Tourism & Events
Cowra has a number of true country experiences from relaxing along the extensive waterways to exploring the tranquil Japanese Garden. Take a trip down memory lane and experience Cowra's fascinating history, from the days of steam trains to the largest Prisoner Of War breakout in modern military history.
Food and wine buffs can tour Cowra's ever expanding vineyards to sample the superb local food and wine that is available. Where better to enjoy fine wine and delicious food, than right in the heart of where it is actually produced.
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.
Must See – Must Do:
- Cellar Doors and Vineyards
- Cowra Japanese Garden & Cultural Centre
- Superior dining at Neila and The Quarry
- Wyangala Dam & State Recreation Park
- P.O.W. Hologram Theatre
- P.O.W. Camp Site
- Japanese & Australian War Cemeteries
- Cowra Rose Garden
- Australia's World Peace Bell
- Lachlan Valley Railway
Click here or scroll down for more information. Alternatively, visit www.CowraTourism.com.au.
Events
Regular
Cowra Farmers Markets
The market features produce that is grown/made in the Cowra region including lavender, olives, vegetables, meat, fruit, preserves, salad dressing, olive oil, herbs, honey, local coffee woodwork rural brick-a-brack and much more. Sausage sizzles and bacon and egg rolls are also available.
When: |
Every third Saturday of the month (19 Sep, 17 Oct, 21 Nov, 19 Dec, etc) |
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Where: |
Cowra Showground Pavilion, Grenfell Rd, Cowra |
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Contact: |
(02) 6342 9225 |
Woodstock Market Day
When: |
8am – 1:30pm, Second Sunday of the month |
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Where: |
Woodstock Memorial Hall Rankin Street, Woodstock |
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Contact: |
(02) 6345 0147 |
Annual
Cork & Fork
Taste all of the region’s food and wine in the one place on the one day!
This is a fantastic event that showcases the best of what the region has to offer. Satisfy your tastebuds and come along to the annual Cork and Fork. Some activities on the day will include wine tasting, gourmet food, farmers market, children's activities, jams and jellies along with light entertainment.
When: |
Saturday 7th November 2009 |
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Where: |
Cowra Showground Pavilion, Grenfell Rd, Cowra |
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Contact: |
02) 6342 1977 or cowrashow@bigpond.com |
Anniversary of the Cowra Breakout
When: |
5th August |
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Where: |
Various locations in and around Cowra |
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Contact: |
02 - 6342 4333 or tourism@cowra.new.gov.au |
The Cowra Prisoner of War (POW) campsite was the site of a mass breakout of over 1,100 Japanese during World War II. At 2am on 5th August 1944 Japanese POWs launched a mass escape. 231 Japanese lost their lives in the Breakout, 107 were wounded while a further 334 managed to escape into the surrounding countryside. Three Australian soldiers died during the breakout while a fourth was killed in the subsequent round-up of escapees. It took nine days for all escapees to be re-captured. The Cowra Breakout remains the largest mass prison escape in modern military history.
The anniversary will be commemorated with a number of services at sites around Cowra including wreath laying at Squire Park, the POW campsite and the Japanese and Australian War Cemeteries. A number of special events will also be held including a church service and the annual luncheon of the Cowra Breakout Association.
Cowra Festival of International Understanding
When: |
5th August |
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Where: |
Various locations in and around Cowra |
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Contact: |
02 - 6342 4333 or tourism@cowra.new.gov.au |
Cherry Blossom Festival (Sakura Matsuri)
Sakura Matsuri (Cherry Blossom Festival) is a Japanese celebration heralding the arrival of spring every year when the cherry blossoms are at their best.
The festival is held at the Japanese Garden in Cowra and is based on the traditional Japanese festival of the same name. During this time the Garden celebrates the coming of spring, focusing on Japanese culture and the beauty of the delicate cherry blossom.
A number of Japanese cultural events and workshops are held including Ikebana, Origami, Calligraphy, kite making and flying, tea ceremonies, music recitals, sake tasting, bonsai demonstrations, Sumo Wrestling, Aikido, Karate and Tai Chi.
Different activities take place on different days – please refer to the Cowra Japanese Garden Website for the full program of events.
A Service of Respect is held at the Australian and Japanese War Cemetery on Sunday 27 September, and Cherry Trees are planted along Sakura Avenue.
When: |
21-27 September 2009 (Main events on Saturday 26th September) |
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Where: |
Centred around the Cowra Japanese Garden |
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Contact: |
+61 2 6341 2233 or garden@cowra.nsw.gov.au |
Cowra Wine Show
The idea of the Cowra Wine Show was first conceived by Ian Armstrong M.P. in March 1982. The proposal of starting a national wine show in a regional area was maybe somewhat unorthodox, however the Cowra Show Society quickly established a steering committee to investigate the proposal.
With considerable input from Bill Moore (National Wine Show) the plan for a national wine show was completed. A Cowra Wine Show committee was elected which succeeded in attracting 214 entries to the inaugural Cowra Wine Show, held in August 1983.
The first Cowra Wine Show proved to be very successful and the show has continued to go from strength to strength attracting 545 entries in 1989 to a staggering 2585 entries from 451 exhibitors in 2007.
