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A History of Cowra ...... 3
Things you need to know ...... 5
All that Cowra has to Offer...... 6 Cultural Services...... 6
Communications...... 7 Migrant Support ...... 7
Transport ...... 8
Main Industry of the Cowra Region...... 9
Accommodation...... 10
Real Estate...... 11
Childcare ...... 12
Education ...... 13
Higher Education ...... 14
Employment Agencies ...... 15
Attractions/ Things to Do ...... 16
Sporting Clubs/Associations...... 17
Churches/Religious Services...... 18
Financial Institutions ...... 19 Services and Trades ...... 19
Retail Services ...... 21
CAFÉS...... 22
RESTAURANTS...... 23 TAKEAWAYS...... 23
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Clubs/Hotels...... 24
The Country Careers Program...... 25
Health Service Details ...... 26
GWAHS Learning & Development Division...... 27
The Institute of Rural Clinical Services and Teaching (IRCST)28
AcknowledgementsAcknowledgements ...... 29
Created by: Catherine Deverell Country Careers Coordinator May 2008
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COWRAExperience the C Change A History of CowraCowraCowra Cowra is situated on the Lachlan River. It is the commercial and administrative centre of a shire in which the major industries are livestock, wool scouring, vegetable growing and processing, vineyards, furniture making and tourism.
Cowra is noted for its historical and natural attractions, the magnificent Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre, quality restaurants, wineries, galleries, craft shops and horse riding. The public identity of the town has become bound up with the Cowra breakout of 1944 (in which Japanese prisoners of war attempted to escape from a local camp during World War II) and the subsequent association with Japan. This history has led the town to focus on and promote the values of pacifism and internationalism, which are at the centre of the annual Festival of Understanding.
Prior to European settlement the area was occupied by the Wiradjuri people. The first known white man in the area was George Wilson Evans who passed near the townsite in 1815. He named the area the Oxley Plains after his superior the surveyor-general. John Oxley, guided by Aborigines, investigated a portion of the Lachlan River and the adjacent lands in 1817, deeming it 'unfit for white settlement'. He named the river after the then governor Lachlan Macquarie. In 1831 cattlemen Arthur Rankin and James Sloan from Bathurst became the first white settlers on the Lachlan. In the early days the townsite was a river crossing known as 'Coura Rocks'. Some sources indicate that a cattle station with this name was established by a Reverend Fulton in subsequent years.
The first hotel on the townsite was established in 1846. About 1847 the crossing became known as Cowra and the village was proclaimed in 1849. In the 1850s the river crossing was used by gold prospectors headed for Lambing Flat (Young) and Grenfell. A school was established in 1857 and a bridge over the Lachlan built in 1870. The railway arrived in 1886 and Cowra attained local government in 1888.
Reef gold was discovered at Mt McDonald to the south-east (near what is now Wyangala Dam) in the 1880s and a settlement of 500 people developed. It was named after the McDonald brothers who first discovered gold in the area. Alluvial gold was also found at Woods Flat near Woodstock and in small quantities amidst the sands of the Lachlan River.
A bridge across the Lachlan was built at Cowra from 1891 to 1893. At the time it was the country's longest single-span and total span bridge. A telephone exchange was established in 1901, a water supply in 1909, a gasworks in 1912 and electric lighting was introduced in 1924.
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CowraExperience the C Change Cowra POW Camp and the Cowra Breakout A large army training camp was established just outside Cowra in 1940 which trained some 70 000 personnel throughout World War II. The following year, a prisoner-of-war (POW) camp was built at the north-eastern outskirts of town. On 5 August, 1944, this camp became the site of the largest mass POW escape in British military
history. It was also the only such escape attempt Canola fields near Cowra to occur in Australia.
At that time the camp contained about 4000 prisoners who were held in four separate compounds of 17 acres each. A thoroughfare 700 metres long and 45 metres wide, known as Broadway, divided Camps B and C from Camps A and D. Adjacent Broadway was a 10-metre strip known as No Man's Land, on each side of which was barbed-wire security fencing. Camp B, hopelessly overcrowded, held 1104 Japanese POWs.
