Bright (pronunciation: ) is a town in northeastern
Victoria,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
, 319 metres above
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...
at the southeastern end of the
Ovens Valley. At the , Bright had a population of 2,620.
It is located in the
Alpine Shire local government area.
History

Hamilton Hume and William Hovell
explored the area in 1824, naming the
Ovens River.
The town was first known as Morse's Creek after F.H. Morse but in 1861 it was renamed in honour of the British orator and politician
John Bright. The Post Office opened on 25 January 1860 as Morse's Creek and was renamed Bright in 1866.
During the
Victorian gold rush there was a rush to the nearby Buckland River. As the gold deposits gradually diminished, Chinese miners arrived in the area to sift the abandoned claims. Tensions over Chinese success from Anglo-Irish miners caused the violent
Buckland Riot in nearby
Porepunkah in 1857, resulting in deaths of Chinese miners and the fleeing of 2,000 Chinese. The riot was eventually quelled by the
Beechworth police under the command of
Robert O'Hara Burke from 80 kilometres away. Two years later, Bright itself was home to what became known as the
Morses Creek Riots in which a Chinese miner was bludgeoned to death beside the river.
Bright has a rich cultural heritage and many locations within the town along with street names can be traced to present day residents. The Bright Historical Society has extensive records of the region's past.
The Bright Magistrates' Court closed on 1 January 1990.
Features
The main industry of the town at the beginning of the 21st century is tourism, with much focus on the autumnal colours of the European trees planted in the area. A major cultural event is the Bright Autumn Festival.
Due to the number of paragliding and hang glider launch sites close to Bright, the town has been a centre of activity for paragliding festivals and competitions.
Bright is a major gateway to alpine scenery and has a variety of native birds and animals.
Morses Creek and the Ovens River have adjoining tracks for short or long walks.
Bright is also a popular family destination over summer and the population swells, particularly after Christmas. During the summer months Bright enjoys consistently warm and sunny days with comfortable overnight temperatures.
The town is close to the Victorian Alps and various alpine national parks including the
Mount Buffalo National Park.
Mount Feathertop,
Mount Bogong and
Mount Hotham are also near the township. At 1986 metres above
sea level
Mean sea level (MSL, often shortened to sea level) is an mean, average surface level of one or more among Earth's coastal Body of water, bodies of water from which heights such as elevation may be measured. The global MSL is a type of vertical ...
, Bogong is the highest peak in the state of Victoria, and Feathertop is the second highest at 1922 metres.
The railway station has been preserved as a local history museum. Although trains no longer run from the township, the 95 km
Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail allows cyclists to travel the same route that train passengers would have travelled via the townships of
Myrtleford,
Beechworth and
Wangaratta
Wangaratta ( ) is a city in the northeast of Victoria, Australia, from Melbourne along the Hume Highway. The city had a population of 29,808 per the 2021 Australian Census.
The city is located at the confluence, junction of the Ovens River, ...
.
Climate
Owing to its southern latitude, Bright has an
oceanic climate
An oceanic climate, also known as a marine climate or maritime climate, is the temperate climate sub-type in Köppen climate classification, Köppen classification represented as ''Cfb'', typical of west coasts in higher middle latitudes of co ...
(''Cfb'') under the
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...
scheme, with four distinct seasons. Summer is warm and usually dry, with very cool nights. Autumn is cool and damp. Winter is characterised by extended cloudy periods and chilling rains, and Spring is frequented by storms. Frost is common throughout the year, with occasional winter snow. The highest recorded temperature in Bright was on 8 February 1983 and the lowest recorded temperature was on 30 June 1986.
Education
Bright P-12 College is located within walking distance of the town centre. The college population includes students from the nearby townships of
Porepunkah,
Harrietville and
Wandiligong. The college also operates an annex school in
Dinner Plain during the winter season.
The college is one of a few state educational facilities in Victoria where primary and secondary students share the same campus.
Flora and fauna
The local area has a variety of plants and animals. Many
wildflowers, large and small trees, undergrowth and
fern
The ferns (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta) are a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. They differ from mosses by being vascular, i.e., having specialized tissue ...
s can be seen close to each other. Within 350 metres of the town centre, just a few minutes walk,
platypus
The platypus (''Ornithorhynchus anatinus''), sometimes referred to as the duck-billed platypus, is a semiaquatic, egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern Australia, including Tasmania. The platypus is the sole living representative or monotypi ...
, fish,
yabbies and amphibians can be seen in their natural environment. Overhead there are
dragonflies
A dragonfly is a flying insect belonging to the infraorder Anisoptera below the order Odonata. About 3,000 extant species of dragonflies are known. Most are tropical, with fewer species in temperate regions. Loss of wetland habitat threate ...
