HOW TO GET TO BRIGHT
Surrounded by the rugged mountain ranges of the Great Dividing Range, a trip to Bright will feel worlds away. But you won't need a SpaceX flight to get here. Here are a few ways to find us.
BY CAR
Bright is under an hour drive, or 75km, from Wangaratta along the Great Alpine Road, one of the most scenic drives in the country. The Great Alpine Road starts in Wangaratta and runs 300km to Bairnsdale, passing through the towns of Myrtleford, Bright, Harrietville, Dinner Plain and Omeo. You can approach Bright from either direction. The road reaches an elevation of 1,825 metres at The Cross at Mount Hotham, making it the highest sealed road in the country.
FROM MELBOURNE
The fastest way is to travel north-east along the M31 Hume Freeway and take the Snow Road east through Milawa to join the Great Alpine Road at Gapsted, following it south until you reach Bright. The average drive time from Melbourne along this route is 3.5 hours.
If approaching from Bairnsdale, pay close attention to the weather; the alpine peaks are covered in snow during winter and early spring, with snowfalls possible anytime of year. Snow chains must be carried during the snow season.
FROM SYDNEY
Leave Sydney via the M5 Mororway, joining the M31 Hume Motorway, which becomes the M31 Hume Highway past Berrima. Continue south, exiting at Wodonga on the B400 and turning south along the scenic Yackandanda-Wodonga Road.
Join the Great Alpine Road at Myrtleford and continue south to Bright.
The drive is roughly seven hours, although please allow more time for rest stops and meal breaks.
BY PUBLIC BUS
The public V/Line service runs daily buses between Bright and Wangaratta Railway Station, with most services quickly connecting with a train service to or from Melbourne. Wait times for services to and from Sydney may be longer. A public bus service during the school term runs from Myrtleford to Albury-Wodonga each morning and Albury-Wodonga to Myrtleford each afternoon.
The Alps Bus Link, operated by Dyson, runs three days a week and offers affordable services from Bright to Omeo via Harrietville, Mount Hotham and Dinner Plain. Please note: summer and winter timetables vary.
To find the right service for you, please use the Public Transport Victoria Journey Planner.
BY PRIVATE COACH
Alpine Spirit Coaches and Snowdog Transport run charter services all year throughout the region, including snow services in winter.
During winter, coach services operated by HothamBus and FallsBus run from Adelaide, Albury, Melbourne and Sydney to Mount Hotham and Falls Creek, including stops at Myrtleford, Bright and Harrietville.
BY PLANE
Albury Airport is a 1.5 hour drive from Bright and facilitates daily flights from commercial airliners Qantas and Regional Express (REX).
The airport is serviced by four vehicle hire companies – Avis, Budget, Thrifty and Hertz.
Taxis and transfer services are available, including transfers to Mount Hotham and Falls Creek during the ski season.
Please note: public buses do not stop at the airport.
BY PRIVATE FLIGHT
There are three small airfields in the region that cater to private planes, helicopters and charter flights.
These are:
Taxis are available to transport visitors to nearby townships. For Porepunkah, phone 0423 015 152 or for Mount Beauty, phone 0409 573 909.
WE'RE WAITING FOR YOU
WAYS TO GET AROUND THE SURROUNDS
Sure, you can drive your own car, but if you want to make the most of the award-winning wines, craft beer and gin that our region has to offer, or have someone drive you to the snow, you might prefer to take a taxi, bus or charter service. We've also got plenty of hire bikes for making the most of the shared paths throughout our region. Here are a few services to get you around Bright & Surrounds.
OTHER EXPERIENCES YOU'LL LOVE
Alpine Valleys Wine Region
On this tour of the Alpine Valleys you can tailor your visit to include four or five of the regions finest wineries and cellar doors. Pick up from your accommodation in the morning is around 10:00am and drop off around 5:00 – 5:30pm. Experience a range of the boutique wineries that surround Rutherglen including: Touring…
Traverse Hotham
Traverse Hotham specialises in the journey, immersion in nature, understanding the alpine environment and exploring at a human pace – discover trails less travelled and a whole other world out there! Learn to cross country ski and go free-range. No crowds, no lifts, no passes. XC skiing is your key to exploring at your own…
Mt Buffalo Family Abseiling
Ready to get the family outdoors, into some sunshine and have an adventure? This is the abseiling tour for you. Perfect for first-timers and kids, we’ll have a range of abseils on offer from nice and small for the kids and the nervous up to 25 meters to test anyone! This will push you out…
Portaledge Cliff Camping – Beyond The Edge
Beyond the Edge is Australia’s first and the world’s highest commercial portaledge cliff camping experience. This unique adventure experience includes a thrilling overnight stay on a portaledge suspended over a sheer 300 metre cliff face in the stunning Mount Buffalo gorge. Abseil down to your portaledge perched high on the majestic cliffs of the North…
Women’s Intro to Night Riding Workshop
Experience the trails after dark! Ever wondered what it’s like to ride under the stars? Join this Intro to Night Riding Workshop, a two-hour session designed for pre-intermediate riders looking to build confidence and skills for after-dark adventures! What You’ll Learn: Lighting 101 – Get the lowdown on the best bike lights, setup, and positioning…
Howling Husky Park
Howling Huskys offers thrilling dog sled tours, heartwarming husky meet-and-greets, snowmobile rides, dingo encounters, husky walks, live sled dog demonstrations and festive husky transport for Christmas events. They also host unique wildlife parties and so much more. There’s something for every animal lover, adventurer and snow seeker. Join them at Howling Husky Park for an…
Mt Bogong Snowshoe Tour
The winter ascent experience on Mount Bogong, Victoria’s highest peak, in the snow. This adventure is for bush walkers and hikers who are excited to see the high country in winter. You will cover around 16 kilometres and return via the Staircase Spur track to the summit. The tour begins at Mountain Creek Camp car…
Ovens River Family Kayaking
This is a perfect way to see the Ovens River if you’d prefer a more relaxed trip. The tour runs for approximately three hours and we will paddle near Myrtleford taking in some great scenery with a couple of smaller rapids near the end. If the rapids look too wild it’s easy to portage around.…
Mt Bogong Pack Horse Tour
Highest of High Country, featuring spectacular climbs and descents across the top of Victoria. Wild rivers, stunning views, secluded camps and diverse landscapes. The horses are a feature of this expedition, each of them our own bred and trained mountain horse, expertly matched to the rider. Each day the camp is packed up, loaded onto…