WAGGA WAGGA +SURROUNDS VISITOR GUIDE gawaymbanha Wagga Wagga-gu, Wiradjuri-gu ngiyanhi ngurambang-gu. Nginha bala ngiyanhigin. guna balugirbang-gu garray. Ngurambang wiradjuri-gu mayiny-gu Welcome to Wagga Wagga, Wiradjuri country, the land of our ancestors, home of the Wiradjuri people We acknowledge the Wiradjuri people who are the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay respect to Elders both past and present. We value the diversity of our local community and support reconciliation by working consistently in partnership with our Wiradjuri and First Nations community, always ensuring that this process is based on respect, trust and a spirit of openness. 2 #visitwagga W E L C O M E T O WAGGA WAGGA + SURROUNDS Chances are you’ve heard of us. But, have you discoveredDARWIN all we have to offer? A city with regional charm. Unspoilt and beautiful in nature. Trail off on riverside adventures or scale peaks for views above it all. A place where seasonal fare is farmed in the paddock next door and proudly presented on plates across the region and beyond. DARWIN Vibrant festivals, marketsNT and sporting events fill our yearly calendar. NT You’ll meet friendly, diverse locals only too QLD happy to share stories of this place which will QLD WA stay with you well after you leave. BRISBANE SA NSW You don’t have to travel far to find us – just WAGGA PERTH WAGGA SYDNEY up the road from Melbourne or Sydney and a ADELAIDE WA CANBERRA stone’s throw from Canberra. VIC ACT MELBOURNE BRISBANE A destination to visit today. A familiar place to TAS come back to tomorrow. SA HOBART NSW visitwagga.com PERTH #visitwagga WAGGA WAGGA @visitwaggawagga SYDNEY ADELAIDE visitwagga.com #visitwagga CANBERRA @visitwaggawagga ACT VIC MELBOURNE DRIVE FLY TRAIN Canberra TASSydney Sydney 2hrs 45mins 1hr 10mins 6hrs 40mins HOBART Sydney Melbourne Melbourne 4hrs 50mins 1hr 15mins 4hrs 40mins Melbourne 4hrs 50mins visitwagga.com 3 Marrambidya Wetland, Wagga Wagga 4 #visitwagga in the guide FORAGE + FEAST...................................... 6 TURNING TREADS | CYCLING ....................... 8 WIDE OPEN SPACES | NATURE .................... 10 ALL ROADS LEAD TO WAGGA WAGGA ............ 12 SAVE THE DATE ...................................... 16 MORE TO EXPLORE | DAY TRIPS ................... 18 SEE + DO | ATTRACTIONS .......................... 28 SEE + DO | SHOPPING .............................. 37 EAT + DRINK .......................................... 41 STAY ....................................................50 GETTING HERE + AROUND ........................ 58 GENERAL INFORMATION ...........................60 Language is a sharing of culture to connect us all. Throughout this guide connect with the culture and spirit of the Wiradjuri people, the traditional custodians of the land, through words inspired by the uniquely beautiful Wiradjuri country. We thank the staff at the School of Indigenous Australian Studies at Charles Sturt University for the language and translations in this guide. visitwagga.com 5 FORAGE + FEAST Discover fresh, seasonal fare foraged Take the opportunity to eat like a local. Join straight from the farm and taste deliciously the breakfast club at one of our trendy cafes, diverse flavours curated by local culinary book a table at a fine dining restaurant, pub experts. From the cheese and chocolate or club, then cheers to the good life at one makers to the chefs in our restaurants, our of our city bars. Wagga Wagga + Surrounds region is turning the tables on regional foodie experiences. Don’t let your edible adventure stop when you leave either. Purchase products to go Stuff your cheeks full of strawberries picked to design your own at-home tasty platter. straight from the plants, sip wine in the Pair local hand-crafted cheese with a sunshine at boutique cellar doors, or step Wagga Wagga-grown Cabernet. What about behind the scenes and learn the process award-winning olives to start and organic behind the ales at a local brewery. For a chocolate for dessert? Stop salivating and memorable experience beyond the flavours start your tasting tour of our Wagga Wagga book a cooking class or long lunch. + Surrounds region today. 6 #visitwagga burambabli dhangaang bala marang garraba- gu-bu ngayiny-gu-bu dhulubang-gu-bu Sharing food good for the body, mind and soul Bidgee Strawberries and Cream, Wagga Wagga FOODIE EXPERIENCES NOT TO MISS > Pluck strawberries from the plant at Bidgee Strawberries and Cream (open seasonally October to April) > Learn the beer brewing process at Thirsty Crow Brewing Co. > Sip wine samples at the cellar door at Borambola Wines or Boutique Wines by CSU > Taste award-winning olives and olive oil at Wollundry Grove Olives Food I Am, Wagga Wagga > Savour all the sweet treats at Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. visitwagga.com 7 TURNING TREADS Go rollin’ on the river, and beyond, when Looking to up the adventure ante? Mountain you visit Wagga Wagga + Surrounds. bikers