THE DUO SERVING LOCAL GOODNESS

Good eating in Bright means spending time at one of many well-loved neighbourhood establishments such as those run by Megan Healy and Kurt Adam: Tomahawks and Hometown. Since opening Tomahawks in 2016, the pair have made a name for themselves in the High Country dining scene, offering a menu of favourite dishes and wood-fired pizza, highlighting locally sourced, farmed and foraged ingredients. We pulled up a stool at the bar to talk with Megan and Kurt about life in Bright, running two restaurants, and raising their family in this vibrant mountain village community.

If they didn’t grow up here, everyone has a different reason for coming to Bright. What drew the two of you to Bright?
KA: We actually met at Mount Hotham. We both came up here to do a ski season and ended up staying. After our third season, we got tired of bouncing around and living out of a bag. We’d done seasons overseas, but we didn’t want to leave this area. MH: It wasn’t planned to be long-term at all. But we fell in love with the area—the people, the lifestyle, everything—and we’ve stayed ever since.

How do you describe Bright and the surrounding region to people when you’re elsewhere?
MH: I describe it as an idyllic mountain village, an amazing community. And a place with true four seasons. KA: Just as you get over one season, the next one arrives. You’ve got skiing in winter, and summer is hot, but you’ve got the rivers to swim in. The variety in the climate is pretty special. I tend to gloat about its natural beauty. I still drive around the valley like a tourist, staring off into the hills and enjoying it.

Tell us about Tomahawks. What was your vision when you set out to create it?
KA: We wanted to bring something new to the community—fill a culinary gap, and cook food we loved eating. A little bit of the city in the high country. Initially, we wanted to create an intimate little hole-in-the-wall place where we could personally control the quality and dining experience. However, it quickly became a busy, high-volume restaurant employing dozens of staff. The hospitality scene has really grown over the last five years, and we’re really proud of our contribution to the North East’s culinary scene. We like to think of ourselves as a local’s restaurant.

Do you feature local produce on the menu?
KA: We try to use local ingredients when we can. We use local trout, apples from the Wandi apple farm, local chestnuts, and we even forage for things like watercress from the creek, and my neighbour has a little market garden. Sixpence Coffee and Reed & Co. Distillery are great local producers we work with.

What are the most popular items on the menu?
MH: We try to keep things fresh with specials, but people do have their favourites that they come back for. But we also like to experiment with seasonal dishes we’re excited to cook  and showcase. KA: Our cheeseburger, and the char-grilled broccoli with smoked butter and almonds, are ridiculously popular. As is our ‘The Local’ pizza. We are really proud of our pizza program. We use 72-hour minimum long-fermented doughs; we try to make the best possible dough we can, and then we put the best ingredients on top.

Tell us about your second venue, Hometown.
KA: During Covid, we felt vulnerable with a small restaurant configuration and limited seating capacity. Although it has a great atmosphere, with the density rules, we could only seat a set number of guests. So we opened Hometown Bright, which is about 60 metres up the road. It’s a 230-seat venue with a beer garden feel. It’s quite different from Tomahawks but still focuses on quality food. MH: We wanted to give the community something special—artisanal wood-fired pizza done well, as well as plenty of share plates and more of a beer garden feel. It’s a bigger space, more relaxed, and it’s become a local favourite. KA: Again, it’s really a place made for locals. When a tourist comes to town, one of the first questions they’ll ask is, “Where do you go and eat?”, and we take great pride that people usually send them our way.

Megan, you’re a keen runner, and the weather is fine again. What are your favourite local trails?
MH: I love anything around Clear Spot. There are so many tracks and fire breaks that you can choose your own adventure. If I’m sticking to Bright, Clear Spot is where I go. If I just want to do some hill repeats or do a quick run, you can do that, or you can turn it into a long run as well. I completed a 57km run around here last year, and I also like the Buffalo Stampede. Mount Buffalo is probably the crown jewel; the views are incredible. KA: It’s definitely a choose-your-own-adventure type of place. There’s no shortage of outdoor activities—running, mountain biking, fishing, it’s pretty much endless.

What’s it like raising a family in Bright?
MH: We love raising our kids here. There are so many supportive, social young families on the same journey. And there are so many outdoor activities for the kids. It’s a very wholesome environment. We have a three and a five-year-old, a couple of gorgeous little boys that keep us very busy. The kids are always busy with activities, and there’s a real sense of community here. KA: Yeah, it’s hard to go shopping without running into someone! It’s very friendly. Everybody knows each other.

We imagine you get immediate feedback on your cooking?
KA: Definitely. And with an open kitchen and open bar, you do. It’s very immediate feedback.

What does spring mean for you both in Bright?
KA: I love spring, except for all the lawn mowing! It’s a time of regrowth, and the valley goes from looking its worst to its best in a matter of weeks. The weather gets better, and you can spend more time outside. MH: Spring brings a new group of visitors too—people ready to bushwalk, camp, cycle, and trail run. There will also be more outdoor events at the wineries and more live music. KA: For us at the restaurants, it means spring veggies, frozen margaritas, and alfresco dining.

tomahawksbright.com.au
hometownbright.com.au