On 3 June, 1944, a Korean prisoner reported a conversation in which he heard about a plan among the Japanese to attack the garrison, seize arms and ammunition and escape. As a result security was stepped up. Consequently, on 4 August, the leader of Camp B was handed a list of internees to be transferred to the POW camp at Hay on 7 August. At 1.30 a.m. on 5 August a bugle sounded and the prisoners of Camp B opened the hut doors. Screaming furiously, two groups - armed with knives, chisels, forks, saws, axe handles and baseball bats - rushed the wire separating them from Broadway while two other groups headed for the perimeter wire on the other side of the camp. They threw blankets over the barbed wire, or crawled under it, while others dressed in heavy clothing, threw themselves on the wire for others to climb over. 20 buildings were burned down due to prisoners overturning heating braziers. The Australian Recruit Training Centre, 3 km away, was alerted by telephone and flares.
Two privates, who manned one of the Vickers machine gun trailers, were overrun and murdered, although Private Hardy managed to sabotage his gun before his death. Another private was stabbed to death in the fracas and a lieutenant was killed during the round-up the following morning. Another four Australian personnel were wounded and a civilian from Blayney died after a gun discharged in his vehicle during the round-up. 378 Japanese POWs escaped. Within nine days 334 escapees were recaptured by the authorities and by civilians. One POW reached Eugowra, 50 km away. In all 231 Japanese died and 108 were wounded - three dying subsequently of their wounds. The organisers of the break-out had ordered that civilians were to remain unharmed and this proved to be the case.
A Japanese war cemetery was established by agreement with the Japanese government in 1964. It now contains the remains of all Japanese POWs and civilian internees who died during their imprisonment in World War II.
A student exchange program was established in 1970 between Cowra High School and the Seikei High School in Kichijyouji in Tokyo. The Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre was set up with the aid of the Japanese government in 1978-79 to honour the dead on both sides.
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Things you need to know (Facts and Figures)
The Climate of Cowra ranges from a summer climate of 16 - 31 degrees to 4 - 13 degrees in the winter months.
Cowra is only 300 kilometres or 4 hours from Sydney,
Other major towns near Cowra include Dubbo, which is 211.34 kilometres or 2.49 hours and also Orange which is 102.26 kilometres or 1.18 hours.
The Population of Cowra consists of 13100 people.
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All that Cowra has to Offer
Cultural Services Cowra is home to the Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre. Ken Nakajima, created the Kaiyushiki (strolling) garden, which is designed to embody the entire landscape of Japan, where every bend takes the visitor on a voyage of discovery.
The Cultural Centre has two galleries featuring an extensive collection of exquisite Japanese works of art and artifacts, including Nanga paintings, Kimono’s, Samurai Helmets, and a magnificent example of Arita porcelain, the Somenishiki Ornamental Vase standing 5ft (1.5m) high and 32 (.8m) inches wide. A third gallery houses exhibitions highlighting the works of talented local and regional artists.
The Cowra Art Gallery is a cultural facility of the Cowra Shire Council and offers a year-round schedule of thought-provoking exhibitions and public programs. The Gallery exhibits works by local and regional artists, as well as national touring exhibitions. See complete information about the Cowra Art Gallery in the Council's Community Services section.
The town of Orange is situated very close to Cowra and is a cultural hub in the region. Audiences from all over the Central West travel to see the high quality theatrical entertainment, art and cultural events on show at the Orange Civic Theatre. The civic theatre is also home to the Orange Theatre Company and hosts other touring companies such as the Sydney Theatre Company, Company B Belvoir, Regional Arts Victoria, Bell Shakespeare Company, Opera Australia and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
The Orange Regional Conservatorium is home to the Orange Symphony Orchestra, the Orange Youth Orchestra, and other adult and youth choirs.
The Orange Regional Gallery has a permanent collection on public display, as well as showing up to 30 exhibitions a year including touring exhibitions of international and national art.
