The alpine country around Bright in northeast Victoria offers two of Australia's most rewarding driving roads — the climb to Mount Buffalo and the ascent to Falls Creek. Both are well-surfaced, lightly trafficked, and packed with the kind of bends that make you want to turn around and drive them again.
Mount Buffalo is the more dramatic of the two. The road climbs from the valley floor through a series of tight hairpins, passing the Gorge — a granite chasm with sheer walls and a waterfall at its head. The surface is excellent, the camber is positive, and the sight lines are good. At the top, the Mount Buffalo plateau offers walking trails through snow gum woodland and granite tor formations.
The road to Falls Creek is longer and more flowing — a sustained climb through mountain ash forest with sweeping bends and long straights. The road was built to serve the ski resort and is maintained to a high standard. Above the tree line, the landscape opens into alpine meadows with views across the Victorian Alps.
The town of Bright, at the base of both climbs, is the perfect base. Set in the Ovens Valley with the Buffalo ranges rising behind, Bright has excellent restaurants, craft breweries, and a cycling culture that means the roads are well-maintained and drivers are accustomed to sharing the tarmac. In autumn, the European deciduous trees that line the main street turn brilliant shades of gold, amber, and crimson.