Cowra

Cowra is a small town in the Central West of New South Wales, Australia. It has a population of around 10,000 people (2016).

Understand
During World War II, Cowra was the site of an internment camp for Japanese prisoners of war. On 5 August 1944 the POWs staged a mass breakout; nearly half were killed. After the war however, the Australian Returned Servicemen’s League assumed responsibility not only for the graves of the four Australians killed in the breakout, but for the Japanese section of the cemetery. In 1960 the Japanese government had their war dead from around Australia re-interned at Cowra. As a consequence, many Japanese people visit Cowra, in addition to local tourists.

By car
From Sydney: Travel over the Blue Mountains via Bathurst. From Bathurst it is about 1½ hours to Cowra on the Mid Western Highway through Blayney.

From Orange: Travel via Blayney or take the Cargo Road to Canowindra and the Canowindra Road to Cowra, about 1½ hours in either direction.

From Canberra: Travel north via Yass and Boorowa along the Lachlan Valley Way.

From Melbourne: Travel along the Hume Highway via Albury then head towards Wagga Wagga and Young

From Brisbane: Travel south via Dubbo and Orange

By train/coach
NSW Trainlink Regional (phone 132 232) has two bus services to Cowra every day. The first meets the early morning XPT train from Sydney at Bathurst at 10:55AM, arriving Cowra at 12:40PM, the second meets the early afternoon NSW Trainlink Intercity trains from Sydney at Lithgow at 7:20PM, and arrives Cowra at 9:55PM. Both require seats be reserved before travel.

By plane
Cowra's nearest airports offering scheduled commercial flights are Orange, Parkes and Bathurst which offer daily services to Sydney. There is car hire at each of those airports.

Canberra is approximately 2 hours south of Cowra and is a major airport with regular interstate services.

Cowra Airport is a paved airport just on the outskirts of town. It would be a straightforward charter from any of the nearby airports. You can get a taxi or walk into town in around 45 minutes from the airport.

Drink
Cowra is home to some of the most exceptional wine tasting experiences in NSW. From garage cellar doors to distinct historical buildings and vineyard art galleries. The original variety to be grown in Cowra in the 1970s was the Chardonnay grape. This classic and flavoursome Chardonnay established Cowra as a quality grape growing region. Soon after, Shiraz, Semillon and Cabernet Sauvignon varieties were planted. The region’s enterprising vignerons have produced some excellent wines from different varieties such as Sangiovese, Mourvedre and Tempranillo.

Today, there are over 40 vineyards dotted around the Cowra, Billimari and Canowindra area which make up the Cowra Wine Region. Many of them offer boutique cellar door tastings, the chance to chat to local vignerons, see winemakers at work and sample some of Australia’s most promising wines.

Go next
Continue along the mid-western highway to Grenfell.