Murrumbidgee River, Wagga WaggaCredit: Destination NSW
Men enjoying an early morning row on the Murrumbidgee River, Wagga Wagga.
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Follow the tunes to the heart of the Riverina where the vibrant town of Wagga Wagga sets the stage for an electrifying Great Southern Nights (GSN) line-up from 8 – 24 March. Wagga Wagga will host six headline gigs as part of the17-night music festival, and when the music stops, a delectable food and wine offering awaits.
Great Southern Nights Gigs
Head to the centre of town and discover iconic Tilly's on Baylis Street, where you can grab a round and let the good times roll to the likes of Illy (16 Mar), Northlane (15 Mar), Sneaky Sound System (22 Mar) and Tigerlily (23 Mar).
Boots are made for walkin’, so get on down to see Australia’s cream of the crop of the country scene, Kasey Chambers who will perform at the Civic Theatre (24 Mar). Keeping the country theme alive, The Curious Rabbit is an eclectic, intimate venue that will host up and coming alt-country artist, Raechel Whitchurch (16 Mar).
Great Southern Nights 2024 - Northlane Credit: Morse Code
Great Southern Nights 2024 - Northlane
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Great Southern Nights 2024 - Northlane Credit: Morse Code
Great Southern Nights 2024 - Northlane
Great Southern Nights 2023 Taster Series Credit: Morse Code
Great Southern Nights 2023 Taster Series
#feelnsw
Great Southern Nights 2023 Taster Series Credit: Morse Code
Great Southern Nights 2023 Taster Series
Eat and drink
Birdhouse Bar & Kitchen
Featuring a sunny and leafy courtyard and a cool industrial-style interior, visit this lively spot for a cocktail and a bite to eat. Stay for the cheery vibes with live music every Sunday or try the bottomless mimosa lunch on weekends.
Giuseppe’s Restaurant and Bar
An authentic Italian restaurant with a big heart, Giuseppe’s was born from a passion for traditional Italian cooking. Comprising freshly made pizza dough, pillow-soft handcrafted gnocchi and rich sauces made from the freshest ingredients, the menu is inspired by family recipes that have been handed down through generations.
Uneke Lounge
Housed in one of Wagga Wagga’s most iconic corner stores, which was a dining institution in the 1950s and 60s, Uneke Lounge is a relaxed café serving an all-day breakfast menu and coffee locally roasted in Orange. Once bellies are full, customers can browse Crown Corner afterwards, the boutique retail store within the restaurant, featuring quality Australian-made products including greenery, food and body care.
Thirsty Crow Brewery
Taste beers with a difference at the family-owned and operated brewpub that has been serving up beer to thirsty Wagga locals since 2010. Order some pub grub from the kitchen menu, then wash it all down with a pint of the original Sporting Ale or sample the unique and award-winning Vanilla Milk Stout paired with house-baked pizza.
Farmers Home Hotel
Visit this local institution - established in 1856 and still trading on its original premises – and soak up the unique and welcoming atmosphere of the hotel with fantastic service and a cosy nature. Classic pub favourites can be enjoyed with daily cocktail happy hours.
Hide Steak and Bar
Visit this steakhouse that showcases some of Australia’s best beef producers. Dine in the restaurant or wind down at the bar offering beer, wine, cocktails and refreshing non-alcoholic drinks.
Pastorale by Meccanico
An achingly cool cafe and restaurant where days begin with excellent coffee and French-toast crumpets with gin marmalade, and end with antipasti platters featuring meats from a glass salumi closet.
Play
Bundyi Cultural Tours
Learn about the land you’re standing on with local Wiradjuri man Mark Saddler. Leading tours around Wagga Wagga and along the Murrumbidgee River, Mark teaches guests about his people who come from one of the oldest cultures in the world, basic Wiradjuri language, significant local sites, useful native plants, bush tucker, and traditional tool-making.
Ashculme Textiles
From a tribe of eight rare Suri alpacas, a creative local mother–daughter duo handcrafts beautiful wraps, throws and ponchos that are created with as little impact on the earth as possible. Browse the handwoven ‘paddock to package’ wares or even learn to make your own in one of the workshops, with children’s and adult’s weaving classes available.