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Communications
The local paper for the Cowra region is the Cowra Guardian.
Both Digital and 3G mobile phone networks work in Cowra, with the 3G network being the most reliable, particularly if you need to travel further west. For some reason, Telstra’s Next G network seems to have better cover than other providers the further west you head. This may change as the network grows. Orange is currently serviced by Telstra, Optus, Vodafone and Virgin.
Cowra television services offer 5 channels, including the ABC, Seven (Prime), Nine (WIN), Ten (Southern Cross) and SBS. Pay TV is also available in the area.
Broadband and Dial up internet services are available in Cowra. There are many providers servicing the Cowra area. You can check on the internet for the provider that most suits your needs.
Migrant Support
Support for employees from a non-Australian background is available through the Regional Migrant Support Services. In Orange the contact person is Anni Galligher, who can be contacted on (02) 6393 8625.
The services provided by Migrant support include a mentoring program to put you in touch with other people in the community from the same background; information and help for visa applications; help finding employment, education and training; as well as help putting you in touch with multicultural groups in the area.
Cowra has at least 50 different cultures within the community, proof of the value of regional integration of new cultures into the Australian way of life. Cowra celebrates this cultural diversity with the Annual Festival of International Understanding.
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Transport
When living in Cowra there are several airports you can choose to fly from.
The Orange airport has four flights per day to Sydney by Regional Express Airlines (REX), with connections to domestic and international flights. The flight is around 40 minutes in length.
The Bathurst airport has four flights per day to Sydney by Airlink Airlines (part of the Regional Express Group [REX]), with connections to domestic and international flights. The flight is around 30 minutes in length. currently 24,000 passengers fly per year from Bathurst Airport.
The Parkes airport has three flights per day to Sydney by Regional Express Airlines (REX), with connections to domestic and international flights. The flight is around 60 minutes in length.
Countrylink train service leaves Sydney at 7.10am each morning for Bathurst, arriving at 10.41am and then continues on to Dubbo. The train again stops in Bathurst at 5.14pm the same day on its return journey to Sydney, arriving in Sydney at 8.48pm. There are coaches that link up with the train to travel to Cowra.
Interstate express coaches leave Bathurst on a regular basis. Direct services to/from Sydney, (weekdays only). From Sydney is 4 hours. Rendell Coaches (02) 6884 4199 comes from Dubbo. Selwood's Coaches (02) 6362 7963 comes from Orange.
Lachlan Radio Cabs operates in Cowra and they can be contacted on 6342 1531.
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Main Industry of the Cowra Region
Industries based in Cowra include a vegetable processing factory, an abattoir, farm machinery distributors and furniture manufacturers. 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.
Cowra is centrally located and easily linkable to the rest of the state with direct lines to all major cities in south eastern Australia. Cowra provides a perfect base for manufacturing and retail providers and further transportation and distribution.
Cowra has been expanding significantly in retail, business and agricultural services, manufacturing and wholesale trade, education, health and hospitality services.
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Accommodation There is an extensive variety of temporary accommodation available in Cowra, including motels, Boutique hotels, B&B’s, Guesthouses, self contained, and hotels.
The following is a fairly comprehensive list of the different accommodation in the town.