,
harmless native bees and many species of birds including
willy wagtail,
kookaburra
Kookaburras (pronounced ) are terrestrial animal, terrestrial tree kingfishers of the genus ''Dacelo'' native to Australia and New Guinea, which grow to between in length and weigh around . The name is a loanword from Wiradjuri language, Wira ...
,
magpie
Magpies are birds of various species of the family Corvidae. Like other members of their family, they are widely considered to be intelligent creatures. The Eurasian magpie, for instance, is thought to rank among the world's most intelligent c ...
and
cockatoo
A cockatoo is any of the 21 species of parrots belonging to the family Cacatuidae, the only family in the superfamily Cacatuoidea. Along with the Psittacoidea ( true parrots) and the Strigopoidea (large New Zealand parrots), they make up t ...
which can often be heard in the area.
Lyrebirds can be heard outside of town and
wombats and the occasional
echidna can be seen. Several species of mostly small reptile such as lizards live in the area and
goannas or
snake
Snakes are elongated limbless reptiles of the suborder Serpentes (). Cladistically squamates, snakes are ectothermic, amniote vertebrates covered in overlapping scales much like other members of the group. Many species of snakes have s ...
s can be found on one of the many nearby wooded bushwalking tracks.
Sport
Hang-gliding and
paragliding are popular activities and the Mystic Flight Park is located 3 kilometres from town.
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment (Freshwater ecosystem, freshwater or Marine ecosystem, marine), but may also be caught from Fish stocking, stocked Body of water, ...
occurs in the rivers and dams in the area and are stocked with trout from the local hatchery. Native
Murray cod have also been caught in the local rivers, but these are becoming increasingly rare.
Mountain biking
Mountain biking (MTB) is a sport of riding bicycles off-road, often over rough terrain, usually using specially designed mountain bikes. Mountain bikes share similarities with other bikes but incorporate features designed to enhance durability ...
trails exist close to the town centre. The tracks range from technical, fast, singletracks to easy river side rides. Best trails are found within the Baker's Gully area and downhill tracks are located off Mystic Hill, Apex Hill and in the Porepunkah pines on the south side of the Ovens River.
Cycling
Cycling, also known as bicycling or biking, is the activity of riding a bicycle or other types of pedal-driven human-powered vehicles such as balance bikes, unicycles, tricycles, and quadricycles. Cycling is practised around the world fo ...
: The
Audax Alpine Classic cycle event is run every
Australia Day
Australia Day is the official national day of Australia. Observed annually on 26 January, it marks the 1788 landing of the First Fleet and raising of the Flag of Great Britain, Union Flag of Great Britain by Arthur Phillip at Sydney Cove, a ...
weekend by
Audax Australia with over 2000 cyclists descending on Bright. The 200 km route takes the rider to
Falls Creek and back and then a return trip to
Mount Buffalo.
The town has an
Australian Rules football team competing in the
Ovens & King Football League.
Golfers play at the Bright Country Golf Club on Back Porepunkah Road.
Bright is the location of The Buffalo Stampede, which was Australia's first ever Sanctioned
Skyrunning event in April 2014 with 2 events (75 km Ultra SkyMarathon and 42 km SkyMarathon). Starting and finishing at Howitt Park, the 75 km Ultra SkyMarathon takes runners up Mystic Hill, down to Baker's Gully, over Clearspot before descending into the Buckland Valley. Runners then make their way up Keatings Ridge over to Eurobin Creek before climbing The Big Walk to the Mt Buffalo Chalet. Once at the Chalet runners take the underground river track to Lake Catani and travel through Chalwell's Galleries before making their way back to the Chalet and retracing their steps all the way back to Howitt Park. The 42 km SkyMarathon takes on the same route but finishes at the Mount Buffalo Chalet once runners have completed the Chalet loop to Lake Catani and through Chalwell's Galleries to take them up to the 42 km mark. In 2015 a new event (The Sky26er) will be a part of this event. The Sky 26er will also start in Howitt Park before crossing the Ovens River and running up and over Quins Gap then climbing Telegraph Spur to the top of Mt Porepunkah. Once at the summit of Mt Porepunkah runners descend to Smart Creek Gap before climbing Tawonga Gap Ridge and making their way to Apex Lookout before they descend back into Bright to finish at Howitt Park. With a successful debut in 2014, the Buffalo Stampede is set to bring record numbers of runners and supporters to the township of Bright in April 2015.
Local attractions

Local attractions include farms, wineries, historic sites, fruit orchards, restaurants, touring the beautiful natural landscape, surrounding mountains and more.
There are many events held in the Bright township and surrounding areas.
