Cootamundra

Cootamundra is a picturesque country town in the beautiful Riverina. Best known for being the birthplace of famous cricketer Sir Donald Bradman, the town has lovely cafes and is an important agricultural hub.

Things to do in Cootamundra

Visit the cottage where Sir Donald Bradman was born in 1908, which has now become a museum containing the batsman’s cricket memorabilia. Open seven days, Bradman’s Birthplace Museum is full of cricket history.

In Jubilee Park is the Captains Walk, featuring over 40 bronze sculptures of Australian Test cricket captains and Unaarimim, a famous Aboriginal cricketer in the first Australian cricket team tour of England in 1868.

Agriculture is an important industry. The striking Milestones Sculptures in Parker Street pay tribute to some of Australia’s finest wheat grown in the district. For family fun and country hospitality, the Cootamundra Show is a traditional agricultural show held every third weekend of October.

The Arts Centre Cootamundra or TACC hosts exhibitions and performances. For local handmade gifts, browse Cootamundra Art and Craft Centre. For antiques, Quality Junk and Parker Street Antiques have a trove of surprises.

The bright blooms of countless Cootamundra wattle – native to the region - create a charming sea of golden yellow in July and August. There are also birdwatching trails, such as the Cootamundra Bird Walk and Pioneer Park’s 30-minute loop walking track or bring your bicycle and pedal on quiet rural roads and the 8.5km Cootamundra Mountain Bike Track.

Where to eat

Your tastebuds are in for a treat, with tasty bakeries, cafes, coffee roasters, clubs and pubs. Planted Cootamundra is a wholefoods cafe that specialises in organic seasonal produce from the district. For delicious bistro food, try the Coota Ex-Services Club or the Cootamundra Country Club.

How to get there and where to stay

Cootamundra is a scenic road trip from Sydney or Melbourne and is only two hours’ drive northwest of Canberra. You can take a train from Sydney or Melbourne, or fly into Wagga Wagga’s airport and rent a car for the 70 minutes’ drive northeast to Cootamundra.

A great base for exploring the Riverina, Cootamundra’s accommodation includes holiday cottages, motels, hotels, a converted church and a caravan park that’s a short walk from the town centre.