NEWS & VIEWS
Where to spot a Platypus
They may be a national treasure, but few Australians have ever seen a platypus in the wild. Their numbers are dwindling rapidly, having lost 22% of their habitat (or three-times the size of Tasmania) over the past 30 years. And yet, here in Bright &…
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Surprise changes to the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail
It’s been 15 years since the first section of the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail opened between Myrtleford and Bright, blazing the way for cycle tourism in Australia. Now part of a whopping 185km bike-path network that stretches from Wangaratta to Bright, Beechworth, Yackandandah, Milawa…
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Our rivers are springing alive
The blue skies of spring are here and the sun is streaming down to warm the earth and awaken the buds of sleeping trees. Songbirds are celebrating. And amidst it all, our mountain rivers skip and jump on their way to the Murray and out…
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Five mistakes to avoid on your first snow holiday
We’re halfway through the snow season and hasn’t it been divine! It’s been wonderful to see a lot of new faces about, too. First trips to the snow are special memories that last a lifetime. We have, however (ah… how do we put this delicately),…
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More snow than ever on the Dinner Plain toboggan slope
Dinner Plain has cemented its place as the best place to toboggan in Australia with the opening of its very own Snow Factory—meaning more snow, more often. The Pea Shooter Toboggan Slope, located at 1,500m altitude on a protected hillside among the snow gums…
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It’s our cosiest time of year
Here in Bright & Surrounds, the last of Autumn’s leaves twirl around our feet. They’re raked from driveways and paths and piled into colourful towers for children to jump in, and the occasional doggo, too. The day’s sun brings warmth, but the evening air shivers. …
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What to expect from La Fiera 2025
It’s the most mouthwatering festival on our calendar—La Fiera, ‘The Fair’—a celebration of food, wine, fun, and Myrtleford’s Italian heritage. Timed perfectly to coincide with the Autumn harvest season, this annual festival feeds us with traditional home-cooked Italian favourites, entertains us with art, theatre,…
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Autumn Festivities Set To Begin
As the sun softens in the autumnal sky and the morning dew left by crisp, cool nights returns to the valley, the grand old trees that line the streets of Bright & Surrounds prepare for their wintery sleep. One by one, their leaves change—some to…
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Fish for Thought
At the base of Mount Feathertop, between the fresh snow-fed waters of Stony Creek and the Ovens River, is a little fishing spot where you are almost guaranteed a catch. Rainbow Trout, Golden Trout, Tiger, Brown, Brook and Cheetah Trout thrive in the cool, pristine…
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A new art gallery, bushwalking and a drive through history
What a beautiful month February is for a scenic drive along the Bogong High Plains Road and it’s been made all the more rewarding by the opening of a small art gallery in the historic Bogong Village. “We have always wanted to give a different…
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Blueberry Picking Season Is Here!
The farm gates have swung open at the blueberry farms of Bright & Surrounds, with a bumper crop ready for you to hand pick these summer holidays. “It looks like we’re going to have a really good year,” said Nathan Mirt, a third-generation local farmer…
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Give the gift of Bright & Surrounds
The countdown to Christmas is on and we’ve got your Christmas gift list covered with a tremendous range of experiences, dream stays and boutique shopping-all available as Gift Certificates! That’s right, you can sort your entire Christmas shopping list without leaving your seat. Plus, you’ll…
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