Junee

A railway museum, haunted mansion, heritage streetscapes and chocolate tours are just some of the delights to discover in Junee, part of the beautiful Riverina. Stir your curiosity and tempt your tastebuds in the pretty country town, a stop on the Melbourne-Sydney railway and a short drive from Wagga Wagga. 

History and heritage

Take a guided tour of the Junee Roundhouse Railway Museum, an impressive feat of engineering and one of the few working roundhouses left in the world. When it opened in the 1940s, it had the largest turntable in the Southern Hemisphere. It is also the location of the last steam train depot in NSW.

A great way to explore Junee is on foot. For information on self-guided tours visit the Junee Visitor Information Centre, located at the Junee Library. Along the way, be sure to stop by the two-storey Broadway Museum – a heritage-listed pub built in 1914 which houses a collection of local memorabilia and Betty’s on Broadway cafe. For more rail history, take the short drive to Bethungra Rail Spiral.

One of Junee’s most popular and unusual attractions is the Monte Cristo Homestead, reputed to be Australia’s most haunted house. Book an evening ghost tour through the Victorian-era mansion or, if you’re brave enough, spend the night. Don’t miss the creepy collections in the doll museum.

Local produce

For a tasty adventure, visit the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory and see how delicious sweets are made. Enjoy a break at the Junee Railway Station Café, serving coffee and lunches in an atmospheric turn-of-the-century railway refreshment building which has plenty of room for kids to play. 

The Junee Rotary Farmers Market is held on the first Sunday of the month (excluding January). Pick up fresh local produce, organic beef, cheese, wine, olives and more. You can also browse gourmet treats and hand-crafted gifts at Bethungra Old School T-House, northeast of Junee. 

Getting there and where to stay

Junee is around halfway between Sydney and Melbourne. It’s a 4hr 30min drive from Sydney, 5hr 30min from Melbourne and 2h 30min from Canberra. You can also catch the train from both Sydney and Melbourne, and the journey takes around six hours. Fly into Wagga Wagga Airport and rent a car for the scenic drive 30min northeast to Junee.

Places to stay include motels, bed and breakfast and a tourist park with cabins and caravan and camping sites. You can even spend the night at the spooky Monte Cristo Homestead.