The township was originally established as a place to cross the Lachlan River en route to the Lambing Flat goldfields.Those goldfields were near what is now the township of Young.

         The original crossing was a ford. After a while there was a barge and eventually the first of three bridges.The three bridges that have been built in Cowra over the years range from firstly a wooden structure then a wood and steel structure until finally the present bridge of concrete which was built in the 1980s. Under the bridge Aboriginal artist Kym Freeman has painted large murals depicting both aboriginal culture and aspects of the town as it is today. Many local school students added to the murals with their handprints. The Forest of Youth is also near the bridge on the banks of the Lachlan River. In this growing forest there has been a tree planted for every child born in Cowra during the existence of the forest. There is a plaque at the base of each tree with the child's name and birth date.

           The Cowra Shire is a very diverse agricultural area. During the Second World War and for many years afterwards many vegetables were grown here and processed in the local cannery. Vegetables such as tomatoes, asparagus, beetroot were grown. Today the cannery is bigger than ever despite having been closed down in the early 90s. The cannery now produces a large selection of products as well as canning vegetables.

       Asparagus is still grown here whilst most of the other produce is shipped in for processing. This photo shows the traditional method of harvesting the asparagus spears. Cowra has a growing and vibrant wine growing industry these days and many of the local wines have won prestigious awards. A feature of each year is the Cowra Wine Show which is the fourth largest in Australia after the Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane wine shows is now considered to be among the most important of wine shows in Australia. The cherry industry is also expanding in the Cowra Shire.

   During the spring the valley features bright yellow flashes of the many canola crops. The Cowra area is a major grower of high grade canola. Many other cereal crops are also grown including wheat and barley. Livestock production is also thriving in the Cowra Shire. Lachlan lamb in particular is highly regarded in the restaurant trade.

Cowra prides itself on being the Centre Of Word Friendship. Each year the Festival of International Understanding is held featuring a different guest nation. The Festival has been on going for almost 40 yrs. During that time nations from all over the world have been the feature of a week long celebration.

During WW2 there was a Prisoner of War camp at Cowra. Prisoners from Japan, Indonesia and Italy were held there for the duration of the war. In the early morning of 5th August 1944, 1,104 Japanese prisoners were involved in a mass breakout from Camp No. 12 at Cowra and 231 Japanese POW's were killed or found dead while 334 escaped from the POW camp. Because of unrest in the camp among the prisoners, thought to have been caused by the Japanese Officers, it was decided to shift them to another camp. When the move became known to the Japanese Officers, they decided to arrange a breakout, impressing on the 'other ranks' that is was better to die for their country than to remain captives. All the officers were killed in the breakout and the other ranks with no knowledge of direction, wandered about the countryside helplessly. Four Australian guards also lost their lives. The former camp area is still preserved by heritage orders although only the foundations of some of the buildings remain. There is also a sculptured memorial to those guards in Squire Park in the CBD area of Cowra. On the eastern approach to Cowra there is also a significant memorial to the Italians who were imprisoned in Cowra during the war.

   The story of the breakout is told in a hologram presentation at the Tourist Information Centre which is situated at the intersection of the Boorowa, Young and Grenfell Roads on the western side of the Cowra Bridge. This facility recently won a NSW State Tourism Award.

Following the war the returned servicemen began to tend the war graves of returned Australian service personel, at the same also maintaining the graves of fallen Japanese soldiers. Japanese Embassy officials, visiting the war graves in 1956/1957/1958, were so impressed with the attention given to the Japanese graves by the Cowra Sub -Branch of the RSL that amabassador Suzuki recommended to his government that all Japanese nationals buried in Australia be moved to Cowra. This was the first move that led to the Cowra- Japanese relationship. Now all Japanese who died in Australia during the war are interred at the Japanese War Cemetery in Cowra. The Japanese War Cemetery lies beside the Australian War cemetery on the outskirts of the town and is visited by many Japanese tourists.

From this small beginning the relationship between Cowra and Japan has grown. There is a spectacular Japanese Garden built with finance from Japan, Cowra Shire Council, some local donors and some government assistance. An avenue of cherry trees joins the War Cemetery and the Japanese gardens.

       Subara Nagkura Park is built along the Cherry Tree Avenue in Binni Creek Road. Over 50,000 visitors visit the gardens each year. The gardens are a representation of the Japanese landscape transposed to country NSW. The hill is the mountain, streams are rivers, ponds are inland lakes and the sea, and every bend takes the visitor on a voyage of discovery. Eventually you will finish your tour by the sea where there is a large lake featuring the beach - ponder a moment or feed the Koi. Take time to explore the Garden and experience its tranquillity and beauty.

         In recognition of the work the town has done in promoting world peace with the war graves and annual festival, Cowra was awarded the Australian World Peace Bell. The bell is one of only three in the world that are not situated their nation's capital city. Australia's World Peace Bell is made of coins provided by 103 member countries of the United Nations, which were melted down and cast into the Bell. It is housed in a pavilion that is decorated with pottery tiles reflecting community ideas for World Peace. A ceremony is held on World Peace Day - 3rd Tuesday in September - to mark the opening of the Disarmament at the United Nations.

As you enter the township you are greeted with avenues of trees. In fact most of the streets in Cowra are lined with trees as can be seen from these examples.

