ONE OF the things that strikes you on a road trip through The Riverina in spring is the endless fields of canola that rush past your window in bursts of brilliant yellow.
Then there are the historic cellar doors and local fresh produce to discover as you explore the region that make this a great place to unwind and relax.
Centred around Wagga Wagga, the largest inland town in the state, the region is also home to Griffith – rich with Italian heritage – Leeton with its art deco charm and other country villages that dot the plains.
The Riverina is known as the food bowl of Australia. Its perfect climate, rich soil and plentiful water produce exceptional citrus fruits, peaches, plums, figs, almonds, lamb, beef, wheat and rice.
Weekend farmers markets and roadside stalls along the river offer a smorgasbord of regional produce.
Check out the Wagga Farmers Market and in Griffith sample gourmet specialties, such as cannoli, influenced by the local Italian cultural heritage.
Also look for dedicated food and wine trails such as the Echuca Moama Food and Wine Trail and check out the tours at Catania Fruit Salad Farm near Griffith.
You can learn about the art of olives at Wollundry Grove Olives near Wagga and pick up more delicacies at specialty stores around the Riverina, like Coolamon Cheese and the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory.
Did you know that more than 60 per cent of the state’s grapes are grown in The Riverina – making it the largest wine region in NSW,
Locals proudly boast that one in four glasses of Australian wine is made from Riverina fruit – and the names of the leading companies are familiar: McWilliams, De Bortoli, Borambola, Calabria Family Wines and Yellow Tai among them.
De Bortoli began here in 1928. Their cellar door and those of McWilliams, Westend Estate and Beelgara Estate are well worth visiting.
IF YOU GO...
- Griffith Visitor Centre, 1800-681-141, www.visitgriffith.com.au
- Wagga Wagga Visitor Centre, 1300-100-122, www.visitwagga.com
- Leeton Visitor Centre, 6953-6481, www.leetontourism.com.au
- NSW Tourism, www.visitnsw.com
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