Accommodation Name Address Phone Accommodation Type 131 Kendal 131 Kendal Street 6342 4333 Self Contained apartment Aalana Motor Inn 161 Kendal Street 1800 024 875 Motel Alabaster Motel 20 Lynch Street 6342 3133 Motel Breakout Motor Inn 181 Kendal Street 6342 6111 Motel Charlottes Corner 20 William Street 6342 4333 Self Contained Civic Motor Inn 20 Young Road 6341 1753 Motel Conargo Band Woodstock 286 Nargong Road 6345 0365 B&B Country Comfort Cowra - 164 Kendal Street 6342 3177 Motel Countryman Country Gardens Motor 75 Grenfell Road 6341 1100 Motel Inn Cowra Crest Motel 133 Kendal Street 6342 2799 Motel Cowra Holiday Park Mid Western Hwy 6342 2666 Motel Cowra Motor Inn 3 Macquarie Street 6342 2011 Motel Cowra Van Park Lachlan Street 6340 2110 Motel Dairy Park Farm Stay 30 Hilton Lane 6367 5264 B&B Dowell Court Serviced 3 Dowell Street 6342 4333 Serviced Apartment Apartments Dunrobin B&B Canowindra Road 6342 9417 B&B Everview Retreat 72 Cultowa Lane 6344 3116 Self Contained Oakleigh Reids Flat Road 6345 4226 Guest house Old Schoolhouse Boorawa Road 6345 3247 Self Contained Cucumgilliga Tinnies at Back Creek Chiverton Road 6342 9251 Self Contained Vineyard - Chiverton Lodge The Vineyard Motel 42 Chardonnay Road 6342 3641 Motel Wyangala Waters State Wyangala Dam 6345 0877 Self Park Accommodation Contained/Camping
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Real Estate
The Cowra region provides for all types of lifestyles at an affordable price. The region has land available in urban and rural settings, with blocks and properties of various sizes. Housing options range from 2 bedroom units, heritage homesteads, suburban brick homes in new and established estates, or sprawling country mansions.
Rural properties include everything from productive farms to smaller properties of varying sizes that provide the opportunity to reside in a peaceful and beautiful environment, maintain a few horses or stock, or just have plenty of room for the children to play and explore.
Whether your preference is for the convenience of living in a modern, well – serviced regional city, in a quiet country village, or tucked away in a hidden valley somewhere, you will find it in town.
Below is a list of Real Estate Agents in Cowra that can help you find the dream home you desire.
Real Estate Name Address Phone Penfold's First National 27 Kendal Street 6342 6880 James P Keady & Co Kendal Street 6342 3344 Elders Real Estate 6 Grenfell Street 6342 2644 LJ Hooker 45 Kendal Street 6342 1744 Ray White 28c Kendal Street 6341 1311
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Childcare
There is an extensive range of children’s services provided throughout Cowra. There are several childcare centres and caregivers licensed by Family Day Care provide occasional childcare, long day-care, overnight, out-of-school- hours and weekend care in Cowra.
Education/Childcare Services Name Address Phone Service Type Provided Long Day Care 0 - 5 ABC Cowra North 51 Comerford Street 6341 3622 Centre years Long Day Care 0 - 5 Carinya Child Care 20 Comerford Street 6342 2338 Centre years Centre Home based child newborn Cowra Family Day 20 Comerford Street 6342 2338 care to 12 Care years Mobile Service 0 - 5 Mobile Child Care Lot 6 William Street 6341 1156 years After School Care for PCYC After School Binni Creek Road 6341 4555 school Care Service children Long Day Care 0 - 5 ABC Cowra 2 Binni Creek Road 6341 2133 Centre years
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Education
There are approximately 4 primary schools in the Cowra region. These are comprised of public, catholic and independent schools. There are also 2 high schools, including 2 catholic schools.
School Name School Year Address Phone Type Level Cowra Public School Public K - 6 Vaux Street 02 6342 4162 Mulyan Public School Public K - 6 Lachlan Street 02 6342 2531 Cowra St Raphaels Central Catholic K - 10 P O Box 7 02 6342 2940 Cowra Cowra High School Public 7 - 12 Dowell Street 02 6342 1766 Holman Place School Public Special 8 Holman Place 02 6342 2301 Cowra Needs Holmwood Public School Public Primary Cowra-Carcoar 02 6342 2172 Cowra Road
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Higher Education
The Cowra region has a number of higher education facilities on offer.
Charles Sturt University is Australia’s largest regional university and has a campus at Orange located on a 500 hectare property about six kilometres north of the city. The academic programs at CSU Orange include Bachelor awards in Agricultural Commerce, Equine Business, Science, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Farm, Horticultural and Land Management.
Charles Sturt University can be contacted via their website – www.csu.edu.au/campus/orange or by calling the number in the list below.
