Page 453 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Australia

EASTERN VIC T ORIA  451

to the west and the peak of
the state’s second highest
mountain, Mount Feathertop,
to its south. The trees along
Bright’s main street flame into
spectacular colours of red,
gold, copper and brown for its
Autumn Festival in April and
May (see p46). In winter, the
town turns into a gateway to
the snow fields, with the resorts
of Mount Hotham and Falls
Creek in the Victorian Alps close
Classic 19th-century architecture in the rural town of Mansfield by (see pp452–3). In summer,
swimming and fly-fishing for
hung in Melbourne in 1880 above the town. The sealed trout in the Ovens River are
(see p398). mountain road to Falls Creek popular activities.
The scenery of Mansfield (see pp452–3) is one of the main The spectacular Mount
Buffalo National Park is is
Buffalo Na
became well known as the access routes to the region’s Buffalo National Parktional Park
location for the 1981 film The ski slopes in winter. In summer, also popular all year round;
Man from Snowy River, which om Snowy River, which om Snowy River
Man fr
Man fr Rocky Valley Dam is popular visitors can camp amid the
was based on the poet “Banjo” for boating, kayaking and snow gums by Lake Catani
Paterson’s legendary ballad swimming. There are beautiful and walk its flower-flecked
of the same name (see p39). bushwalks, and at the top mountain pastures and peaks,
Today, visitors can ride a horse of the High Plains, there are fish for trout, hang-glide off
or bike on one of the many opportunities for fishing, the granite tors over the Ovens
trails, or visit the Mansfield Zoo, mountain biking, horse-riding Valley or rock-climb the imposing
which is home to more than and hang-gliding. sheer cliffs. During the winter,
100 animals, including lions Mount Buffalo is a great place
and kangaroos. for cross-country skiing and
qBright snow play. A range of walking
Environs * 2,500. @ n 5/6 Anderson St trails are available with
The excellent downhill slopes (03) 5755 2275. ∑ brightvictoria. wonderful views of Buckland
of the Mount Buller ski resort com.au Valley. Other activities on
(see pp452–3) are less than one offer include canoeing, caving,
hour’s drive from Mansfield. Bright is a picturesque horse-riding and paragliding.
Mount Stirling (see pp452–3) mountain town near the head
offers year-round activities, of the Ovens River Valley, with Y Mount Buffalo National Park
such as mountain bike riding the towering rocky cliffs of Mount Buffalo Rd. Tel 13 19 63. &
(see p538). Mount Buffalo (see pp452–3) 7 some areas.
0Mount Beauty
* 2,300. @ n 31 Bogong High
Plains Rd, Mt Beauty (03) 5755 0596.
∑ mtbeauty.com
The town of Mount Beauty
was first built to house workers
on the Kiewa hydro-electricity
scheme in the 1940s. It has
since developed into a good
base for exploring the beauty
of the Kiewa Valley, with its
tumbling river and dairy farms.
Also nearby is the wilderness
of the Bogong High Plains and
the Alpine National P
the Alpine National P
the Alpine National Park (see ark (see ark
pp452–3), with their walks,
wildflowers and snow gums.
Within the national park,
Mount Bogong, Victoria’s
highest mountain, rises an
impressive 1,986 m (6,516 ft) Buffalo River meandering through Mount Buffalo National Park