THE GREAT VALLEY TRAIL

Roll along the green valleys that carpet the foothills of the towering Victorian Alps as you make your way alongside the Ovens River and the old gold mining sites between Harrietville and Bright. The gentle grade of the Great Valley Trail and the scenic beauty of its surrounds makes for one very enjoyable walk or bike ride in the High Country.

The scenic Great Valley Trail is a family-friendly shared path that runs for 27km along the foot of the Victorian Alps. Opened in 2021, this sealed bike path connects the High Country village of Harrietville with Bright and the Murray to Mountains Rail Trail. This bike path network includes over 150km of safe, sealed shared paths that extends throughout North East Victoria, connecting Harrietville, Bright, Myrtleford, Beechworth, Yackandandah and Wangaratta.

The ride between Harrietville and Bright weaves through natural bush as it travels alongside the Ovens River, passing three popular fishing spots: the Mountain Fresh Trout & Salmon Farm, the Smoko Streamside Reserve and the Snowy Creek Picnic Area. As you enter Freeburgh, look closely for undulating disturbed ground to the sides of the trail: evidence of the gold mining activities that once extended right along the river and into the surrounding mountains.