Nestled on the bucolic banks of the Murrumbidgee River, flanked by hillsides swathed with post-drought clover and fluorescent fields of canola, is the little hamlet of Jugiong, population 222.
This blink-and-you’ll-miss-it blip on the map, located halfway between Sydney and Melbourne, is one of those sleepy rural towns where you would generally refuel, grab a pie and find a public restroom before hitting the road again, its two-storey pub and caravan park just a blur in the rear-view mirror.
Instead, this unassuming village has become a destination worth lingering in.
“The unique thing about Jugiong is that every business in town does what they do really well,” said Juliet Robb, owner of the Long Track Pantry. “All the businesses complement each another, which brings a certain type of customer to town, one that stops by every year.”
A local who left the fold but returned 15 years ago with the dream of opening a cafe in the old general store, Ms Robb can take credit for transforming the tone of the town, with the promise of good coffee an irresistible lure for highway travellers.
“Coffee was the hook,” she explained, “but the town has since ridden that wave.”
In the early days, a bid to “keep staff busy” resulted in the Long Track Pantry also becoming a produce store, selling homemade chutneys, relishes and jams that were originally made in the cafe’s kitchen, but are now produced in a dedicated jam factory around the corner. The Pantry also features a boutique clothing and gift store and a gelato stall during summer; while COVID-19 restrictions led to a popular new sideline of home deliveries, with ready-made meals, baked goods and hampers delivered locally as well as to regional hubs of Canberra and Wagga Wagga.
Meanwhile, the Jugiong Wine Cellar next door to the Pantry stocks a range of wines from the Hilltops, Murrumbateman, Tumbarumba and Gundagai regions, complemented by an ever-changing display of local artworks. Many of the labels sold in the cellar are otherwise hard to find on retail shelves, so tastings (currently not offered due to COVID restrictions) are usually an enjoyable part of the buying experience.
The surprises in this one-horse town continue: the Quirky Crow, at the town’s northern entrance, is an impressive gallery space with a range of locally made arts, crafts and furniture; and Woodstock Resources offers European antiques, architectural salvage, and oak and parquetry flooring which has impressed the likes of Liam Hemsworth, according to local rumour.
The historic heart of Jugiong is the Sir George Hotel, a grand two-storey structure dating back to 1852. After seven generations in the hands of one family, the watering hole was sold in 2015 to Perth mother-daughter design team, Liz Prater and Kate Hufton, who took on the daunting task of stripping the neglected pub back to its bones, revealing its original stone walls and many other elements of its intriguing past.
“It was a mess but had a beautiful soul, thanks to the Irish stonemasons who built it,” said Ms Prater’s partner, Kim Gamble, who lends his extensive restaurant and bakery experience to the hotel’s thriving hospitality arm. “The vision was to create something special, which we’ve done with a lot of love and hard work.”
Today, open fires in intimate lounges create a welcoming space for dining and cocktails; while the beautifully landscaped beer garden, resplendent with an avenue of flowering snow pears, creates a sunny, family-friendly atmosphere. In the basement, accessed by a trapdoor, is the pub’s original cellar, now used for wine-tastings and special events; while an old laundry houses the hotel’s bakery which pumps out delectable oven-baked sourdough bread.
In 2018, the original 1845 Cobb & Co stables were converted into three stunning guest rooms, reconstructed brick by brick by a stonemason who is the great-great-grandson of the original proprietor; while eight minimalist black barns, designed to resemble the original outbuildings on the property, add a modern flourish still in keeping with the hotel’s rich heritage.
This is luxe accommodation rarely found in Country NSW – and just another reason to break your journey to experience the good life in this little town that could.
Riverina’s canola trail
Between August and October, farmland surrounding NSW Riverina townships such as Cowra, Junee, Young and Gundagai becomes a vibrant patchwork of green and gold as crops of canola burst into flower.
And for once, 2021 has risen to the occasion: after drought-breaking rains, it’s proving to be a bumper year, with the sea of fluorescent yellow not only rescuing farmers’ livelihoods, but also creating a mesmerising tourist drawcard.
While organised canola tours have been suspended due to COVID-19, visitors keen to grab photographs can download self-drive itineraries, with tips on how to experience the fields of gold and bring business to local economies.
Keep in mind, however, that the crops are on private property – respect fences and don’t trample the fields in your quest to capture the perfect picture!
Plan your trip at canolatrail.com.au
Take me there
Drive: Jugiong is 338 kilometres south-west of Sydney. Travel on the M31 (Hume Highway) towards Goulburn. Jugiong is 36 kilometres north of Gundagai, a two-minute diversion off the highway.
Stay: At the Sir George Hotel, the Black Barns start from $335 per night, and the Heritage Stables from $365 per night.
Explore more: visithilltopsregion.com.au