Whoever thought of the name “Mt Beauty” told it like it is without wasting words. Mt Beauty is one of the most beautiful cities in the Australian Victorian Alps and at the hub of all the thrilling activities the area is well-known for. While skiers and snowboarders are all familiar with the nearby snowfields of Falls Creek, Mount Beauty and its environs are becoming just as popular as a summer destination as they’re in winter. Whether you are looking for a relaxing vacation or an unforgettable adrenaline rush, you’ll find what you are looking for all year ’round at Mt Beauty.
Nestled at the foot of Victoria’s highest mountain, Mt. Bogong, Mt. Beauty has a genuine alpine village feel to it. Located near the banks of the Kiewa River within the Kiewa Valley, it’s surrounded by rich farmlands. One of the joys of visiting the area over the harvest season is taking a picturesque drive or bike ride and stocking up on produce which is sold at several roadside stands along the way. If you are not planning on cooking your own meal, you can enjoy the produce freshly cooked at one of the many fantastic restaurants in Mt. Beauty and other neighboring villages and towns.
The same rich soil and cool climate that produces such great produce also produces a number of Australia’s finest cool climate wines. Mt. Beauty and the other alpine villages are renowned for their wineries. In fact, the local wineries are among the area’s prime summer attractions for tourists searching for a relaxing getaway in a stunning setting. In all, you will find eight different High Country wine growing regions, each of which makes award winning wines. The local vintners are renowned for combining delicious food with wonderful wines, making a trip to a local winery a gourmet’s dream come true.
This combination of fantastic scenery, great wines, great meals and terrific hospitality make the Great Alpine Road one of Australia’s greatest roads! Stretching for a total distance of around 200 miles (300 kilometers), you can cover it all in a day, but that is rarely done. There are just too many magnificent places to see and experience along the way. This is why the best way to drive the Great Alpine Road is to do it slowly and spend some time in Mt. Beauty, Bright and the other wonderful towns and villages you pass along the way.
Mt. Beauty, being at the foot of Mt. Bogong, is on one of the most popular sections of the Great Alpine Road. Known as the Bogong Alpine Road, it takes you through Bright, Mt. Beauty, Falls Creek and on to Mt. Hotham. While this road is used in winter to reach the ski and snowboard slopes of Falls Creek and Mt. Hotham, in the summer months it becomes one of Australia’s most scenic drives.
Mount Beauty itself, besides being part of the alpine area, continues to be singled out by mountain bike lovers as the Mountain Bike Capital of Australia. In a country that hosted the first ever Olympic mountain bike event, that’s quite a title, but it’s one the cyclists gave to Mt. Beauty themselves. Bring your own bike, rent one in town or even use one provided by your Mt. Beauty accommodation, but whatever you do, get out and enjoy beautiful Mt. Beauty on a bike. Wherever you go, whether it’s along a quiet country road or down an thrilling single track trail, you’ll have the time of your life.