Visit Cowra

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Visit Cowra

🪖 HISTORY 🍷 WINE 🌾FARMING 🐏 LAMB
Discover what it means to escape & Visit Cowra. Proudly on

Discover a wealth of experiences in Cowra - the great outdoors, vineyards, adventure and hot air ballooning. Cowra has a number of true country experiences from relaxing along the extensive waterways to exploring the tranquil Japanese Garden. Take a trip down memory lane and experience Cowra's fascinating history, from the days of steam trains to the largest Prisoner Of War breakout in modern mili

tary history. Food and wine buffs can tour Cowra's boutique vineyards to sample the superb local food and wine available. Where better to enjoy fine wine and delicious food than right in the heart of where it is actually produced. Cowra has a vibrant and expanding retail and commercial centre. It boasts the services you would expect to find in a larger town while still retaining that wonderful feeling of country hospitality.

24/12/2024

CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY! ❌🎅

A gentle reminder that the Cowra Visitor Information Centre will be closed on Christmas Day. We are back open 9am Boxing Day!

The Cowra Tourism Team would like to wish everyone a safe and Merry Christmas and thank all of the wonderful visitors who came to our region this year. We look forward to welcoming new faces and greeting returning friends in 2025.
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24/12/2024

STOP, REST, REVIVE, SURVIVE 🚗🛣️

As we holiday across the state and country to visit friends and family this festive season, don’t forget to take regular breaks during your journey. Plan your long drives with breaks every two hours – take 15 minutes to stop, rest, revive, survive.

Feeling a bit fatigued? The wonderful volunteers at the Cowra Driver Reviver will make you a delightful cup of coffee or tea and will gladly sit down and have a chat with you. Whilst having your break, why not wander across the road and pop into the Cowra Visitor Information Centre? We are open from 9am - 5pm , 7 days a week (excluding Christmas Day).

Please note that double demerits are in place for thirteen consecutive days in NSW over the End-of-Year period, from Friday, 20 December 2024 until the end of Wednesday, 1 January 2025 inclusive.

Stay safe everyone! . .
📸: Driver Reviver

23/12/2024

COWRA JAPANESE GARDEN AND CULTURAL CENTRE 🌿🍃

Visit the multi-award-winning Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre, a tangible monument to peace and reconciliation between two countries.

Garden architect Ken Nakajima, created the Kaiyushiki (strolling) garden to symbolise the Japanese landscape. The rocky hillside, manicured hedges, waterfalls, streams and the two lakes provide a serene and secure environment for a myriad of local birdlife. Special features of the Garden include a traditional Edo Cottage, an authentic open-air Tea house and a Bonsai House.

The Cultural Centre adjoins the main building, with the first gallery showcasing exhibitions from a variety of local and regional artists. The next two galleries feature an extensive collection of beautiful Japanese artworks and artefacts. An Educational & Multi-purpose Centre is available for functions ranging from seminars to theatrical performances.

The Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre is open from 8:30am - 5:00pm, 7 Days a week (excluding Christmas Day).
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📸: Cowra Tourism Corporation

20/12/2024

NEW COWRA AND CANOWINDRA VISITOR GUIDE 📖⭐

Did you hear? We have a new Visitor Guide! Karen and Stassi have been out and about dropping off copies of the new Cowra and Canowindra Visitor Guide to some of our wonderful members.

If you would a like a copy of the Visitor Guide sent to you to assist in planning your trip or if you would like a box of guides sent to your business, please contact the Cowra Visitor Information Centre on (02) 6342 4333 or by emailing [email protected]

Read a digital copy here:
💻: www.visitcowra.com.au/cowra-visitor-guide
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19/12/2024

COWRA CHRISTMAS LIGHTS 🎅🎄

Cowra has truly immersed itself in the Christmas spirit! We have loved seeing all of the Christmas light displays around town and the shire and we want you to visit them too!

