Gundagai is a small town just off the Hume Hwy and a bit over halfway between Melbourne and Sydney, and is most well-known for its Dog on the Tuckerbox monument that comes from an old bush poem.
Situated on the Murrumbidgee River in the Riverina region of New south Wales, the region’s fertile ground was popular with the local Wiradjury people for thousands of years. By the 1820s, the British colonists soon discovered the area would be a fantastic place for a township, eventually gazetting Gundagai in 1838.
Since those times the small town has seen a colourful history of early explorers, settlers and bushrangers pass through the area. Today, the town’s rural setting see’s tourism and farming are some of the largest industries of the town. In the past, mining of gold and asbestos was also a major part of Gundagai’s history.
Popular tourist attractions in Gundagai include the old Gundagai jail and courthouse, the Gundagai museum, the Australian road transport heritage centre, a railway museum and several historic bridges as well as several statues including the aforementioned Dog on the Tuckerbox. Gundagai’s rivers make for a fantastic day of fishing or even canoeing, while several cycling and walking trails allow you to get up and close with nature and fresh bush air.
Major events throughout the year include the Gundagai Show, the Gundagai Rodeo, The Battle on the Bidgee Stockman’s Challenge, the Sundy in Gundy Markets on the last Sunday of every month as well as several horse races throughout the year like the Snake Gully Cup.
Gundagai is located just off the Hume Hwy about 5 hours drive from Melbourne, 4 hours from Sydney and 2 hours from Canberra. To get to Gundagai via public transport you would need to get a train to Wodonga, Wagga Wagga or Cootamundra and transfer to a road coach to Gundagai.
