Fast facts
- The town has been declared an Urban Conservation Area by the National Trust
- Bushranger Mad Dog Morgan is said to have hidden in caves in the area
- 562 km south-west of Sydney, population 4,650
Why go there
This is a tranquil rural town with tree-lined streets, spruce historic buildings and lots to see and do. Wide verandahs shade the streets and elegant two-storey buildings are worthy of a photographic expedition.
History
Before European settlement, the area was occupied by the Wiradjuri Aboriginals. Captain Charles Sturt is thought to have been the first white man to pass through the district in 1829.
Narrandera was home to novelist Thomas Alexander Brown, better known as Rolf Boldrewood, the author of "Robbery Under Arms" and poet Father Patrick Hartigan, who as John O’Brien wrote "Around the Boree Log".
Things to do
- Visit the remains of the Hit and Miss Inn while treading the Two Foot Heritage Tour.
- Try wildlife spotting on the Bundidgerry Walking Track.
- Slip down a waterslide at Lake Talbot Holiday Complex or take a dip at one of the freshwater beaches on the Murrumbidgee River.
- Browse the town's eclectic mix of shops to see everything from a 2,000-strong doll collection to chainsaw sculptures.
Events
- John O’Brien Bush Festival in March for bush poetry readings and Irish music.
- The Narrandera Rod Run for hot rod action at Easter.
Don’t miss
- The Big Playable Guitar at the Visitors Centre.
- NSW Governor John Macarthur's scarlet merino cloak at the Parkside Cottage Museum.
- Koala spotting in the Narrandera Koala Regeneration Reserve.
- Galore Hill, where Mad Dog Morgan is said to have hidden in the caves.
- The Hankinson ceramic fountain, made by Royal Doulton, in Memorial Park.
- Inhaling deeply at Lavande Aromatiques and sampling all things lavender.
- Looking a giant Murray Cod in the eye at the Fisheries Centre.
