One of the best budget places to stay is the Bright Hikers Hostel at 4 Ireland St (tel 03/5750 1244, fax 5750 1246, http://brightbackpackers.netc.net.au ; rooms $35-50, dorms under $20), right in the centre of town. Its wide range of facilities includes a games room and an internet lounge. The excellent Ellenvale Holiday Units , east of town at 68 Delany Ave (tel 03/5755 1582; $50-115), has a solar-heated pool and spa, tennis court and barbecues. Also good-value, and with similar facilities, are the Mystic Valley Cottages , 9 Mystic Lane, 2km southeast on the way to Wandiligong (tel 03/5750 1502; $350-800 per week), situated on a hill overlooking the beautiful Wandiligong Valley. A great B&B option is Knox Farm (tel 0417 367 494; $115-150), five minutes from Bright in the Wandiligong Valley, which has just one fantastic room - self-contained, with a spa and a wooden balcony with beautiful mountain views. Buckland Valley Retreat (tel 03/5756 2656; $90-115), out of town on the Buckland Valley Road, offers meals, meditation and massage in a gorgeous bush setting. The best-value motels in Bright are the centrally located Elm Lodge Holiday Motel , 2 Wood St (free call 1800 245 845, fax 03/5755 2206; $35-70), and the charming century-old Alpine Hotel , 7 Anderson St (tel 03/5755 1366; $35-50). The latter is the focal point of town, with a rowdy bar, good-value bistro meals and excellent breakfasts; the back bar has bands on Friday night, and outside there's a sunny beer garden.

Other good places to eat are the Liquid Am-Bar Restaurant Cafe , opposite the Alpine Hotel , which (besides the amber fluid alluded to in its name) also serves good coffee; the Riverdeck CafA© at the tourist information centre, which sells great deli sandwiches; and the Bright Bakery at 80 Gavan St. Two cheap, casual family restaurants are Tin Dog Pizza at 94 Gavan St, and the Cosy Kangaroo across the street. For a treat head to Poplar's Restaurant , at 4/7 Star Rd (open daily for dinner; licensed and BYO; tel 03/5755 1655), or Simone's , at the Ovens Valley Motor Inn , at the corner of Ovens Highway and Ashwood Avenue (open daily for dinner; licensed; tel 03/5755 2022), which ranks as one of the top Italian restaurants in Victoria. Its offshoot is the equally reputable Cafe Bacco at 2D Anderson St (Wed-Sun lunch and dinner; tel 03/5750 1711).