Sample local produce
The Riverina is known as the food bowl of Australia, so tuck in and enjoy its earthly delights crafted by the clever local providores. Just minutes from the town centre, pick your own strawberries at Bidgee Strawberries and Cream, meet the growers and sample award-winning olive oil and olives at Wollundry Grove Olives, and visit cellar doors at Borambola Wines, Boutique Wines by CSU and Cottontails Winery.
Borambola Wines, Borambola Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying the wine tasting at Borambola Wines, Borambola.
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Borambola Wines, Borambola Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying the wine tasting at Borambola Wines, Borambola.
Bundyi Aboriginal Cultural Tours, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
Bundyi Aboriginal Cultural Tours guide Mark Saddler sharing his knowledge with tourists from Galore Hill Lookout, Fargunyah near the town of Lockhart and the city of Wagga Wagga.
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Bundyi Aboriginal Cultural Tours, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
Bundyi Aboriginal Cultural Tours guide Mark Saddler sharing his knowledge with tourists from Galore Hill Lookout, Fargunyah near the town of Lockhart and the city of Wagga Wagga.
Explore
Wagga Beach
It’s not often an inland beach is named among the best in Australia, so when Wagga Beach was listed as one of 2020’s Top 10 beaches in the country, ears pricked up. Enjoy the lauded beach for yourself, lazing about on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River under the shade of river red gums or explore the tranquil waterway on a kayak.
Wagga Botanic Gardens
A sprawling oasis, the Wagga Wagga Botanic Gardens has been delighting locals and visitors alike since 1968. There are nine sections to explore including an Australian native garden, a rainforest gully, and a Shakespearean Garden that is designed in line with Elizabethan-era style. Kids will love the model railway, adventure playground, zoo and aviary, which has more than 90 species of animals and birds.
Wagga Wagga Art Gallery
Wagga Wagga Art Gallery inspires a vibrant, innovative and diverse Riverina arts culture. They engage with their local and global communities, support artists regionally and nationally, and promote a flourishing and experimental creative environment accessible to all.
Stay
The Baylis Boutique Apartments
Sitting pretty on Baylis Street in the city centre, these two family-owned apartments can be booked separately or together, to sleep from five to 10 guests. Beautifully and comfortably styled, guests are spoilt with a stocked pantry, free Netflix and laundry facilities.
Townhouse Hotel
Offering ideal accommodation for a business trip or a weekend escape with stylish furnishings and mouthwatering meals at The Oakroom Restaurant. Suites offer plenty of space with a lounge area and advanced technology. You can even book a spa suite for ultimate relaxation.
The Houston
Oozing character, this 10-bedroom boutique hotel is set within a charming 1868 building that once served as a private school, hospital and boarding house. Restored to its former Neo Gothic glory, the hotel is heritage listed and is an idyllic stay in the centre of town.
The Charles Boutique Hotel
Located in the heart of the city, this hotel and restaurant has long been serving up delicious fare and well-appointed accommodation. The self-contained apartments are generously sized and The Charles Dining Room offers a five- or seven-course tasting menu for a fine dining experience.
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For more information on Great Southern Nights and to purchase tickets go to greatsouthernnights.com.au. Start planning your Great Southern Nights road trip and learn more about New South Wales’ diverse destinations and experiences at sydney.com and visitnsw.com.
Share your Feel New moments with #FeelNSW and #FeelNewSydney.
Wagga Beach, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying an afternoon at Wagga Beach, Wagga Wagga.
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Wagga Beach, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying an afternoon at Wagga Beach, Wagga Wagga.
Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
The Wagga Wagga Art Gallery houses a world class, nationally significant collection of contemporary art glass, featuring approximately 500 pieces.
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Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, Wagga Wagga Credit: Destination NSW
The Wagga Wagga Art Gallery houses a world class, nationally significant collection of contemporary art glass, featuring approximately 500 pieces.
