Cowra

Cowra is famous as the site of a mass breakout of Japanese prisoners of war during World War II – one of the most dramatic episodes in Australia’s wartime history. Today, the town’s Japanese Garden is popular, and you can visit the POW camp and war cemeteries.

The region is also acquiring a reputation for its wine and fine food. Canowindra, the hot-air ballooning capital of Australia, has a Heritage-listed main street, good wineries, olive groves and orchards.

DID YOU KNOW THAT...

• Cowra is located on fertile land in the Lachlan River Valley
• The town is famous for its wartime history and has strong connections to the Japanese & Italian communities
• Is only a one hour drive from Young

MAKE SURE WHEN YOU ARE IN COWRA YOU CONSIDER...

• Sampling wine at vineyards such as Kalari Cellar Door and Art Gallery
• Visiting the Cowra War Cemetery, where the Australian servicemen and Japanese POWs who died in the Cowra breakout are buried
• Finding out about the history of Cowra at the Prisoner of War Theatre in the visitor information centre
• Seeing the Cowra POW Campsite, where more than 1,104 Japanese soldiers staged a breakout during World War II
• Relaxing in the stunning Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre, which has a teahouse, bonsai house, ponds and exhibits
• Viewing the 360 million-year-old fossils at the Age of Fishes Museum in Canowindra
• Hot-air ballooning at Canowindra