Gundagai

Australia

Gundagai is a small town (population 2,000) in the Riverina region of the Australian state of New South Wales. Gundagai is situated on the Murrumbidgee River, some 390 km south-west of Sydney. Gundagai is an ideal stopping point on a driving trip on the Hume between Sydney and Melbourne, having a range of accommodation, good services, and a few points of interest to see before moving on. The township is located close to the freeway, and doesn't require that much of a diversion.

Gold mining made Gundagai both prosperous and a centre for bushranging, giving the town a romantic bush appeal that resulted in it becoming a byword for outback towns in Australia. A large number of outback stories, songs and poems reference Gundagai, including Jack O'Hagan's songs Where the Dog Sits on the Tuckerbox, Along the Road to Gundagai and When a Boy from Alabama Meets a Girl from Gundagai, as well as Banjo Patterson's The Road to Gundagai and the traditional ballad Flash Jack from Gundagai. The town is also mentioned in Henry Lawson's tale Scots of the Riverina and C.J. Dennis' The Traveller.

In 1838, against the advice of the local Aboriginal people, the town was built on flood-prone flats on the northern banks of the Murrumbidgee River. In 1852, severe flooding virtually destroyed the European settlement and 83 of the 250 townsfolk lost their lives. The toll would have been higher but for two Aboriginals who came to the rescue in bark canoes, saving 48 people. The town relocated further up the slopes of Mt Parnassus, and the highest street in the original town, Sheridan Street, is now the main street.

  • The Dog on the Tucker Box, Snake Gully (5 miles North of Gundagai. This famous bronze statue, a minor landmark on the Hume Highway on the Sydney side of Gundagai, was unveiled by then Prime Minister Joseph Lyons in 1932 as a tribute to outback pioneers. There are highway services, as well as an interpretive walk located here. Count on spending 30 minutes or so. Free.
  • The Murrumbidgee River passes through Gundagai. There are old railway and road bridges crossing the river, which are worth a visit if you are in to that sort of thing. The bridges were some of the longest in Australia at the time they were built. The flood plain of the river divide the town into two, separated by green space with a walkway/cycleway between areas. The Hume Highway crosses the river and flood plain on a 1.1 km bridge.
  • Historic Buildings. Gundagai has an historic courthouse, and post office. It has a restored abandoned railway station. Wander down Sheridan Street for a look at some of the town's oldest buildings. Don't miss the old flour mill in Sheridan Lane, or the Prince Alfred Bridge, Australia's longest timber bridge, built in 1866.
  • Dr Charles Gabriel's glass-plate photographs, which depict Gundagai life in the early 1900s, in the Gabriel Gallery.
  • Rusconi's Marble Cathedral. Inside the Visitor Centre there is a small room that exhibits Frank Rusconi's marble masterpiece. This marble model of a cathedral took Rusconi, the sculptor of the Dog on the Tuckerbox, 20 years to build, by putting together 20,948 pieces of marble collected from the state of New South Wales. This little extravagance is well worth the small fee. $5.
  • Gundagai Museum, +61 2 6944 1995. 9:00-15:00. This museum exhibits tools and agricultural machines from the area.

  • The Snake Gully Cup, in November, is a two-day horse-racing carnival that includes the Dog on the Tuckerbox Festival.
  • The Turning Wave Festival, 3rd weekend in September, is a celebration of Irish/Australian culture with song, dance, poetry readings and markets.

The Snake Gully Cup, in November, is a two-day horse-racing carnival that includes the Dog on the Tuckerbox Festival.

The Turning Wave Festival, 3rd weekend in September, is a celebration of Irish/Australian culture with song, dance, poetry readings and markets.

The Dog on the Tucker Box, Snake Gully (5 miles North of Gundagai. This famous bronze statue, a minor landmark on the Hume Highway on the Sydney side of Gundagai, was unveiled by then Prime Minister Joseph Lyons in 1932 as a tribute to outback pioneers. There are highway services, as well as an interpretive walk located here. Count on spending 30 minutes or so. Free.

The Murrumbidgee River passes through Gundagai. There are old railway and road bridges crossing the river, which are worth a visit if you are in to that sort of thing. The bridges were some of the longest in Australia at the time they were built. The flood plain of the river divide the town into two, separated by green space with a walkway/cycleway between areas. The Hume Highway crosses the river and flood plain on a 1.1 km bridge.

Historic Buildings. Gundagai has an historic courthouse, and post office. It has a restored abandoned railway station. Wander down Sheridan Street for a look at some of the town's oldest buildings. Don't miss the old flour mill in Sheridan Lane, or the Prince Alfred Bridge, Australia's longest timber bridge, built in 1866.

Rusconi's Marble Cathedral. Inside the Visitor Centre there is a small room that exhibits Frank Rusconi's marble masterpiece. This marble model of a cathedral took Rusconi, the sculptor of the Dog on the Tuckerbox, 20 years to build, by putting together 20,948 pieces of marble collected from the state of New South Wales. This little extravagance is well worth the small fee. $5.

Gundagai Museum, +61 2 6944 1995. 9:00-15:00. This museum exhibits tools and agricultural machines from the area.

Souvenirs can be bought at the service centre where the dog on the tucker box statue is located. Naturally, various souvenirs featuring the famous "dog on the tucker box" can be found here.

  • Gundagai Bakery, 184 Sheridan Street (in the centre of town on the main shopping strip, +61 2 6944 1192. M-Sa. Historic Gundagai Bakery, built in 1864 & believed to be the longest continually running bakery in Australia. Fresh daily menu of bakery items with fresh breads, rolls, sweet pastry, cakes, pies, sausage rolls & fresh-made sandwiches. Devonshire tea. Quick coffee n cake or a light lunch to eat in or takeaway.
  • McDonald's Family Restaurant, 143 Mount St (On Hume Hwy at South Gundagai, +61 2 6944 3322. M-Th : 6AM to 10PM, F-Su : 6AM to 11PM. Dining rooom, McCafe, Play Area, Drive Thru, Free Wi-Fi
  • Gundagai District Services Club, 254 Sheridan Street, Gundagai, +61 2 6944 1355. 17:30-21:30. The club dining room offers good-value Australian and Chinese food.

Gundagai Bakery, 184 Sheridan Street (in the centre of town on the main shopping strip, +61 2 6944 1192. M-Sa. Historic Gundagai Bakery, built in 1864 & believed to be the longest continually running bakery in Australia. Fresh daily menu of bakery items with fresh breads, rolls, sweet pastry, cakes, pies, sausage rolls & fresh-made sandwiches. Devonshire tea. Quick coffee n cake or a light lunch to eat in or takeaway.

McDonald's Family Restaurant, 143 Mount St (On Hume Hwy at South Gundagai, +61 2 6944 3322. M-Th : 6AM to 10PM, F-Su : 6AM to 11PM. Dining rooom, McCafe, Play Area, Drive Thru, Free Wi-Fi

Gundagai District Services Club, 254 Sheridan Street, Gundagai, +61 2 6944 1355. 17:30-21:30. The club dining room offers good-value Australian and Chinese food.

North on the Hume Highway to Yass and Sydney. South to Albury and Melbourne.

Day trips are possible to Tumut, Cootamundra, Wagga Wagga, Canberra among other places.