An action packed weekend in Albury

Venture both sides of the NSW Victorian Border and you won’t be disappointed.

Both cities have much to offer for a short getaway whether you are looking for family time, a touch of romance, attuning with nature or discovering your creative side.

Here are suggestions for an action-packed three-day weekend.

Start your day with a brisk walk or cycle along Albury’s scenic riverside Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk where you often spot turtles sunbaking and pelicans partying. Art and exercise are a perfect match as you check out the striking contemporary work of 11 local indigenous artists.

Creative sculptures include a giant funnel style fish trap, a carved timber goanna lazing on a log and a tribute to bogong moths flying high.

The popular 5.3 km walk is part of the longer 8.5km Wagirra Trail. The twin cities have more than 90kms of cycling and walking trails.

Enjoy lunch at Wodonga’s Andiamo Street Kitchen – expect fabulous treats and street food from this quirky shipping container in Junction Square.

If you are in luck – catch a show at the eclectic Hothouse Theatre at the rustic Butter Factory that was part of a dairy built in 1928. Located in the Gateway Village arts precinct, it stages lively productions.

The fabulous Flying Fruit Fly Circus that boasts the catchcry “ordinary kids doing extraordinary things” s known for its spellbinding shows with much tumbling, twisting and turning every which way.

Drop into Albury’s atmospheric Two Fingers Bar or Temperance and General in AMP Lane for a pre-dinner drink. Dining suggestions include Bistro Selle for contemporary dining, Norma Wine and Pasta for a cool Italian fix in what was once a corner store and Level One Wine Bar for a food and wine treat.

Taste local produce at the Albury Wodonga Farmers Markets that’s been operating for 18 years. You’ll find fabulous artisan bread, the freshest fruit, finger licking treats and the best egg and bacon rolls.

Stock up on picnic treats at Ebden & Olive Cafe and next door at Nord Bakery for delicious Scandi bread and pastries and then head to the Albury Botanic Gardens where Gardenesque will be staged October 9 and 10 2021.

A lofty 46m Queensland Kauri tree stars here plus a fun children’s garden complete with dinosaur sculptures.

Do a gallery hop starting with MAMA – the Murray Art Museum Albury for a contemporary art experience featuring international touring exhibitions and local work. Interactive workshops are offered to channel your creative flair. Exhibitions include Ken Raff’s The Stage and Salote Tawele’s Love From Here.
Art Partners Australia features a new exhibition of black and white perspectives in Opposites Do Attract – showcasing Lorraine Connelly-Northey’s unique rusted baskets and plaster and wax figures by Robert Klein-Boonschate. Creative workshops are also offered.

Burraja Gallery is home to the work of First Nation artists in the Border and North East region.  Also check out the eclectic street art and sculptures dotted around the cities.

Have a pre-dinner drink at Wodonga’s The Goods Shed or Little Miss and then dine at award winning Miss Amelie, housed in the former Wodonga Railway precinct that features a modern take on European classics – the lemon souffle is a standout.

There’s great coffee in Albury at the Piccolo Pod, Early Bird Cafe and across the river in Wodonga at Bean Station and Piccolo Pod.

Stride out along the Murray River and enjoy lunch at River Deck Cafe on the banks in beautiful Noreuil Park with its huge plane trees that turn golden in autumn.

Head to the Bonegilla Migrant Experience, 12 kms from Wodonga where more than 300,000 migrants arrived from 1947 to 1971. It offers a poignant and evocative reflection into camp life. Once comprising 24 blocks, churches, banks, sports fields, a cinema, hospital, police station and railway platform, only Block 19 remains.

Delve into Albury’s colourful past with the CBD Historic Walking Tour app or collect a map from the Albury Visitor Information Centre. Discover the secrets and surprises of 21 sites over 13 locations.

Drive to Lake Hume, a water lover’s playground, located just 15-minutes from Albury-Wodonga. It’s perfect for swimming, wake boarding, kayaking and canoeing. You may be lucky to snag a Murray cod, brown trout, redfin or golden perch when you throw in a line. The dam that took 17 years to build, holds six times the water volume of Sydney Harbour. Walk across the dam wall for a spectacular sight – it’s one of the best kept secrets for glorious sunset snaps.

For great views check out the Albury War Memorial that surveys Albury’s main thoroughfare, Dean Street. Wodonga’s Huon Hill Parkland also has knock out views of the city including glimpses of Mount Bogong and the Kiewa Valley.

Getting There: Albury-Wodonga is a 3.5-hour drive from Melbourne and 6-hour drive from Sydney. Qantas and Rex fly from Melbourne and Sydney to Albury and Wagga Airport. Wagga is a 1.15-hour drive to Albury. Canberra is a 3.5-hour drive, Newcastle is 7-hour drive, Bathurst is a 5-hour drive, Dubbo is a 6-hour drive and Wollongong is a 5-hour drive. There are connecting flights via Sydney to Albury.

Stay: Circa 1928 Hotel and Spa Albury offers deluxe boutique accommodation in a renovated bank, circahotels.com. Quest Albury on Townsend has 79 serviced apartments, questapartments.com.au. The four star Atura Albury has great rates and is located in the centre of the city, aturahotels.com.

Explore more: visitalburywodoga.com