Pop down to the Cowra Visitor Information Centre and pick up a copy of our FREE map of participating houses and a pair of our special festival-themed 3D style glasses that turn Christmas lights into amazing shapes and patterns when worn! The Cowra Visitor Information Centre is open 9am - 5pm, 7 days a week (excluding Christmas Day).

A digital map is also available via the link below:
💻 https://visitcowra.com.au/cowra-christmas-festival-
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18/12/2024

COOL FOR THE SUMMER 🌊☀️

Beat the heat this weekend with a trip out to Wyangala Dam!

Reflections Wyangala Waters offers an ideal space to enjoy water sports of all types including boating, fishing, canoeing and swimming. Take in the picturesque views from Elliott's Lookout and soak in the spectacular views of the Wiradjuri countryside.

Finish your day with a trip to Wyangala Country Club - the social hub of Wyangala!

🌏 2891 Reg Hailstone Way, Wyangala 2808
📞 (02) 6345 0877
🖥 https://www.visitcowra.com.au/wyangala-dam/ . .

17/12/2024

CHRISTMAS SHOPPING 🛍️🎁

The countdown is on! Can you believe we're only 8 days away from Christmas?

Looking to get those last minute Christmas gifts? You'll find everything in Cowra from flowers and candles to everyday essentials like bed linen and furniture. Fill your table with local produce like olive oil and honey or buy a new outfit or piece of jewellery to fully immerse yourself in the Christmas spirit. Why not gift an experience? Our hospitality venues and tourist attractions have plenty of gift vouchers that can be used all year round.

Visit our website to find out what's available in our wonderful town!
🖥www.visitcowra.com.au/retail

We also have a number of Christmas Hampers to suit any need!
To order your hampers, please visit the Cowra Visitor Information Centre, 7 days a week from 9am - 5pm (excluding Christmas Day) and chat to a member of our team.
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📸 Cowra Guardian

16/12/2024

COWRA LAMB 🐑🐏

Boasting some of the most fertile valleys in the region, Cowra produces some of Australia's finest quality grass fed lamb.

Breakout River Meats provides well renowned regional brands; Cowra Lamb, Watervale Beef, and Chiverton Pork to the country’s most exclusive restaurants.

Fancy trying some Cowra Lamb on your next visit? Dine at one of our fantastic establishments in town who are great supports of the local ag industry. . .
📸: Farmpix Photography

13/12/2024

COWRA CHRISTMAS HAMPERS 🎅🎁

Are you on the hunt for that perfect Christmas present? Look no further than a Cowra Christmas Hamper, packed full of regional wine and produce! We have an option to suit everyone!

🎁 $55 Non-alcoholic Hamper
🎁 $60 Piccolo Hamper
🎁 $60 White Wine Hamper
🎁 $60 Red Wine Hamper
🎁 $80 Cowra Region Gourmet Hamper

We can also fully customize your hamper if you prefer. Looking for the Lion's Christmas Cakes? We have them too!

To order your hampers, please visit the Cowra Visitor Information Centre,, 7 days a week from 9am - 5pm (excluding Christmas Day) and chat to a member of our team.

Make your Christmas shopping easy this year and support local! . .
📸: Cowra Tourism Corporation

12/12/2024

CANOWINDRA CHRISTMAS TOWN & MARKETS🎅🎄

Our wonderful friends in Canowindra want you to visit and spread a little Christmas cheer! With the Main Street decorated specially for the occasion, you'll be able to find something for everyone in this beautiful town.

Head on down to Gaskill Street from 3pm Friday 13th of December for the Canowindra Christmas Markets! Enjoy the Christmas street party full of specials from local shops, market stalls, food stalls and entertainment.

We hear that a special guest from the North Pole will be attending!
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📸: Central West Bites and Farmpix Photography

10/12/2024

NEW COWRA & CANOWINDRA GUIDE 📖⭐

Cowra Tourism Corporation are thrilled to share that we have a new Cowra and Canowindra Visitor Guide!

