Three Fun Events You Must Do In Winter Around Bright
The snow season of 2022 was super fun, and it reminded us again that we are so lucky to live where we do. Situated in Bright, we are just one hour’s drive to Mt. Hotham or one hour and fifteen minutes to Falls Creek, two of the best Alpine Resorts in Australia. Mt Hotham holds a soft spot in my husband’s heart as he worked there for ten years with the final four as Program Director and Head Coach of the race squad. Needless to say, we spend a bit of time up there, but we love to explore the whole region during winter. If you love adventure, fun and the outdoors, then here are three of our favourite events across the season.
Photo of The Cathedral with snow in Mt Buffalo National Park by Brendan Holland
Dinner Plain Sled Dog Sprint
The Dinner Plain Sled Dog Challenge is Australia's original and most prestigious sled dog event. Running loops of the Dinner Plain village trails located 11kms from the Hotham Ski Resort, it is a great spectator event to watch more than 70 mushers (the human on the sled behind the dogs) and roughly three hundred and fifty dogs race for the honour of the fastest sled team. This year was the first multi-day event run across the 13th and 14th August, but if you can’t make it up that weekend next year, book a sled dog tour with the Howling Huskys who run sled tours every day during winter.
2. The Hoppet, Falls Creek
Celebrating its thirtieth year in 2022, The Kangaroo Hoppet is Australia's premier long-distance cross-country ski race and a member of the prestigious Worldloppet series of international cross-country ski events, the most famous cross-country ski racing event series in the world.
After a couple of years of forced cancellation due to COVID, it is back on and, as always, held on the last Saturday in August at the Falls Creek Nordic Bowl. This year the winners of the 42km marathon distance were Team America, including female elite skier Jessie Diggins (2022 American Skier of the Year, gold medalist at the 2018 Winter Olympics, and silver & bronze medalist at the 2022 Winter Olympics) with her compatriot Julia Kern coming in second and Australian Casey Wright rounding out the podium in third. In the men’s event, fellow American Peter Wolter took the line honours, with Campbell Wright from New Zealand edging ahead of Australian Lars Young Vik just near the finish.
We love to spectate this event as the pace is fast and the atmosphere is full of laughter and encouragement as the sun is usually shining and you can tell everyone competing just loves participating in the sport. Non-elite athletes can also participate in any of the three main events - the 42km marathon, the 21km Australian Birkebeiner or the 7km Joey Hoppet, perfect for new cross country skiers and kids. For more information check out The Hoppet’s website here.
3. Retro Ski Day, Mt Hotham
While September Spring skiing sees more blue sky days, you might wonder why around the 10th of September, you feel like you’ve walked or skied your way back to 1986 or the Hot Tub Time Machine movie set. Well, folks, it’s Retro Ski Day at Hotham Ski Resort, so if you’re skiing that weekend, visit your local Salvation Army or Op Shop to find everything fluro possible, or maybe even a faded puffy onesie, which means you’ll need a bum bag too. Then you can bounce your way down the slopes to the best ’80s and 90’s music from local DJs and hopefully win a prize for the best-dressed retro skiers and snowboarders. Go on, book that holiday next September; you know you want to.
Britt White Studio is incredibly proud of some of the projects we’ve completed in Victoria’s Alpine Resorts. Check them out.
