Wagga Wagga



Wagga Wagga (pronounced Wogga Wogga), the largest inland city in New South Wales, with a population of around 56,000 people (2018), is located on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River. The city is universally referred to as Wagga.

Understand
What's now Wagga Wagga was originally inhabited by the Wiradjuri people, considered to be the largest Aboriginal cultural grouping in New South Wales. They inhabited much of what is now the Riverina and the Central West.

Early colonists first sighted the land on which the city of Wagga Wagga now stands in December 1829 during an expedition of discovery down the Murrumbidgee and Murray Rivers. Settlement swiftly followed.

Wagga Wagga was proclaimed a town in 1849 and by the 1860s had a population of 700. The train line reached Wagga in the 1870s, and by 1881, the population had increased to 3,975. In 1879 the railway line was extended south of the river.

"Wagga" in the local Wiradjuri Aboriginal dialect means "crow". The repetition of a word is the method of expressing the plural or emphasis; thus, Wagga Wagga means "crows" or "the place where crows assemble in large numbers". The Murrumbidgee River which runs through the city also derived its name from the Wiradjuri language and means "plenty of water" or "big water".

By car
Wagga is:
 * 6 hours from Sydney via M31 and A30
 * 2.5 hours from Canberra via A25, M31 and A20
 * 5 hours from Melbourne via M31, A41 and A20
 * 11 hours from Adelaide via A20
 * 6 hours from Mildura via A20

By plane

 * Melbourne operated by Regional Express
 * Sydney operated by QantasLink and Regional Express

Ground transportation


Best to book in advance if you want a hire car at the airport. Not just to ensure a vehicle is available, but also to ensure there is someone to meet your flight. Car hire from Wagga is usually limited mileage. To get unlimited milage, Canberra is the best bet, around 3 1/2 hours drive away.



Get around

 * Wagga Radio Cabs operate 24/7 throughout the city.



Do



 * Walk, the Wollundry Track or the Wiradjuri Walking track with maps available at the Wagga Wagga Visitor Information Centre.
 * Swim in the Murrumbidgee River, at Wagga Beach (which is a sand beach).
 * The local newspaper, The Daily Advertiser, is a good guide to what's on around town.
 * Walk the track to the top of The Rock, a short drive away from Wagga.
 * Wagga Wagga Heritage Walk. A self-guided walking tour showcasing 41 fascinating heritage-listed buildings in Wagga Wagga.
 * Walk the track to the top of The Rock, a short drive away from Wagga.
 * Wagga Wagga Heritage Walk. A self-guided walking tour showcasing 41 fascinating heritage-listed buildings in Wagga Wagga.

Buy
Baylis Street is the main street of Wagga and is where you will find most shops. You'll find the Sturt Mall and Marketplace shopping centres which should have everything you need. You'll also find some smaller malls in the suburbs such as the Kooringal Mall (Kooringal) and the Southcity Shopping Centre (Glenfield Park).



Eat

 * The Quinty Bakehouse at Uranquinty is a 10-minute drive from Wagga (South on the Olympic Highway, A41). Offers a range of products made using organic flour, such as sourdough melts and pies with real meat. They are famous for their tarts, which come in three sizes and more than 10 flavours.
 * The Riverina Hotel, also known as The Bridge, serves good pub meals for very reasonable prices. A schnitty, veg and gravy costs about $10. The special of the day is about $6 to $7.
 * The Riverina Hotel, also known as The Bridge, serves good pub meals for very reasonable prices. A schnitty, veg and gravy costs about $10. The special of the day is about $6 to $7.

Go next
If you are driving, Wagga Wagga is at a crossroads. Head west on the Sturt Highway (Route A20) for a long drive to Adelaide (approx. 11-hr drive), east on the Sturt Highway (Route A20) and then the Hume Highway (Route M31) to Canberra (3 hr) and Sydney (5 hr) or south on the Olympic Highway (Route A41) and then the Hume Highway (Route A31) to Melbourne (5 hr).