TAFE, Western Institute, Orange campus offers access and foundation courses plus business, community services, hospitality and information technology programs, with many at diploma level. The campus also offers a wide range of trade courses and specialises in children’s services, conservation earthworks, fine arts, design, HSC, hairdressing, horticulture, music, plumbing, painting and decorating, shop fitting, sign writing, travel, turf management, viticulture and welfare.
TAFE, Orange campus can be contacted via their website – www.wit.tafensw.edu.au or by calling 6391 5777.
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Employment Agencies
There are several employment agencies in the region providing services to both job seekers and employers. Services include job matching, training and the provision and management of a number of government assistance schemes.
Company Name Phone Address Central West Community College 6341 1640 39 Kendal Street Central West Group Apprentices 6341 1044 39 Macquarie Street
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Attractions/ Things to Do
Cowra and the surrounding areas have many things to see and do.
Below is a listing of all that Cowra has to offer.
Activity/Facility Facility Name Address Phone Tourism The Mill 6 Vaux Street 6341 4141 Tourism Japanese Garden & Cultural Binni Creek Road 6341 2233 Centre Tourism Wyangala Waters State Park Wyangala Dam Gallery Clenn Mortons Art Gallery Darbys Falls Road 6342 3194 Craft Cowra Craft Shop 106 Kendal Street 6341 1577 Tourism Millamolong Station Mandurama 6367 5241 Winery Spring Ridge Wines 880 Darby's Falls Road 6341 3820 Tourism Australias World Peace Bell Civic Square, Darling St 6342 2975 Tourism Japanese & Australian War Doncaster Drive 6342 4333 Cemeteries Tourism Cowra Italy Friendship Kendal Street 6342 4333 Monument Tourism Bellevue Hill Lookout & Fauna Binni Creek Road 6340 2000 Reserve Tourism Chiverton 605 Mid Western Hwy 6342 9308 Museum POW Theatre Cowra Visitor 6342 4333 Information Centre Tourism Mulyan Garage Cellars North Logan Road 6342 1336 Tourism Toms Waterhole Wines "Felton" 752 Longs 6344 1819 Corner Road Tourism Prisoner of War Camp Site Sakura Avenue 6340 2000 Tourism Cowra Fun Museum Mid Western Hwy 6342 2801 Tourism Lachlan Valley Railway Campbell Street 6342 4999 Tourism River Park Vineyard River Park Road 6342 3596 Tourism Kalari Vineyards 120 Carro Park Road 6342 1465 Tourism Darbys Falls Observatory Observatory Road 6345 1900 Tourism Cowra Regional Art Gallery 77 Darling Street 6340 2190 Tourism Australiana Corner 1 Kendal Street 6341 3350 Nature Conimbla National Park Midwestern Hwy 6851 4429
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Sporting Clubs/Associations
Sport is a popular pastime in Cowra. There is competition available for the beginner right up to A grade level and is a great way for the community to interact socially. The region has exceptional sporting facilities to support this community focus.
Facilities include sports grounds, golf courses, tennis courts and swimming pools as well as many others. Indoor facilities include tennis, squash, netball, cricket, ten-pin bowling, equestrian sports, swimming and more. The region regularly attracts matches of national significance.
There are more than 70 different sporting groups and organisations in the region. A list of these is available from your local tourist information centre in Cowra.
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Churches/Religious Services
Cowra is home to many religious denominations.