will love the free-flowing bushland trails at Wagga Wagga’s Pomingalarna Road rider, mountain biker or a family of Reserve. A little further south, you’ll find recreational riders, there’s a trail to suit all Livingstone National Park with its 4.3km cyclists in our region. Bring your own bike multi-use loop track. or hire one from a local bike shop. For a full-day adventure, pack the bikes and For a relaxing pedal, taking in city sights, start head to the nearby Snowy Mountains region in the CBD and follow the Murrumbidgee to cycle the 22km (one way) Tumbarumba River. You’ll pass by Riverside: Wagga Beach, to Rosewood Rail Trail. Pass over bridges, laneway murals, then on to Marrambidya cattle grids and spy breathtaking mountain Wetland to connect with nature and culture. views. For the road riders, head out beyond the city For more cycling tips grab, or download, limits and explore our back roads leading to a copy of our Wagga Wagga + Surrounds quaint towns and villages. Cycle between Trails Map, visitwagga.com/trails bright yellow canola fields and chase sunrises that stretch across the horizon. 8 #visitwagga Pomingalarna Reserve, Wagga Wagga ganaabanha-bu ngaanha-bu ngurambang- ga Wiradjuri-dya nguyaguyamilang-ga Riding on and seeing the beautiful Wiradjuri country CYCLING EXPERIENCES NOT TO MISS > Tackle the fun, free-flowing 13km mountain bike course at Pomingalarna Reserve and take in the city views from the top > Pick a section of the Wiradjuri Trail (a 42km loop around our city) and cycle along to take in city sights and natural wonders > Combining fresh mountain air and scenic rural landscapes, the 22km (one way) Tumbarumba to Rosewood rail trail is one not to miss > A 4.3km loop through natural bushland, the Livingstone National Park multi-use track is great for the whole family Victory Memorial Gardens, Wagga Wagga > Join the cycling cohorts who roll into Wagga Wagga each October for Gears and Beers – a cycling and craft beer festival. visitwagga.com 9 WIDE OPEN SPACES From the foothills of the highest peak in monoliths for views as far as the eye can Australia to horizon-wide plains and all see or roam on trails to new and untouched that’s in between, there’s an abundance of places. Camp in secluded locations under natural wonder for you to explore in our a star-filled night sky. Spy iconic Australian Wagga Wagga + Surrounds backyard. wildlife – kangaroos, koalas, kookaburras (oh my!) – and tip-toe through wildflowers The diversity of our landscapes mean you in the national park. Anglers can cast off can find snow in the mountains in winter, from a boat in the Murrumbidgee River or go kayaking on the river in summer and stand in snow-fed, crystal-clear streams bushwalk through rugged wilderness in waiting to hook a trout, cod or perch. autumn or spring. Add in memorable sunrises and sunsets, Connect with this place through stories and it’s clear there’s no shortage of nature tens-of-thousands of years old shared by experiences to discover in our Wagga the Traditional Custodians of the land. Scale Wagga + Surrounds region. 10 #visitwagga Riverside: Wagga Beach, Wagga Wagga bambinya Marrambidya-dha … budhanha gurawiny … ngaanha gidyira … guwabinya Swim in the Murrumbidgee River, smell the flowers, see the animals, rest in the shade of a tree NATURE EXPERIENCES NOT TO MISS > Picnic or play at Riverside: Wagga Beach, named #9 best beach in Australia for 2020 > Combine tradition and nature at Marrambidya Wetland, go bird watching or get a bird’s eye view from the viewing platform > Spend time exploring our region’s national parks – reach new heights in the Kosciuszko National Park, scale The Rock Nature Reserve - Kengal Aboriginal Place or go bushwalking, mountain biking or birdwatching in Livingstone National Park > Spy iconic Australian wildlife in nature. See kangaroos, wallabies and bird life at Pomingalarna Reserve, Kookaburras frequent our city parks and the river gum trees. Head to nearby Narrandera to spot sleepy koalas and keep your eyes peeled for echidnas at Marrambidya Wetland Oura Beach Reserve, Wagga Wagga > Catch a falling star. Uninterrupted views and low light pollution makes our region perfect for camping out and stargazing. visitwagga.com 11 ALL ROADS LEAD TO WAGGA WAGGA Now, more than ever, is the right time to produce. Detour to discover nature, from pack the boot or hook up the caravan and idyllic river beaches and secluded overnight head out on the open road to explore. camp spots, to trekking trails and spying cuddly koalas. Halfway between Sydney and Melbourne and at the intersection of two of the state’s And, all this on the roads leading into Wagga major highways – the Olympic and Sturt Wagga, with so much more to uncover highways – Wagga Wagga is pretty easy to once you arrive. find. We’ve put together suggested itineraries Stop in at boutique vineyards and rustic for those arriving from some of our major cafés serving the freshest gate to plate cities.