TAKE A HIKE
Border town’s city chic and bush charm
By Ashlee Betteridge
As a bored kid growing up in Albury/Wodonga,
I always wondered why people went there for
holidays.
The two towns straddle the Murray River, and
it seemed the main attraction for many tourists
was just swimming back and forth between NSW
and Victoria.
But returning to my hometown this summer
made me realise it isn’t such a small place any-
more.
The new Albury/Wodonga freeway has im-
proved road access, and Virgin Blue are starting
Sydney to Albury flights this month.
Albury just built itself an impressive modern
library and Wodonga has a cafe strip complete
with public art.
Gone are the days when asking for a cappuc-
cino would see your ‘barista’ reaching for the jar
of instant and an egg whisk.
Now you can get a decent espresso, complete
with a pretentious setting.
It may have gone a little bit posh with the in-
flux of city folk fleeing high property prices, but
it’s still got country charm.
• Europe Earlybird Specials
• Discounted Holiday Packages
• The Bali Package Specialist
Open 7 days for your convenience: Mon-Fri 9am – 5.30pm; Sat 10am – 4pm; Sun 12pm – 4pm
107 Anzac Parade, Kensington (op Kensington Post Office)
P 9662 5000 F 9662 5001 E netfare@netfare.com.au
32 VILLAGE VOICE EASTERN HARBOURSIDE February
It’s nice to know that end of your picturesque
ramble along upgraded walking paths, you can
still buy a lace-decorated tissue box cover at the
many craft shops along the way .
Among the area’s top attractions are:
• The walk starting in Albury’s Noreuil
Park, which trails along the river through bush
and farmland, passing craft shops at Gateway
Island, before finishing at Wodonga’s Somerset
Gardens.
• Monument Hill, home to Albury’s most dom-
inating feature, the War Memorial
• The Botanic Gardens will be a favourite
among green thumbs.
• Culture vultures can get their fix at the mu-
seum, art gallery, cinema or perhaps catch a per-
formance by the local Hothouse Theatre or Flying
Fruit Fly Circus.
• The Hume Weir, though low from the
drought, is still a great place for fishing, swim-
ming and watersports and catching a sunset.
If you get bored of town, a short car trip from
Wodonga lies the historic goldmining towns of
Yackandandah and Beechworth. Rutherglen’s
wineries and Stanley’s berry farms are also good. Above, the Hume Weir wall offers a sunset view.
1175801