The Visitor Guide is our key destination marketing tool that showcases the best of the region and is updated every two years. We worked in partnership with design agency interactiVINK to produce a guide that features all of your favourite tourist attractions and refreshed imagery by local photographers, including Farmpix Photography and Over and Above Photography.

The 40,000 copies of the guide will be distributed via the Cowra Visitor Information Centre, to member accommodation and hospitality venues, the 160 Accredited Visitor Centres across NSW, and via various expos in both NSW and ACT throughout the next 18 months. We would like to thank all of our members that advertised with us, without their support this guide would not be possible.

Our friendly team at the Cowra Visitor Information Centre will gladly walk you through the Visitor Guide upon your visit or you can peruse at your leisure with our online copy here: www.visitcowra.com.au/cowra-visitor-guide/

If you would like a physical copy sent to you, please contact the staff at the VIC. . .
📸 Cowra Tourism Corporation

06/12/2024

TODAY'S THE DAY! 🎅🎄

Returning once again to the Main Street of Cowra on Friday 6th December from 6pm to 9pm, the Christmas Festival is an opportunity to celebrate community spirit leading into the festive season and share a great night out with friends and family.

The main street of Cowra will be closed to traffic and will be transformed into a market city with stalls selling everything from local products, handicrafts, clothing and much more.
Browse the variety of stalls to the tunes of Christmas Carols before grabbing yourself a bite to eat from a dedicated ‘Eat Street’.

There will be a Christmas Wonderland for the children, providing free activities and photo opportunities with Santa Claus and plenty of entertainment including singing and dance performances, as well as an appearance by Santa Claus himself.

Local retailers will also extend their trading hours for a spot of late night shopping giving you the chance to do all of your Christmas shopping in one night.

Enjoy the night’s entertainment with performances by Central West artist Cath Adams and X -Factor superstar Taylor Henderson as well as tales told by Guest MC's NRLW player Millie Elliott and NRL commentator Anthony Maroon!

We HO HO HOpe to see you there! . .

05/12/2024

DINE IN COWRA 🍽🥡

Boasting a range of cafes, bistros and restaurants, Cowra is home to several highly acclaimed food establishments. Cowra’s chefs consistently turn locally grown ingredients, produced in the lush Lachlan Valley pastures into mouth-watering meals.

Cowra beef and lamb products are the envy of the country, as is the fresh seasonal asparagus that grows around the area. Add to this the recent introduction of specialty local products such as prunes, olives and olive oil, stone fruit and honey products, and your palate will thank you for stopping in our town.
Take your pick of establishments from Fine Dining to Pub Classics, Family Friendly Restaurants and Clubs or a variety of Takeaways, there are options to suit even the pickiest of eaters.

These delicious options are avaliable from the , Oak on Kendal, Cowra Bowling and Recreation Club and Hong Kong Chinese Restaurant.

Plan your escape here:
🖥 https://www.visitcowra.com.au/taste
📞 02 6342 4333 . .

04/12/2024

POW CAMPSITE 🪖

Cowra is steeped in rich history and heritage, with much of the town’s legacy starting at the Cowra Prisoner of War (POW) Campsite.

At 1:50am on the 5th of August 1944, over 1000 Japanese prisoners launched a mass escape from the Cowra Prisoner of War Camp. Armed with crude weapons, four groups each of approximately 300 Japanese threw themselves on to barbed wire fences and into the firing line of Vickers machine guns. Protected only by baseball mitts, blankets, and coats and using their comrades as a human bridge to cross the tangled barbed wire, more than 350 Japanese clawed their way to freedom. All escapees were captured during the following week. A total of 107 POWs were wounded, 234 prisoners died along with 5 Australian soldiers.

From the tragedy of war and the Cowra Breakout came a long-lasting friendship between the people of Cowra and the nation of Japan. There is much in Cowra today which serves as a reminder to these events.

The ruins of the Prisoner of War Campsite are still visible to this day with well-placed interpretive signage will help you visualize what once stood in this picturesque part of Cowra. Stand under the replica Guard Tower where a detailed audio presentation will bring the scenery around you to life.