The Cowra Wine Show now in its 26th year is one of the largest national wine shows held in Australia attracting top class judges from Australia and overseas. In addition the Cowra Wine Show attracts many enthusiasts from all over the region and beyond for a public tasting which is held after the completion of all judging. Due to the overwhelming demand tickets for the public tasting have had to be limited to 1000.
When: |
July (Public Tasting on the last Saturday, Show Dinner 1 week later) |
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Where: |
Cowra Show Ground Pavilion |
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Contact: |
02) 6342 1977 or cowrashow@bigpond.com |
Tourism
Wine & Food
Where better to enjoy fine wine and delicious food, than right in the heart of where it is actually produced. Cowra is an attractive and unpretentious town that offers the visitor a unique experience that will leave you wondering why you hadn't discovered it earlier. Cowra is deservedly developing a name not only for its wines but also the excellence of its restaurants and the production of quality produce.
Cowra Produce
Cowra has long been recognised as home to some of Australia's finest produce, in particular, prime lamb, beef, wheat and green and white asparagus. In recent times, however, the region has diversified and now smoked trout, sheep milk cheese, olives and olive oil, organic stone-ground wheat flour, Wagyu beef, corn-fed lamb, cherries, asparagus, white peaches and alpine strawberries are just some of the delicacies you might find on local menus at various times of the year.
Did you know? The Cowra Farmer’s Markets are held at the Cowra Show Ground ever third Saturday Morning providing the public with the opportunity to purchase fresh local seasonal produce and the grower with opportunities to sell direct to the public.
Restaurants
Cowra is well serviced by a number of excellent restaurants that take a strong interest in serving fresh local seasonal produce. These restaurants are very diverse in style, architecture and location making it possible to have a range of experiences across a stay. Dine alfresco overlooking a vineyard, in a charming historic cottage or in a cosy multicultural eatery.
The Visitor Information Centre keeps sample menus to assist in making your choices. Few regions can claim to have produce that is unique instead it is the people and the character of the community, which distinguishes one from another. Yet in Cowra a strong individual regionalism does exist, where innovative new industries such as aquaculture and organics are supported by strong traditional agricultural pursuits including beef and lamb production, wheat and horticulture.
Two exception restaurants are Neila and The Quarry
Wine Facts
Agriculture, horticulture and viticulture have all become much more diverse and tourism now weaves an important thread between these industries. Grapegrowing and winemaking has grown quickly in only the last ten years to become a major part of the town?s economic infrastructure. There are records of winemaking occurring as early as the 1860?s, however the first commercial vineyard was established in 1973. Today, the Cowra Region has over 1,700 hectares under vine taking in 35 vineyards producing more than 10 million bottles of wine per vintage.
Only a little over half of this (52%) is planted to white varieties, predominantly the Chardonnay Cowra has become famous for, with other whites such as Verdelho also increasingly receiving recognition. The quality of red wines from the Cowra region is only just coming to prominence amidst high praise from critics. The vintage in particular is looking very promising for red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. Other more unusual varieties are becoming available and these also are showing the diversity and promise of the Cowra wine region.
The Cowra Breakout
At 1.50 am on the clear moonlit night of August 5, 1944, the largest Prisoner of War breakout in modern military history occurred at Cowra. More than 1000 Japanese prisoners launched a mass 'suicide attack' on their guards, Australian soldiers of the 22nd Garrison. To the Japanese, the disgrace of capture could finally be overcome by dying in armed battle.
Armed with crude weapons, four groups each of approximately 300 Japanese threw themselves on to barbed wire fences and into the firing line of Vickers machine guns. Protected only by baseball mits, blankets and coats and using their comrades as a human bridge to cross the tangled barbed wire, more than 350 Japanese clawed their way to freedom. (From the Cowra Breakout Kit.)
All escapees were captured during the following week. A total of 107 POWs were wounded, 231 prisoners died along with four Australian soldiers.
From the tragedy of war and the Cowra Breakout came a long lasting friendship between the people of Cowra and the nation of Japan. There is much in Cowra today which serves as a reminder to these events.
P.O.W. Theatre - Located at the Visitor's Centre, this nine minute hologram tells the story of the Breakout and its aftermath. The story is inspirational and the display simply amazing. A must see for any visitor.
Australia's World Peace Bell - Located in Civic Square, the Australian World Peace Bell is a replica of the one that stands in the forecourt of the United Nations Headquarters in New York as a reminder of the continual need for all nations to work for peace. The Australian World Peace Bell was awarded to Cowra in 1992 for its long standing contribution to world peace and international understanding.
Japanese War Cemetery - Following the Breakout returned Cowra servicemen, in an act of kindness tended the graves of the Japanese soldiers killed in the Breakout. In 1963 the Japanese government were considering the repatriation of their war dead, however they were so impressed with the attitude of the Cowra returned servicemen they proposed that a Japanese War Cemetery be built in Cowra. All other Japanese nationals who died during the war, civilian and military alike had their remains brought to Cowra. Since then other Japanese remains from the second World War have been interred at the cemetery. To this day it is the only Japanese War Cemetery in the world.
Australian War Cemetery- Maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the Cowra War cemetery has become a showpiece for modern military cemeteries. It contains the remains of the four Australian's killed during the breakout and those of other local servicemen who died during the second World War.