Religion Type Address Phone Anglican Church 7 Bartlett Street 6342 4304 Anglican Church 98 Kendal Street 6342 1409 Assemblies of God Vaux Street 6343 2396 Baptist Church 11 Brougham Street 6342 1294 Catholic Church Liverpool Street 6342 1369 Christian Outreach Centre 10 Banksia Cl 6342 2166 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day 1 Taragala Street 6341 1306 Saints Presbyterian Church 50 Macquarie Street 6342 1467 Salvation Army 1 Macquarie Street 6341 1313 Uniting Church 75a Darling Street 6342 1323
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Financial Institutions
Facility Name Description Address Phone St George Bank Branch Service 81 Kendal St 6341 1599
Services and Trades
Industry Company Name Phone Address Type Builder J W Temple 6342 1630 Builder Civil & Allied Constructions 6341 1000 Builder G Clark 6342 9221 Builder Ken Duffey 6341 3131 Builder JM & RF Kelly 6342 2094 Builder Michael Smith Constructions 6342 4265 Builder R Moriarty 6342 3335 Builder Scott Gilmore Building 6342 4613 Electrician Midstate Electrical Contracting 6342 3647 Electrician Ray Meeuwisse Electrical 0418 482 438 Electrician Albers Bobcat & Electrical 0416 150 091 Electrician Rick Bradbury 6341 4234 Electrician Bruce White 6342 3647 Electrician Midwest Solar & Electrical 6342 6401 Electrician JR Waters Electrical 6341 2069 Electrician Steve Watmore 6342 3874 Plumber Clements Plumbing 6342 2556 Plumber Trevor Burton 6341 1658 Plumber James Buckley Plumbing 0408 866 284 Plumber Links Plumbing 6342 1881 Plumber RA & SA Richardons Plumbers 0427 699 108 Plumber Schoon Plumbing 0419 624 011 Plumber Woodhouse Plumbing 6342 3961 Accountant Steel Walsh & Murphy 6342 1311 103 Kendal St Accountant Baillie Simpson Chartered Accountant 6342 2422 47 Macquarie St Accountant Darcy Kennedy Accountants 6342 6555 39 Macquarie St Accountant David Neale 6342 4144 43 Macquarie St Accountant Glanville Associates Pty 6341 2567 Accountant Tester Porter Services 6341 4466 7 Macquarie St Dentist E Chan & F Fryer 6342 3595 93 Brisbane St Dentist Henchman Chan Quirk & Varela 6342 2433 94 Brisbane St Dentist Macquarie St Dental Surgery 6342 2814 Hairdresser Aay-Jays Hair Salon 6341 1111 61B Kendal St Hairdresser Affinity With Hair 6341 3992 123b Kendal St Hairdresser Ambiance Hair 6341 1166 113 Kendal St
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CowraExperience the C Change Hairdresser Calare for Hair 6341 4488 Calare Building, Kendal St Hairdresser Hair Happiness 6342 2722 13 Centre Arcade Hairdresser Innovators Hair Studio 6342 1476 59 Walker St Hairdresser Key Largo Hair Salon 6342 2418 87 Kendal St Hairdresser Natural Beauty Hairdressing Salon 6342 2075 12 Kendal St Hairdresser Sabatini Haircutters 6342 1301 110 Kendal St Hairdresser Tangles Hair Studio 6342 1565 Hairdresser Upper Cuts Hair Design 6342 3424 37 Macquarie St Solicitor Marion Rose & Co 6342 6426 121a Kendal St Solicitor Garden & Montgomerie 6342 1622 14 Kendal St Solicitor Golsby Whiteley 6342 6426 99 Brisbane St Vet Cowra Veterinary Centre 6341 3113 102 Darling St Vet North Cowra Vet Surgery 6342 2482 84 Redfern St Vet David Payten 6342 3046 Kaloola Darbys Falls Rd
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Retail Services
Cowra has a vibrant central business district with a number of shopping centres.
There is main street parking and numerous free car parks to ensure a pleasant shopping experience.
Facility Name Description Address Phone BiLo Supermarket Kendal St 6342 3283 Woolworths Supermarket Railway Lane 6342 2255 Willow of Cowra Ladies Wear 6341 2088 Gaslight & Gaiters Ladies Wear 37 Macquarie St 6342 2478 George's Of Cowra Ladies Wear 53 Kendal St 6342 4422 Liberty Lady Ladies Wear 135A Kendal St 6342 1200 Lillipanzi Ladies Wear 61 Kendal St 6341 1227 Noni B Ladies Wear Cowra Plaza 6342 5918 Rockmans Ladies Wear 50 Kendal St 6342 2946 Bushmans Boots & All Menswear 52 Kendal St 6341 1299 French's Store Menswear 23 Redfern St 6342 3618 Studio Menswear Menswear 1/58 Kendal St 6342 1030 Hippity Hop The Kids Childrens Wear 1/109 Kendal St 6342 1599 Shop Assad Service Station Service Station Grenfell Road 6342 1235 Save on Fuel Service Station 60 Young Rd 6341 4743
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Cafes/Restaurants
There are a number of specialty coffee shops in Cowra, all competing to make the best coffee in town.