Take the time to reflect upon the horrific tragedy that occur on this site and the beautiful story of reconciliation that followed.

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03/12/2024

GALARI BILA (LACHLAN RIVER) 💦

Looking to get out in nature? Take a stroll down the Galari River (Lachlan River) walk.

The Galari Bila Walk starts under the Cowra Bridge, home to the impressive Indigenous Bridge Pylon Murals. Visitors can enjoy a gentle stroll along the Erambie shared path set next to the banks of the Lachlan River. Picnic tables and grassed areas provide the ideal space to relax, enjoy a picnic or throw a line in for a spot of fishing.

A leash-free dog park is nearby offering a place for the furry members of the family to run about and enjoy the sunshine. . .
📸: Farmpix Photography

02/12/2024

2024 NSW TOURISM AWARDS ⭐

The Cowra Tourism Team were thrilled to attend the 2024 NSW Tourism Awards last week in Sydney. It was wonderful for us to take some time to reflect on the significant achievements we have made in the past couple of years. None of the work we do would be possible without our dedicated, small team of three (plus our wonderful casuals).

Congratulations to our friends at Visit Bathurst NSW who took out the Gold Award for Best Visitor Information Services. We love seeing winners from the Central West! Congratulations to all other finalists and thank you to the NSW Tourism Association for the honour!

The NSW Tourism Awards represent the pinnacle of recognition in the state’s tourism sector and serves as the only pathway for NSW businesses to compete at the national level through the Australian Tourism Awards.
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29/11/2024

COWRA EAGLE SCULPTURE 🦅

The sculptured Cowra Eagle was made in 1972. The idea for the sculpture came from Don Kibbler who was also the designer.The design chosen was ‘rocks with an eagle on top’, which was originally the design for the Cowra Municipal Council’s corporate seal designed in 1888. It comes from the name “Coura Rocks”, one of the early names for the town.

The eagle was fabricated by Colin Cranny of Lachlan Steel. The legs are made from two bore casings donated by Dick Murney.

The original design did not include the two shoulders. These were constructed and added to the wings prior to painting by renowned Cowra sign writer Peter Slattery.

The eagle was originally positioned on the site of the Cowra Visitor Centre but was moved to its current location in 1987 when construction began on the Visitors Centre building. In its original position the eagle was surrounded by granite rocks, this showed only a small portion of the legs and gave the impression that it was sitting on the rocks in a typical Cowra landscape.

Details provided by Don Kibbler in 2015.
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📸: Stassi Austin

28/11/2024

COWRA POW HOLOGRAM 📽

When was the last time you watched the Cowra POW Hologram?

Located in the tin hut at the back of the Cowra Visitor and Information Centre, the Hologram is a 9 minute presentation that tells the story of the Cowra Breakout and its aftermath through the eyes of 'Claire', a young Cowra girl.

The presentation is aimed at raising awareness of the historical significance of Cowra in modern military history and to encourage visitation to other local attractions and locations of historical importance.

The famous POW Hologram Theatre is the best place to start your historical journey through the Cowra region.
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📸: Cowra Tourism Corporation

Address

Cnr Mid Western Highway & Lachlan Valley Way
Cowra, NSW
2794

Telephone

02 6342 4333

Website

http://www.visitcowra.com.au/

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Videos

GOLD AT WYANGALA? 🪙⛏️ Cowra Tourism Board Member and Reflections Wyangala Waters Park Manager Barbara spills the beans on one of the local mysteries of Wyangala! "According to historical reports, in the 1860’s a Bushranger by the name of Frank Gardiner buried £21,000 of stolen gold in the mountains of Wyangala after an armed holdup. Before he and his fellow bushrangers could split it between them, they were found and arrested, with only £5500 of the stash being recovered. Despite 12 months of searching by the police at the time, the rest of the loot could not be found, meaning there is a chance it may still be there today! According to our calculations for inflation and the increase in the price of gold, the undiscovered gold would now be worth a staggering $310 million AUD" Want to visit Wyangala for yourself? Plan your escape here: 🖥 www.visitcowra.com.au/wyangala-dam 📞 02 6342 4333 . . . 📸: @reflectionsholidays #Cowra #VisitCowra #WiradjuriCountry #Wyangala #VisitWyangala #CentralWestNSW #FeelNewSouthWales