More Inspirational Stories
Luna Park Sydney, Milsons PointCredit: Destination NSW
Kids enjoying fairy floss during a day out at Luna Park Sydney, Milsons Point
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Fill the school holidays with fun for the whole family in Sydney and across New South Wales this summer. From educational activities at leading cultural institutions to unforgettable road trips along the coast and adventures through country NSW, here’s some inspiration to help plan your journey.
Revel in Sydney’s summertime diversions
Feel your head spin with the variety of family entertainment options on offer in Sydney during school holidays. Immerse in a magical multimedia show, complete with colourful holograms, at Luna Park Sydney’s recently launched Dream Circus experience. Then emerge from the harbourside amusement park’s Immersive Big Top and step onto one of its signature rides for thrills of a more physical kind.
Give your budding performers and junior theatre buffs a taste of life in the creative arts with school-holiday classes and workshops at the Sydney Opera House. Encourage visual creativity with artmaking sessions in the Kids on deck maker space at the Australian National Maritime Museum at Darling Harbour, before the whole family explores the museum’s interactive displays and clambers onto the ships docked in the harbour’s waters.
If your kids have expressed an interest in working with animals in the future, they’ll love Taronga Zoo Sydney’s Junior Keepers program – children aged 8 to 11 can join a Taronga Keeper behind the scenes as they go about their day caring for some of the zoo’s native animals.
Burn off energy while learning how to surf in a controlled environment in URBNSurf’s wave pool at Sydney Olympic Park, a 20-minute drive from central Sydney. Bring your bikes to explore Sydney Olympic Park’s massive Bicentennial Park, gaze down into an old quarry filled with frogs on the Brickpit Ring Walk, or survey the ship graveyard hidden in the mangroves from the park’s shipwreck viewing platform.
Watch your younger kids’ faces light up at the incredible Planet Mino indoor play centres in Chatswood and the Northern Beaches suburb of Warringah – each play centre has an array of sensory experiences, including role-play zones and interactive augmented-reality walls. Or enjoy the more down-to-earth sensory experience of milking a cow and riding a tractor at Calmsley Hill City Farm in Abbotsbury, Western Sydney.
Taronga Zoo, Mosman Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying a giraffe encounter at Taronga Zoo in Mosman
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Taronga Zoo, Mosman Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying a giraffe encounter at Taronga Zoo in Mosman
Head to the mountains – and beyond
Go west on an epic road trip your family will be talking about long after school has started back again. Begin your western wanderings in the Blue Mountains, an hour’s drive from Sydney’s city centre, following walking trails to scenic outlooks throughout the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Blue Mountains National Park.
Notice how everyone falls silent in awe as you descend into rainforest on Scenic World’s Scenic Railway – the world’s steepest passenger train – or travel high above a bushland valley on the Scenic Skyway outside the main Blue Mountains town of Katoomba.
Venture into the expanses of the plains beyond the Blue Mountains, making your way to the historic town of Bathurst. Imagine you’re in a epic motor race, albeit at a much more sedate pace, on the public road that becomes the Mount Panorama racing circuit a few eventful times each year, before soaking in the lore of the racetrack at the National Motor Racing Museum.
Push on west, stopping for a gourmet lunch in the epicurean haven of Orange, on your way to Dubbo’s safari-style Taronga Western Plains Zoo, home to rare and endangered animals from the African, Asian and Australian continents.
National Motor Racing Museum Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying The National Motor Racing Museum located at Murray’s Corner, Mount Panorama in Bathurst
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National Motor Racing Museum Credit: Destination NSW
Family enjoying The National Motor Racing Museum located at Murray’s Corner, Mount Panorama in Bathurst
Choose your own northern adventure
Make memories as the miles go by when you embark on a Legendary Pacific Coast road trip, following the Pacific Highway to the tourist hubs of Coffs Harbour, Byron Bay and Tweed Heads on the NSW North Coast.
