pack up the car and head to the Alpine High Country!

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Any must-sees we missed? Tell us about them in the comments section or write a post here to help out fellow travelers!
Disclosure: Trip101 selects the listings in our articles independently. Some of the listings in this article contain affiliate links.

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Hello, my name is Alexandra Heidler. I'm an American native who lives with her Indonesian husband in Bandung, Indonesia. I've been an English teacher turned freelance writer and researcher. I like...Read more

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