[Australia] Autumn Journey to the Maple Town of Bright in Victoria (Part 1)

[Australia] Victoria Autumn Maple Town Trip (Part 1)

By late April, it's time for the busiest season of the year as we rush to enjoy the autumn foliage before it withers. This year, we planned a four-day, three-night trip to Bright, a maple leaf town in the northern mountains about four hours' drive from Melbourne.

Bright, the maple leaf town four hours' drive from Melbourne

Autumn is the popular season to visit Victoria's alpine valleys. This region is renowned as the "autumn foliage town" and boasts the densest concentration of red-leafed plants in all of Victoria, bursting with vibrant maple colors when the season arrives.

Bright is also a great destination for summer hiking and water sports, winter skiing and snow activities, while autumn is the perfect time to plan a scenic drive through this picturesque area to admire the seasonal colors.

Autumn leaves blanket the entire alpine valley

The Japanese have elevated the appreciation of autumn foliage to new heights, coining the term "momijigari" (red leaf hunting) to describe the activity of seeking out the most striking maple leaves. This tradition has been popular in Japan for centuries, and this annual pilgrimage to alpine valleys during autumn has gradually become a modern travel trend.

Road trip from Melbourne to Bright town (340 km / approx. 3.5 hours)

Day 1: Road trip from Melbourne to Bright town (340 km / approx. 3.5 hours)

With shorter daylight hours in autumn, the sun begins to set around 4 pm, just as we approach Bright. We took a short break in town to enjoy the lingering twilight before checking in at our accommodation.