What to See and Do in Cowra New South Wales

Explore World War II History, Vineyards, Gardens & Japanese Culture

Sep 13, 2009

A scenic four hour drive from Sydney through the Blue Mountains and historic Bathurst leads to Cowra, a Central NSW town brimming with experiences for the tourist.

Cowra is a beautifully maintained town on the banks of the Lachlan River with historic buildings, numerous parks and a range of accommodation and activities for the tourist. Visitors to Cowra can immerse themselves in history, taste local wines, experience Japanese culture, enjoy art galleries, gardens, an observatory and museums. The people of Cowra have been recognised for the fine example they set in post-war understanding between nations.

Prisoner-of-War Camp and the Cowra Breakout

The largest escape in military history was attempted at the Cowra Prisoner-of-War Camp on 5 August 1944. More than 400 prisoners escaped from the compound but were either recaptured or committed suicide over the next nine days. In all, 234 Japanese prisoners and four Australian soldiers died in the escape or its aftermath. Visitors can walk amongst the ruins of the Cowra POW Camp and listen to actual voice recordings of soldiers recalling their memories of the event.

Australian and Japanese War Cemeteries

Cowra hosts an Australian War Cemetery which is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. It holds the remains of twenty-seven Australian World War II casualties including the four Australian soldiers killed in the Cowra Prisoner-of-War breakout, two of whom were posthumously awarded the George Cross, and servicemen from the Cowra district.

Japan requested permission to establish a War Cemetery at Cowra, as the nation was so impressed by the local Australian ex-servicemen respectfully tending to the graves of Japanese soldiers killed in the Cowra POW breakout. These actions were considered an acknowledgment of peace and reconciliation between Japan and Australia. Established in 1963, it is the only Japanese War Cemetery outside Japan. The remains of other Japanese soldiers were later relocated to this Cemetery.

Cowra Visitor Information Centre and Rose Garden

Cowra Information Centre provides a free hologram theatre presentation relating the story of the mass escape from the POW Camp . The Centre also displays a collection of relics from the POW site. A feature of the Visitor Centre is the Cowra Rose Garden with 880 rose bushes to delight the tourist or garden lover. The 130 rose varieties growing provide a wonderful resource for rose lovers choosing roses to plant in the home garden.

World Peace Bell in Cowra

The bell is a replica of the World Peace Bell located at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. There is only one Peace Bell in each country, usually in the capital city, but Australia’s bell was awarded to Cowra as acknowledgement of the town's example of goodwill and post-war reconciliation with Japan.

Cowra's Bellevue Hill Lookout

The Bellevue Hill scenic lookout above the township gives a spectacular 360 degree view of the town and surrounding countryside. There are neat picnic facilities in the parklands at the base of the hill, adjacent to the entrance to the Japanese Garden. Roadside plantings of cherry trees will eventually number two thousand and link the Japanese Garden with the War Cemeteries and POW Campsite.

Cowra Japanese Garden & Cultural Centre

Opening in 1979, the Cowra Japanese garden was designed by world-renowned Japanese garden architect, Ken Nakajima and symbolises the landscapes of Japan. Complete with waterfalls, streams and lakes stocked with Koi Carp, the garden covers 14 acres, includes traditional Japanese architecture and bonsai, and is the largest Japanese Garden in the Southern Hemishere. The Cultural Centre houses Japanese art and artefacts, and a gallery for local artisans.

Wineries In Cowra

The Cowra region boasts forty vineyards. Six boutique wineries close to Cowra have friendly cellar door wine tastings, as do several more not far away in Canowindra. Once specialising in Chardonnay, the region now cultivates Shiraz, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and some less well-known grape varieties. Many of these charming wineries have an additional feature such as an historic building, art gallery, restaurant or local produce for sale.

Day Trips from Cowra

Travel through scenic countryside from Cowra to nearby historic townships including Grenfell (the birthplace of poet Henry Lawson), Greenethorpe and Iandra Castle, Canowindra, Young and the photographer’s delight, Carcoar. Cowra is in Central New South Wales on the Mid-Western Highway between Bathurst and Grenfell, approx. 4 hours drive from Sydney and 2 hours drive from Canberra.

The copyright of the article What to See and Do in Cowra New South Wales in Australia Travel is owned by Sharon Ketelaar. Permission to republish What to See and Do in Cowra New South Wales in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.