Harrietville’s Avalon House will rock to the sounds of Katie Murray, Meagan Thomson and Joe Davis tomorrow as the town launches its autumn holiday season. Picture: MATTHEW SMITHWICK
HARRIETVILLE is putting the fires into the history basket and rocking into the future.
From last night, the village high in the Ovens Valley locked down by the huge alpine fires for about six weeks, is using its musical roots to kick start the autumn holiday season.
Musicians and venues in the hamlet and nearby Bright have joined forces to say the town is again open for business.
Emma Hinchcliffe said optimism had replaced the smoke that had hung over the town since late January.
“This is such a resilient community,” she said. “It is our way of saying we are back in business.”
The Great Alpine Road is open and now they are saying that some of the national park walking tracks will be open too.
“It promises to be great autumn weather, beautiful blue skies.”
Ms Hinchcliffe said there would be music day and night.
“And on Sunday night there will be six acts at Avalon House from 4pm, with wood-fire pizzas, under huge shady trees, picnic rugs – we just hope people take advantage of it all,” she said.
Parks Victoria regional director Andrew Marshall said some key tracks around Mount Feathertop and Razorback had been reopened.
“These areas will support tourist destinations such as Bright, Harrietville, Dinner Plain, Falls Creek, Mount Beauty, Beechworth and Mansfield,” he said.