Or stay closer to Sydney and enjoy a more sedate pace by holidaying on the Central Coast, seeking out aquatic adventures on Lake Macquarie, Australia’s largest coastal saltwater lake, and exploring the sea port of Newcastle, all within a two-hour drive north of Sydney.
Spend the day getting to know native Australian wildlife, from koalas and kangaroos to snakes and lizards, at Australian Reptile Park, on the Pacific Highway near the Central Coast town of Gosford. Slow down and attune to the beauty of the bush with Glenworth Valley Wilderness Adventures, also near Gosford, which offers horse riding, quad biking, kayaking and more in a heavenly wilderness setting.
Plunge into the waves at one of Newcastle’s surf beaches before checking out the military displays at the city’s Fort Scratchley Historical Site or swinging from ropes at Treetops Adventure Newcastle. Or venture north of Newcastle to Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary to meet wild koalas receiving treatment at the Port Stephens Koala Hospital.
Australian Reptile Park, Somersby Credit: Destination NSW
Australian Reptile Park located in Somersby on the Central Coast offers interactive animal experiences as well as close encounters with wildlife. Set in a natural bushland setting, the experiences include educational and entertaining shows.
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Australian Reptile Park, Somersby Credit: Destination NSW
Australian Reptile Park located in Somersby on the Central Coast offers interactive animal experiences as well as close encounters with wildlife. Set in a natural bushland setting, the experiences include educational and entertaining shows.
Cruise down south for family fun
Take your pick of countless beaches lining the NSW South Coast to make your base for carefree summer days relaxing by the water. In between swims, head inland for unforgettable outdoor adventures and animal encounters.
Get up close to native Australian wildlife and exotic animals at Symbio Wildlife Park in Helensburgh, a 70-minute drive south of Sydney, before following the epic Grand Pacific Drive down the coastline.
Cool off with a dip in the waves at Austinmer Beach or Thirroul, stop in the beachside city of Wollongong for lunch, or drop in to see an amazing collection of heritage aircraft brought back to life by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society at HARS Aviation Museum, a 20-minute drive south of Wollongong.
Make a splash on the water rides at the Jamberoo Action Park, around a 10-minute drive inland from HARS Aviation Museum, or push on to Kiama to check out the beach town’s famous blowhole.
Symbio Wildlife Park, Helensburgh Credit: Destination NSW
The Symbio Wildlife Park in Helensburgh provided interactive animal experiences and an opportunity to explore the Conservation Splash Park Adventure Playground.
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Symbio Wildlife Park, Helensburgh Credit: Destination NSW
The Symbio Wildlife Park in Helensburgh provided interactive animal experiences and an opportunity to explore the Conservation Splash Park Adventure Playground.
Feast on experiences in the Riverina
See – and taste – for yourself why the Riverina is called the country’s food bowl when you cruise through the southwest NSW region’s seemingly endless farmland, passing countless citrus groves and fruit trees. Wow the finicky eaters as well as the foodies in your family as you stop in at charming country towns for a memorable meal or an indulgent snack, on your way to an immersive farm stay.
Connect your kids with the produce they usually only see in a supermarket by staying in a farmhouse at Catania Fruit Salad Farm outside of Griffith. And savour a punnet or two of the juicy strawberries you’ve just picked yourself at Bidgee Strawberries and Cream in Wagga Wagga, the Riverina’s largest town, before picking up home-made strawberry ice-cream and jam from the farmgate shop.
Inject a sense of unrestrained joy into the day by visiting Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory, a wonderland of confectionary housed in an old flour mill in Junee, around a 30-minute drive from Wagga Wagga. Take a guided tour of the licorice and chocolate factory and take pride in watching your kids make their own giant chocolate freckle, before or after a hearty lunch at the in-house Millroom café.
Junee Licorice and Chocolate, Junee Credit: Destination NSW
Family-friendly tourist attraction located in Junee. Guided tours and chocolate tasting as well as hands on interactive chocolate experiences.
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Junee Licorice and Chocolate, Junee Credit: Destination NSW
Family-friendly tourist attraction located in Junee. Guided tours and chocolate tasting as well as hands on interactive chocolate experiences.