CANBERRA CARAVAN, CAMPING AND LIFESTYLE EXPO! ⭐🎊

CANBERRA CARAVAN, CAMPING AND LIFESTYLE EXPO! ⭐🎊 Cowra Tourism are at the Canberra Caravan Camping Lifestyle Expo from Friday right through until Sunday, showcasing all the amazing things our beautiful region has to offer! If you're heading to the expo this weekend be sure to drop by Exhibition Park in Canberra and say hello to the amazing Cowra, Canowindra and Weddin team in the Coorong Pavillion! Sample the delicious food and wine from our region or come and chat to one of our business members: Romanian Delights, Glen Donald Estate, Kick Ice Cocktails, Over and Above Photography, Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre, Lachlan Valley Railway, Rosnay Organic, Antonio's, WALLINGTON WINES, Windowrie Wine, Kalari Wines, Bulla Creek Brewing Co. Borrowed Cuttings Wine and our good friends from Weddin Mountains Region! . . . #Cowra #WeAreCowra #WiradjuriCountry #LoveWhereYouLive #SupportLocal #CTCMembers

Cowra Canola Safety

COWRA CANOLA SAFETY 🌾🚜 We love Canola season as much as our visitors do and we cannot wait to welcome you all to see them! For your safety, please ensure you abide by the following rules and do NOT enter the canola fields. For your safety, please ensure you drive with care along our roads and highways. Be aware that Canola fields are on private property and visitors are not permitted to enter paddocks. Entering private property without permission is considered trespassing and unsafe. Please watch this short educational video so you can have the safest experience visiting the Cowra region. We are committed to emphasizing the importance of canola safety and biosecurity to protect our farmers' livelihoods. If you would like a free sign for your property, please contact us via the phone number below. - Visit our website: 💻 www.visitcowra.com.au/cowra-canola-experiences Or call us on: 📞 02 6342 4333 . . . #Cowra #VisitCowra #WiradjuriCountry #CentralWestNSW #CowraCanola

FIELDS OF GOLD TOURS 🌾🚌 Thanks to the 7NEWS Central West team for coming to Cowra to experience our Fields of Gold! Want to see our specatular canola fields for youself? Book a 2 hour guided tour with us! Your tour includes: ⭐A professionally guided tour departing from the Cowra Visitor Information Centre ⭐Visit to canola ‘hot spots’ for unique photo opportunities ⭐An information booklet detailing the lifecycle of Canola ⭐A historical town tour Tours will run Saturdays and Sundays from August through to October (subject to crop availability). Private tours are available throughout the week for 4 or more people. Plan your visit here: 🖥 www.visitcowra.com.au/cowra-canola-experiences 📞 02 6342 4333 . . . 📸: 7 News Central West #Cowra #VisitCowra #WiradjuriCountry #CentralWestNSW #CowraCanola

Cowra Canola Safety

COWRA CANOLA EXPERIENCES🌾🚜 We are so excited to see Canola fields popping up around the region and we cannot wait to welcome you all to see them! For your safety, please ensure you drive with care along our roads and highways. Be aware that Canola fields are on private property and visitors are not permitted to enter paddocks. Entering private property without permission is considered trespassing and unsafe. Please watch this short educational video so you can have the safest experience visiting the Cowra region. - Discover more at: 💻 www.visitcowra.com.au/cowra-canola-experiences Or call us on: 📞 02 6342 4333

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CANBERRA CARAVAN, CAMPING AND LIFESTYLE EXPO! ⭐🎊

Cowra Canola Safety

Cowra Canola Safety

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