Training Near Bright

[funamotoa]

Hello All!
My partner and I are on a working holiday visa (from Vancouver, BC) and are trying to plan a few weeks training in the mountains near Melbourne. We are currently living, working and road racing in WA, but plan on being in VIC for the spring. Our friends on the Veris team suggested we make Bright our homebase. Are there any tips/leads on where to stay? We are keen to stay for at least a few weeks, and we are very flexible on timing.
Can't wait to get some climbing in again!
Thanks in advance,
Andrew & Krista

[Harrys767]

We do an annual holiday to Bright every November and usually rent a house off Stayz.com.au . The cycling in the area is fantastic and the motorists are careful and predictable given the nature of the winding roads.

Be sure to climb Mt Buffalo, Falls Creek and Mt Hotham while you're there.

Also the Bright 24hr MTB race is on 18-19 Nov and the Tour of Bright is on 1-3 Dec if those are your kind of thing. Outside of those times it's just a peaceful little town with plenty of cycling.

[march83]

Further to Harry's post, Tawonga Gap between Bright and Mt Beauty is also worth traversing, though it's not so long nor high. If you're there for a while and you're a masochist then Back of Falls is another one worth a look. The road between Omeo and BoF is some of the nicest around. There's a nice little cafe at Anglers Rest.

If you're in the area over Australia day, there's the audax alpine classic to contend with. The town gets very busy and accommodation may be hard to come by but the atmosphere is very good.

[funamotoa]

@Harry I'll check out stayz.com.au to see if we can find a place to rent for about a month. Is there an offseason/shoulder season?

@March83 we understand that there will be no shortage of masochistic rides-- right up our alley.

Thanks for the tips, we are looking forward to riding somewhere the drivers aren't trying to kill you!

A.

[Toyopet]

Bright is the place to be and almost all accomm will be cyclist friendly there. Not sure what your budget or comfort requirements are. There are also nearby towns worth considering. You may find better deals at these towns as they're less popular than Bright. But still within cycling distance.

Porepunkah - almost an outer suburb of Bright, just down the road towards Mt Buffalo. Nicely refurbished pub and a cycling cafe there.

Myrtleford – Some distance away and less cycling centric than Bright, but closer for rides up to Beechworth (the Stanley climb is not to be missed) and out to Lake Buffalo or beyond. Less touristy and a little smaller than Bright.

Wandiligong – a short distance from Bright. Nice pub there, but not much else apart from some historic buildings.

Harrietville – around 25km up the road from Bright, at the base of Mt Hotham. A pub and some cafes, but not much else there.

The above towns all connect directly to Bright via bike paths parallel to the main road. However the roads and drivers are generally good, so road cyclists use the main roads anyway.

[Hildalgo]

Here's some links to rides around the area that might be able to point you in the right direction. The riding out that way is either pretty flat, or lots of climbing. Whichever way you go, you can't go wrong

http://www.thedandenongranges.com/touri ... eek-climb/

http://www.thedandenongranges.com/touri ... auty-side/

http://www.thedandenongranges.com/high- ... nt-hotham/

http://www.thedandenongranges.com/touri ... ail-trail/

[funamotoa]

Bright is the place to be and almost all accomm will be cyclist friendly there. Not sure what your budget or comfort requirements are. There are also nearby towns worth considering. You may find better deals at these towns as they're less popular than Bright. But still within cycling distance.
...
The above towns all connect directly to Bright via bike paths parallel to the main road. However the roads and drivers are generally good, so road cyclists use the main roads anyway.

The budget is a travelers budget so we may look for something on airbnb. Stayz.com.au seems pretty upscale. We are definitely open to checking out all of the towns you listed above. Thanks for the tips!

@Hidalgo
Thanks for the routes! We will do ALL of these.

Cheers
A.

[dalai47]

Just be aware that Mt Hotham and Falls Creek ski resorts are given control of the roads to the resorts during the ski season (officially early June to end of September). Therefore you may not be allowed past the entrance station on your bicycle if being in Bright during that time.

[jules21]

I've found the cycling is generally safe around Bright. it's a decent-sized cycling community and unlike in the city, aggressive drivers can be found. the Alpine cycling club is around there too.