Hidden Treasures of Cowra: 5 Spots to Explore
Written by Stassi Austin.
Hidden Treasures of Cowra: 5 Spots to Explore
Cowra may be world famous for our Wartime history and our picturesque scenery, but if you stay a while, you’ll discover some fantastic hidden gems! These hidden gems are the perfect addition to your Cowra trip after you’ve ticked off the main attractions.
Cowra Rose Garden
Wander through the picturesque Cowra Rose Garden out the front of the Cowra Visitor Information Centre. The Cowra Rose Garden contains approximately 880 bushes of 130 varieties, including a bed of the beautiful Cowra Rose. The garden is at its best between late October and May, but also features beautiful annuals during the winter months. Please ask the friendly team at the Cowra Visitor Information Centre for a brochure of the garden. (Pop in and see the famous 9-minute Prisoner of War Hologram at the Cowra VIC during your visit!)
Directions: Cowra Rose Garden
Galari River/Lachlan River Precinct
Looking to get out in nature? Take a stroll down the Galari Bila/Lachlan River walk, which starts under the Cowra Bridge, home to the impressive Indigenous Art Murals on the Bridge Pylons. 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.
Directions: Indigenous Art Murals on the Bridge Pylons
*Blue Between by Phillip King, 1971. Painted and welded steel – 221 x 472 x 365cm
COWRA SCULPTURE PARK
Located in the John Moon Memorial Rotary Arboretum on Len Whiteley Drive in the Cowra Peace Precinct, the Cowra Sculpture Park is an open-air extension of the Cowra Regional Art Gallery collection and is freely accessible to the public. Boasting installations from both nationally and internationally acclaimed artists, the Park was opened in 2021 with the acquisition of a unique collection of public sculptures gifted by Macquarie University to Cowra Council. A concrete path weaves its way through the grass, allowing for easy access to these incredible works of art.
Directions: Cowra Sculpture Park
Bellevue Hill Lookout
Comprising a large space for unstructured recreation, playground equipment, shaded picnic facilities, free barbeques and public amenities, Bellevue Hill Reserve is one of Cowra’s most popular parks. To many local residents, the Reserve is referred to as ‘Billy Goat Hill’ after its steep nature and the goats that were once kept there. Wiradjuri Elder, Aunty Robyn Coffey shares: “In Wiradjuri, Cowra means rock. And a lot of the landscape is a lot of rock. In particular, (sic) Bellevue Hill or Billy Goat Hill. At the lookout, it’s very steep. The reason it is called Billy Goat Hill is because it was home to roaming goats for many years. And there are rocks everywhere because there’s a lot of traditional areas, where a lot of our ancestors lived, camped and lived right around Billy Goat Hill and further down towards the POW section” You can hear more about the history and significance of Bellevue Hill in the Cowra Voices App.
Directions: Bellevue Hill Lookout
Lachlan Valley Heritage Railway Centre
Discover one of Cowra’s best-kept secrets and visit the Lachlan Valley Railway Heritage Centre. Wander through an extraordinary collection of historic engines, carriages and wagons. You’re welcome to explore the exhibits and enter a number of the carriages on display. The sleeping cars, with their beautifully preserved cedar panelling and original fixtures and fittings, evoke memories of a past era of train travel. See the restored Cowra roundhouse, historic buildings, gardens, locomotives and more! Knowledgeable volunteers are on hand to assist you with a guided tour, or you can enjoy wandering around at your own leisure.
Directions: Lachlan Valley Heritage Railway Centre
Getting here and around
Cowra is easy to reach, conveniently located at the intersection of three major highways:
- From Sydney: Take the Great Western Highway via Lithgow and Bathurst.
- From Canberra: Travel via the Barton Highway, Yass and the Lachlan Valley Way.
With nearby towns such as Bathurst, Orange, Grenfell and Young just an hour to one-and-a-half hours away, Cowra makes a great base from which to explore the surrounding region.
Plan your visit
For an easy guide to planning your trip, check out the Itinerary Planner (there are four day trips that cover Cowra, Canowindra, Woodstock, Wyangala Dam and further into the countryside), or view/download the Visitor Guide.
The Cowra Visitor Information Centre is an essential first stop for visitors to the Cowra region and is open from 8:30am – 5pm weekdays and from 8:30am – 3:30pm on weekends (closed Good Friday & Christmas Day).
Visit Cowra and discover what it means to escape.