In spring, Bright holds regular markets, as well as the Bright Spring Festival, Bright 6 Hour Mountain Bike Event, Bright High Country Horse Endurance Ride, Art Exhibitions, Bright Grand Fireworks Spectacular and Concert, Bright Alpine Four Peaks Mountain Climb Harrietville Bluegrass and Traditional Country Music Convention and the Alpine Delight (Audax Cycling Event).
In summer, one can attend the Christmas Carols at the Bright Art Gallery, Carols by Candlelight at the Bright Sound Shell, the Rotary Waterside at Centenary Park or go for a Tandem Paraglide for an aerial view of Bright, or the Tour of Duty Bright, Military 6x6 vehicle for all the mountain secrets.
There are also many markets in Bright and
Harrietville, as well as the Alpine Valley's Gourmet Weekend and Drive in Movies at Pioneer Park. SP Ausnet - Tour of Bright - Road Cycling Race
Autumn brings the Bright Autumn Festival featuring lush
autumn leaf colour
Autumn leaf color is a phenomenon that affects the normally green leaves of many deciduous trees and shrubs by which they take on, during a few weeks in the autumn season, various shades of yellow, orange, red, purple, and brown. The phenomenon ...
, the Alpine Classic Golf Tournament, held in Bright,
Myrtleford and
Wangaratta
Wangaratta ( ) is a city in the northeast of Victoria, Australia, from Melbourne along the Hume Highway. The city had a population of 29,808 per the 2021 Australian Census.
The city is located at the confluence, junction of the Ovens River, ...
. The Bright Easter Market is on as well as the Alpine Film Festival. The Buffalo Stampede
Ultramarathon
An ultramarathon is a footrace longer than the traditional marathon distance of . The sport of running ultramarathons is called ultra running or ultra distance running.
Various distances, surfaces, and formats are raced competitively, from the ...
starting and finishing in Howitt Park is held mid-April bringing runners from all over the world to compete.
Winter brings snow to the surrounding peaks and the opening of the Snow Season on
Queen's Birthday weekend.
Transport
Road access to town is via the
Great Alpine Road connecting to the Melbourne to Sydney
Hume Freeway
The Hume Highway, including the sections now known as the Hume Freeway and the Hume Motorway, is one of Australia's major inter-city National Highway (Australia), national highways, running for between Melbourne in the southwest and Sydney in ...
about to the northwest or to the north or through the
Murray Valley Highway to the northeast, Canberra and the east coast, or along the continuation of the Great Alpine Highway to the southeast of the state.
Air access is via small aircraft landing strips in the area like
Mount Hotham Airport by road to the southeast, and
Porepunkah Airport.
The town was served by the
Bright railway line but this closed in the 1980s. During the late 1990s the line was converted into the
Murray to the Mountains Rail Trail for cyclists and walkers. In terms of public transport, Bright is now served by a
V/Line
V/Line is a statutory authority that operates Regional rail, regional passenger rail and Intercity bus service, coach services in the Australian state of Victoria (state), Victoria. It provides passenger train services on five Commuter rail, ...
coach service from
Wangaratta
Wangaratta ( ) is a city in the northeast of Victoria, Australia, from Melbourne along the Hume Highway. The city had a population of 29,808 per the 2021 Australian Census.
The city is located at the confluence, junction of the Ovens River, ...
several times daily and the Alps Link to
Omeo via
Mount Hotham operated by
Dysons.
Media
Radio
In addition, many radio stations from
Wangaratta
Wangaratta ( ) is a city in the northeast of Victoria, Australia, from Melbourne along the Hume Highway. The city had a population of 29,808 per the 2021 Australian Census.
The city is located at the confluence, junction of the Ovens River, ...
and
Albury
Albury (; ) is a major regional city that is located in the Murray River, Murray region of New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the twin city of Albury–Wodonga, Albury-Wodonga and is located on the Hume Highway and the northern side of ...
can be heard in the Bright area.
Television
*
ABC
*
Prime7
Prime7, formerly Prime Television and other names, was an Australian Television broadcasting in Australia, television network. Prime Television launched on 17 March 1962 as ''CBN (Australian TV station), CBN-8'' in Orange, New South Wales, Ora ...
*
SBS
*
Southern Cross 10
*
WIN Television
WIN Television is an Australian television broadcasting, Australian television network owned and operated by WIN Corporation that is based in Wollongong, New South Wales. WIN commenced transmissions on 18 March 1962 as a single television stat ...
References
External links
Bright Victoria Website- tourism
Bright- government tourism site
Bright Village- Bright community website
Valley FM 87.6 Bright- Valley FM 87.6 FM narrowcast radio station in Bright
Things to do in Bright - Victoria
{{authority control
Towns in Victoria (state)
Alpine Shire
Mining towns in Victoria (state)