CAFÉS
Facility Name Address Phone Breakout Brasserie Macquarie Street 6342 4555 Vals Coffee Lounge Kendal Street 6341 1050 Rose Garden Coffee House Olympic Park, Midwestern Hwy 6342 3100
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RESTAURANTS
Facility Name Address Phone Countryman Restaurant 164 Kendal Street 6342 3177 Peregrines Brasserie Cowra Services Club 6341 2260 Oasis Steakhouse Bar & Grill Civic Motor Inn 6341 1753 Sportsmans Espresso Bar 14 Cowra Plaza 6342 6755 Neila Restaurant 5 Kendal Street 6341 2188 Japanese Garden Restaurant Binni Creek Road 6342 5222 Quarry Restaurant & Cellars Boorowa Road 6342 3650
TAKEAWAYS
Facility Name Address Phone Eagle Boys Pizza 145 Kendal St 6341 1411 Garden of Roses 49 Kendal St 6342 1176 Johnny's Pizza Bar 35 Redfern St 6342 5550 KFC 155 Kendal St 6341 1388 Munchies Takeaway 134 Kendal St 6341 1984 Yu Sing Chinese Restaurant 44 Kendal St 6342 3477
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Clubs/Hotels
Australia is famous for its Pubs and town is no exception. Below you will find a comprehensive list of Cowra’s Pubs and Clubs.
Facility Name Address Phone Cowra Bowling Club Brougham Street 6342 1836 Cowra Golf Club Mees Road 6342 2299 Cowra Services Club 101 Brisbane Street 6342 1144
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The Country Careers Program
Help for New Staff
The Country Careers Program is a new program that has been funded by NSW Health for the next four years to help with the retention of new staff moving into each Area Health Service.
Catherine Deverell is the Country Careers Coordinator for the Greater Western Area Health Service. The role of the program is to contact new Doctors, Allied Health Professionals and Nurses in difficult to recruit to locations as soon as they have been chosen as the preferred applicant for a position and to assist these new staff, who are moving to a new town, to find rental accommodation; schools for their children; help in networking with local businesses to find work for partners or spouses; finding a sporting or community group they might like to join; etc.
Country Careers is about helping the new staff enter into the community they are moving to and to help them feel welcome and valued as a community member.
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Health Service Details
Cowra Health Service celebrates its 50th Anniversary on 10 October 2008.
The population of Cowra is 13100.
Cowra is a great place to live due to its being so central, just 2 hours to Canberra and 4 hours to Sydney. For a facility of its size, they lead the way for service, continually ranking highly in the state statistics. Cowra is fortunate in that they have 7 – 9 Doctors providing services to the hospital. The support from their Visiting Medical Officers is very strong.
The Cowra Health Service has the following services:
• A 4 bed high dependency ward with modern, state of the art, cardiac monitoring equipment. • A 34 bed acute ward • 3 emergency beds • A 6 bed maternity ward, where over 200 babies are delivered each year. • 4 day surgery beds. • 4 chemotherapy chairs. • There is a Community Health service that operates 4 days per week, and employs 30 people. • A pathology lab, which offers an after hour’s emergency service. • A 24 hour radiology service. • Visiting Cardiologists, urologists and paediatricians. • The nearest referring hospitals are Orange and Bathurst, and Canberra for Cardiac treatment.
Cowra health service operates on a 7 day weekly rotating rosters, using 8 hour shifts with 8 hour breaks.
