Bright

The Ovens River valley provides a great drive. Lovely lush farmlands, beautiful trees changing colour with the season, and the wonderful Mt Buffalo over to one side. The views from atop the mountain are spectacular. Bright was not what we expected – a tad more modern that historic. But a great place to grab a coffee and soak up the atmosphere.

We went to Bright and Mt Buffalo on 29 April. We were staying in Wangaratta.

Kerry’s snippets in fuchsia

History

The First Nations peoples of the Upper Ovens, Buffalo and Buckland Rivers were members of the Ya-itma-thang tribal group. They occupied the lower reaches of the river valleys throughout the year. Camps were established on the softer-soil plains of the open flat country where water and food sources were plentiful.

Groups visited elevated areas, such as the Buffalo Plateau, during the spring and summer months to hold ceremonies and harvest the Bogong Moths, roasting and eating them for their high fat content. Millions of moths congregated in rock crevasses and were considered a delicacy.

The arrival of explorers in 1824, and subsequent widespread land clearing of the valleys by the pastoralists who followed, proved catastrophic for the original inhabitants. The last of the Ya-itma-thang people had died out or had left the district by the early 1880s, seeking refuge in “pastoral protectorates”such as Murchison. Their displacement brought an end to cultural traditions dating back many thousands of years.

Hume and Hovell explored the area in 1824, naming the Ovens River. A town formed, first known as Morse’s Creek but in 1861 it was renamed in honour of the British orator and politician John Bright. The Post Office opened in 1860 as Morse’s Creek, and was renamed Bright in 1866.

During the Victorian gold rush there was a scramble to the nearby Buckland River. As the gold deposits gradually diminished, Chinese miners arrived in the area to sift the abandoned claims. Tensions between the Chinese and Anglo-Irish miners resulted in the violent Buckland Riot in 1857. Many Chinese were killed and 2,000 miners fled. The riot was eventually quelled by the Beechworth police from 80 kilometres away.

As the gold finds began to dwindle, many miners turned to farming. The rich soil of the Ovens Valley proved adaptable to a diverse range of agriculture, with tobacco, hops, oats, maize, nuts and fruits grown along the valley.

Vineyards and wineries are not new to the valley – for example the famous Brown Bros have been making wine in the area since 1889. The original Barn is still used – circa 1860. Pine trees were planted on land that was ruined for agriculture by the destruction caused by the gold dredges that had worked and scraped their way along the valley floor during the early 1900s.

The boom in agriculture still continues and the town itself has grown from a small scraggly settlement of timber and canvas dwellings to a busy tourist destination with a large variety of shops, restaurants and cafes.

To Porepunkah

It is a lovely drive south-east into the Ovens River Valley. We saw very similar landscapes to those we had seen driving the King Valley – thriving agriculture, grapes, lots of trees, many in their autumn cloaks, and villages. All so pretty.

We did not stop at Myrtleford as we were unsure of our schedule. Also it looked like a new town rather than the typical historic towns we had grown to love. But there were some lovely trees through the town.

As we got further south towards Porepunkah we saw the mountains begin to close in on the valley. Nice country.

Porepunkah

We stopped at the river at Porepunkah, a nice little town. The river is as still as a mill pond so the reflections of colour are stunning. Looking at the still river, it would be easy to get confused – which is the reflection and which the reality?

I especially love this pic. Me too.

Bright

On to Bright and the colours kept coming.

We walked around the town noticing that there are far fewer historic buildings compared to most other towns we had been to. The town has a good atmosphere but it seems more modern that others.

There were beautiful trees down by the river. And many more reflections.

In fact everywhere we walked we found more glorious trees. Oh, to be here when the trees really do put on their autumn coat. We think we may be just a couple of weeks early for the best of the autumn colours, but they are still amazing.

Mount Buffalo

We went back to Porepunkah so as to turn up the road to Mt Buffalo. It is a good sealed road with so many twists and turns, and the occasional view to the mountain top, as well as down the valley.

Near the top we came to a flat basin-like area where the road to the Chalet turned to the left. Almost like a hanging wetland. I can’t remember from Geography what these things are called – a Perched something or other I think.

It is not far until we get to the Chalet and we park and go straight to Bents Lookout. Stunning views.

To one side were a couple hanging off the top of the cliff sitting on a hammock like seat – hanging out and admiring the view.

We went up to the Chalet, circa 1910, expecting lunch or even afternoon tea, but it was all closed and has been for some time. Lovely building, shame it is all locked up. You would think it would be a real money spinner, just offering devonshire teas… After all the money spent on renovations, it is so sad to see it out of bounds.