Walking Tracks Around Bright,
Victoria
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(Easy - 3 km; 1.5 hours return)
Bright's most popular walk takes you past a small canyon carved by the
Ovens River and amazing water races carved by the hands of early miners.
Enjoy the ever changing river in all seasons and watch for birdlife and
wildflowers especially in spring.
A - Start at Star Bridge or the end of Riverside Ave. The northern
track (B) which has steep steps and may be difficult for people with limited
mobility
C - For an easy loop, continue past the suspension bridge to the
railway bridge and return along the Alpine Rail Trail.
D - Along the southern bank are many deep and narrow water races,
cut by hand through solid rock. The deeper the race, the further the mining
site was from the river.
NB. Caution - cliffs and steep banks.
(Easy)
This popular bike and walking track is ideal for families with pushers.
It officially starts at the "old" Bright Railway Station (now the museum)
but you can join or leave this converted railway line at many different
places along its length to create your own walk route.
(Medium - 2.5 km; 2 hours return)
E - The best place to park is near the school on Hargreaves Street.
Look for the signposted start of the walking track where the eucalypt
forest meets Hargreaves Road. In spring, look for native orchids on walks
3 & 7.
(Easy - 0.5 or 1 km 05 or 0.75 hour return)
Stroll around one or both of these reservoirs. The first dam was built
in 1892 and the second in 1916 to provide a permanent supply of water
to the town, railway station and trains.
The reservoirs no longer provide water to Bright but they do offer a peaceful
place for walking. Enjoy watching and listening for wildlife in the former
reservoirs, now home to platypus, tortoise, fish. frogs and yabbies. Try
your luck at catching a trout.
Lots of fungi grow among the leaf litter in autumn.
Try a spotlight walk here at night. Bring a strong torch and warm clothing.
F - Follow the walking track that leads from the Information Shelter
then follow the signs to circle one or both reservoirs.
(Easy - 2.5km: 1.5 hours return)
Explore the quiet reaches of Morses Creek between the caravan park and
Dougherty Bridge. Mines Department Battery near Dougherty Bridge was erected
as recently as 1956. This five-head stamp battery provided quartz crushing
facilities for gold prospectors until it closed in 1994. The battery and
forge is opened for viewing during festivals and school holidays.
G - Start at either Hawthorn Lane or Dougherty Bridge, follow
the track along one side of the creek to a bridge then complete the loop
via the other side of the creek.
(Medium - 3 km; 2 hours return)
H - Drive to Quinn's Gap up Mt Porepunkah Road. Park a short way
up gravel track where the walking track turns right, off the gravel track.
The steady climb rewards you with views of Mt Feathertop, Mt Fainter,
and Mt Bogong. the highest peak in Victoria.
J - Eucalypt forests of Peppermints and Box cover these lower slopes
of the Victorian Alps. Crush a leaf and smell it to discover which is
the Peppermint. Look for evidence of wombats or wallabies.
 
(Medium - 1.5 km; 1 hours return)
K - Park here along Deacon Ave for Huggins Lookout Walk. Walk
along Deacon Ave and Zivan Court to the start of the Walking track. Return
the same way.
(Easy -3 km: 1.5 hour, return)
Stroll along the banks of the now picturesque Ovens River and reflect
in its past. Once a hectic noisy scene of gold digging and dredging, it
is now a place for relaxation and quiet strolls.
Stripped of its gold and plant cover, the land on both sides of the river
had been left in a severely degraded state, even though the companies
had promise to replace the topsoil. In 1916 this was the site of the first
experimental pine plantings to reclaim a dredged area. This test planting
showed that Radiata Pine survived well and other dredge tailings, began
being restored by planting them with Pines. Their success led to the establishment
of commercial Pine Plantations on non-mined areas.
The Cherry family name is still a common one in the area.
L - Start near the Water Slide on Mountbatten Ave. Follow the
southern bank of the river to the suspension bridge and return along the
northern bank. This walk can also be started at the parking area where
Hawthorn Lane meets the river.
(Easy - 5 km: 2 hours return)
Walk from Bright to Wandiligong along picturesque Morses Creek. As you
saunter up and down the old dredgings and past its little rocky gorges,
rapids and quiet secluded holes, contemplate how important the local creek
and river have been and continue to be to the region. Native eucalyptus
shade much of the track.
M - Start at Dougherty Bridge Bright
(Easy -1 km: 1 hour return )
Park at either Alpine Park or Royal Bridge and complete this circuit of
Wandiligong's historic sites and buildings, imagining it filled with the
3000 people that once lived here.
N - Alpine Park has been a recreation reserve since 1877. The
original 1884 pavilion was recently rebuilt.
P - The first section of the impressive Wandiligong School was
completed in 1877. It had to be extended to cope with 300 students during
the gold era.
Q - First official Post Office built in 1885, replacing, General
store and Post Office on adjoining site.
(Easy - 2km, 1 hour return)
Starting at either Alpine Park or Royal Bridge. This loop takes you through
the goldfields of Wandiligong. The Dig- area has been subjected to almost
every type of mining. The first diggers in 1860s sluiced for alluvial
gold with gold pan, sluice box and cradle. Deep mine shafts were then
sunk to locate deep leads of gold bearing rock. Heavy machinery in the
form of the Wandiligong Number 1 Dredge worked the area between 1905 to
1914.
R - This area was worked by Chinese and contained a small settlement
of houses, shops, flower and vegetable garden and a Joss House.
S - The Wandiligong Number 1 Dredge worked over the old alluvial
diggings between the Hall, Post Office and Hotel, leaving the whole area
severely degraded.
T - Adit. (Mine entrance) Collapsed and filled with water
U - Stephens Water Race. This channel carried water to the water
wheel in Stephens Mill.
(Easy - 2km: 1 hour return)
Explore the quiet back lanes of Wandiligong to Williams United Mine and
return past the Hotel. Still a great pub for a drink and chat - if only
the walls could talk!
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