The twin cities of Albury-Wodonga are situated on the border between New South Wales and Victoria, with Albury being on the NSW or northern side. The mighty Murray River, Australia’s longest river at more than 2,500 kilometres, forms a natural border between the two cities.
The charming twin cities offer a delicious food scene, endless outdoor adventure and a thriving arts culture, as well as heritage buildings. With the Snowy Mountains and Rutherglen wine region nearby, this area makes a great stopover on the Sydney-Melbourne drive at any time of the year.
Above from top: Albury Post Office and the Old Town Hall, Kia Ora heritage-listed house, Regent Cinemas complex. Photos: Destination NSW
And prominent travel booking site Wotif has just named Albury the 2023 Aussie Town of the Year. According to Wotif the awards are judged using an index that examines trending traveller interest gleaned through accommodation searches on Wotif.com in 2022 compared to 2021, affordability and traveller reviews.
This accolade surprised many observers but not the good burghers of Albury, who regard it as only natural that their well-kept secret should have gained wider recognition.
A must-see in Albury is Murray Art Museum Albury (MAMA), the heart of art and culture on the Murray. Claimed to be one of the most visited art venues outside of Sydney, the museum has earned a reputation for its innovative, original exhibitions, featuring some of the best contemporary artists in Australia and from around the world.
Regional art galleries are extremely popular in Australia and some are hugely successful, attracting exhibitions and collections from overseas. According to the Australia Council for the Arts, creativity is strong in the regions and residents of regional Australia are as likely to creatively participate in the arts as residents of metropolitan cities. Living in a regional area does not substantially affect overall arts attendance, the council says.
One in six professional Australian artists live in regional cities or towns, and around one in 10 live in rural, remote or very remote areas. Craft practitioners, visual artists and community arts and cultural development (CACD) artists are the most likely to live outside capital cities.
Nestled between the bustling retail and restaurant precinct of Dean Street and the open greenspace of QEII Square, the recently redeveloped MAMA museum combines heritage features with light-filled contemporary spaces.
The impressive building is home to the city’s extensive art collection, and some of the most exciting new art in Australia. With up to six exhibitions at any time, MAMA is focused on living artists, stories and ideas that are relevant today.
The museum offers guided tours, art classes and workshops, artist talks, kids art activities and school holiday programs. Visitors should check the calendar of events for the dates they are visiting as they might be lucky enough to experience the buzz of an opening night or live event.
Above (2): Exhibitions at the Murray Art Museum Albury. Photos: Destination NSW
Open daily, the museum is a good place to be inspired, meet an artist, get creative and learn something new. Entry is free.
Those who prefer outdoor activities may want to explore the Murray River pathway, a 15-kilometre return trail that links the Wonga Wetlands with the South Albury Trail, through attractive riverside parks among soaring red gum trees. There are plenty of places to stop for a picnic or enjoy the view.
A pelican high and dry – unusual. Photo: Albury City Council and Destination Riverina Murray
Above all, visitors should make a beeline for the five-kilometre Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk between Kremur Street and the Wonga Wetlands. Here, 15 sculptures crafted by Aboriginal artists tell age-old First Nations stories through contemporary art – each comes with an interpretative sign revealing its significance. You can also unlock additional videos via your smartphone.
Above (3): The Wagirra Trail and Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk. Photos: Destination NSW
The Albury Botanic Gardens are not only a serene place to visit – they take you back in time by revealing pockets of the city’s heritage.
Opened in 1877 by Mayor William Jones with the planting of a single elm tree, the grounds were once fashioned to resemble the Union Jack with straight rows of elms and pines. Quite the landscaping achievement, complemented by heritage buildings like the 1890 band rotunda (below) and the 1909 curator’s residence.
History buffs can take a self-guided heritage walk around the gardens, discovering 19 sites of such significance.
Above (2): Albury Botanic Gardens. Photos: Destination NSW
Be sure to wander through the rainforest collection, extremely rare in gardens this far south in Australia. Along your route you’ll also spot a 46-metre Queensland kauri tree and a lone pine from Gallipoli, planted on Anzac Day 1936.
For typical local dining visit Yardbird, a new eatery dishing up Mediterranean-inspired plates cooked over fire, or Bistro Selle, a European-style restaurant showcasing local produce. Or enjoy breakfast or lunch by the water at the River Deck. The best of fresh local produce can be found at the Albury Wodonga Farmers Market, held every Saturday.
The River Deck Café. Photo: Destination NSW
You’ll find plenty of accommodation options including hotels, apartments, B&Bs and holiday parks. For a step back into history the old miner’s house, Rose Cottage, offers a quaint heritage building with a gorgeous garden terrace. The boutique CIRCA 1928, housed in the former Commonwealth Bank building in the heart of the CBD, is perfect for couples. Or the Atura, centrally located on Dean Street, makes for a handy base.
Albury Railway Station.
Albury is a five-and-a-half-hour drive south-west of Sydney and three-and-a-half hours north-east of Melbourne. You can also fly into the Albury Airport and hire a car to explore the region. Alternatively, arriving by train at the grand, heritage-listed Albury Railway Station is a memorable experience – the trip from Sydney takes around seven-and-a-half hours.
I have included some photos from my last visit but for more up-to-the-minute images I’ve relied on the extensive gallery of Destination NSW, which I work closely with when writing about the state of New South Wales for other publications.
I suspect that not many readers of this site are frequent or even potential visitors to Australia, but I could be wrong. Either way I shall continue to feature what I believe are interesting Australian destinations in these blogs from time to time.
Title picture shows west-bound view of Dean Street, Albury, leading to Monument Hill. Photo: Destination NSW