Professional development, ongoing education and update opportunities are available to all staff. Cowra Health Service offers on site in-service and is committed to continuing professional development. At Cowra, they train 1 student midwife a year and 2 Registered Nurses a year.
Hospital/MPS Accommodation is in the form of: A 5 room staff quarters facility. Staff can stay up to 3 months.
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GWAHS Learning & Development Division
The GWAHS Learning & Development team provides and supports professional development opportunities for Area Health Service staff.
Learning & Development in partnership with external training providers and GWAHS staff have secured funding from a variety of sources to meet the challenge of growing our own to better meet the needs of our community. This has included participation in the Commonwealth Workplace English Language and Literacy Program.
As part of this Learning and Development and partners are: • Using recognition, assessment and learning pathways to enable staff to gain nationally recognised qualifications. • Developing our staff and expanding their career options. • Benchmarking across facilities to increase consistency and quality of service provision. • Increasing the uptake of Apprenticeships and Traineeships GWAHS and L&D both through partnerships with other RTOs and as a part of the NSW Health RTO offers an increased range of VET programs.
L&D is currently expanding its scope of practice and exploring additional partnerships to increase capapcity in line with workforce planning and organisational needs.
Preliminary evaluation of the overall strategy has shown that staff appreciate the skills recognition and workplace support and are open to career development opportunities. Some taking up roles in supervision and assessment and alternate career pathways within GWAHS. This strategy aims to improve staff retention and skills and contribute to the building of a positive workplace culture within GWAHS.
The Learning & Development Calendar can be accessed via http://gwahs/index.php?select=Learning_and_Development&option=program
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The Institute of Rural Clinical Services and Teaching (IRCST)
The Institute of Rural Clinical Services and Teaching (IRCST) was formed in 2003 following recommendations from the NSW Health Plan (2002). It aims to support rural clinicians across all stages of their careers and promote good practice in rural health service delivery.
It is a "virtual institute" with staff working across NSW. The current Executive Director, Ms Linda Cutler, is based in Dubbo.
IRCST provides a range of opportunities to rural and remote health staff:
• NSW Rural Research Capacity Building Program – each year IRCST accepts up to 30 candidates from rural and remote area health services to undertake a research project. Successful candidates participate in a research methods short course, conducted in Sydney by the NSW Primary Health Care Collaboration; are provided with a paid backfill day each week for a two year period; and are linked with mentors who have an interest or experience in the topic or methods required for the project. Applications are usually called in May each year. • NSW Health Awards Sponsorship – each year IRCST sponsors up to 40 rural and remote health staff to attend the Health Expo which exposes them to a range of continuous quality improvement projects from across the state.
IRCST also conducts a major conference, in a rural location, each year: • NSW Rural Allied Health Conference – held in Dubbo during October 2007, this conference attracts allied health professionals from rural and remote NSW to share valuable experiences and raise issues facing allied health practitioners. This conference is held biennially. • NSW Rural and Remote Health Conference – held in Coffs Harbour during November 2008, this conference attracts health professionals from a range of disciplines, with a view to working together to improve rural and remote health and health services. This conference is held biennially.
Some of IRCST’s other projects include:
• NSW Rural Stroke Project • NSW Rural Rehabilitation Clinician Network Project • NSW Rural Allied Health Project • Biostatistician Trainee • Chair in Rural Pharmacy
From time to time IRCST calls for submissions for research or service improvement projects which meet the objectives of the IRCST business plan.
The IRCST website provides additional information on all of the above, as well as any emerging projects. You can also sign up to the IRCST webgroup, and you’ll be notified of upcoming events, funding opportunities, sponsorships and new initiatives. Log onto: www.ircst.health.nsw.gov.au
or for additional information contact the Office of the Executive Director on (02) 6841 2271.
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Acknowledgements
The following people/organisations or groups contributed to the development of these booklets and their input is acknowledged with thanks.
Tourism NSW Cowra Shire Council Walkabout Australian Travel Guide Cowra Tourist Information Staff and Management from Cowra Hospital
29 A Better Life