         A spectacular rose garden is featured near the Visitors Information Centre as you enter town from the south or west. Over a thousand roses are on display featuring many varieties including the Cowra Rose. Near by is a coffee shop where the visitor can stop and revive while enjoying the tranquil surroundings and the hologram presentation of the events surrounding the breakout.

         Cowra has a busy shopping centre. The wide main street and the myriad of shops makes shopping a pleasure. The main street is lined with attractive trees and shrubs. There are facilities for disabled people to park in and the majority of shops have provided disabled access to their premises.

Cowra is renown for the wide variety and the quality of its sports and parks facilities. There are four well maintained turf cricket wickets, a great 18 hole golf course, a heated outdoor swimming pool of Olympic length, football grounds to cater for Rugby League, Rugby Union, Australian Football and Soccer. Athletics, netball and hockey fields are also available as well as many recreation parks that have the latest in playgrounds to cater for the kids or for a quiet picnic under a shady tree.

Cowra has many significant church buildings as well. Pictured here is the St Raphaels Catholic Church.

While Cowra is not a large township it is growing. Industries here have expanded over many years. There is a wool processing plant, a large abattoir, machinery manufacturers as well as three furniture manufacturers that supply many of the largest retailers in Australia. Many secondary industries that support the agricultural sector also abound. The local saleyards that is managed by the local council is a well respected and highly successful operation. Accommodation in Cowra is able to meet all requirements. There are three caravan parks, 12 motels, 6 Farm Stays as well as many hotels that offer accommodation. Eight of the motels feature rooms suitable for disabled people to use. On top of those choices there is Wyangla Waters State Park that also offers bungalows, cottages, cabins, caravan sites and camping sites. Coffee shops that serve snacks and meals pride themselves in their use of local produce as do the many high class restaurants. If you would like more information on the history of Cowra local historical author Cyril Treasure has published a number of books. The first was in 1995, 'Waugoola Shire and beyond'The history of the old Waugoola Shire and its amagamation with Cowra Town. Then 'Aberdeen to Cowra and Geenthorpe Pioneers.' A story of the development of agriculture in the local area and in NSW. 'Perc Treasure Light Horseman'. A coverage of the Light Horse in Australia. 'It Doesn't Always Rain'~ a family history. 'Cowra's Festival of International Understanding' ~ the history of Cowra's annual festival which began in 1963. 'Lawns Bowls in Cowra snd the Lachlan Valley.' In 1999 Cyril wrote 'Come in Spinner'aboout his war experences. In 2000 he wrote 'Three Men Of Vision' and "While the Campfire Burns' a book of Cyrils peotry. In 2001 he wrote 'Dorset Horn Supreme' about the history of Dorset sheep in Australia. In 2002 Cyril penned 'Duplicate Bridge for the Beginner' and 'The Development of Agriculture in Australia.'

     Cyril's latest book which is now being printed is called 'Animal Capers' Volume 1 Horses. This is the story of how writers of Fables, Folklore, Legends and Peotry have used aninals to project their stories, legends and morals. If you are interested in any of these books or would like to know more about Cowra please contact me at starrgi@hotmail.com.

THE TIDIEST TOWN IN NSW 2002

Cowra was selected as the tidiest town in NSW at the State Awards Dinner in November 2002. The Cowra Tidy Towns and Urban Landcare Committee would like to show you some of the projects which resulted in them gaining this prestigious award. This award is for far more than just having a neat and tidy town. It is an awards which recognises the local groups who have contributed to their local environment and improved it.

The vast majority of these projects are completed by voluntary labour and are funded by the local group in concert with Cowra Shire Council as well as the assistance of the many business sponsors.

The Cowra Tidy Towns and Urban Landcare Committee was formed on the 12th August 1987. Several of the founding members are still part of the group and are still making a valuable contribution.

To allow funding for the group the Cowra Shire Council has allowed the use of their garbage trucks and street sweepers to be used to advertise local firms. The charge for this advertising goes directly into the Committees account and is used to fund new projects and to allow for the maintenance of completed projects.

Among the projects completed are the Forest of Youth which is pictured earlier in this article, the Waterwise Garden which is a garden that demonstrates how to be more water efficient in the garden.

The Waugoola Creek planting project which aims to preserve the banks of Waugoola Creek on the outskirts of Cowra.

The Pistol Club Tree Planting project which aims at forming a buffer between the old disused garbage tip and Waugoola Creek.

The Olympic Tree Planting project which aims to replicate native bushland on the edge of one of the major sporting areas in Cowra and where the Olympic Flame visited Cowra.

Our latest project has been the revegetation of the Scenic Drive Cutting where some dangerous overhanging rocks were removed leaving exposed banks on the side of the main route to the Japanese gardens. Our aim has been to revegetate both sides of the cutting with local native plants. Funding for this project has been supplied by Cowra Shire Council and Westpac Bank as part of its Operation Backyard programme. Many community groups have contributed to this project including ~ The tidy Towns and urban Landcare Committee, Westpac Staff, Cowra gardening Club, Upper Lachlan Bushwalkers Club, Yr12 from Cowra High School, several landcare groups from the local area and local residents who live opposite the cutting.

The vast majority of the photographs on this site were taken by the author. Several have been used courtesy of the Cowra Tourist Information Corporation with their permission. The Cowra Shire Council site can be viewed at http://www.cowra.local-e.nsw.gov.au/about/ Cowra Tourism site is at http://www.cowratourism.com.au

Please leave a comment on the site or make contact at Cowra1@hotmail.com

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