COWRA TOURIST STUFF   

 

Cowra is nearly 270 K/m SW of Sydney. You can get there via Bathurst or via the Hume Highway  and  Boorowra. I prefer the second route as the Blue Mountains seems to have endless road works.

   This was my first trip to Cowra and probably my last. The towns only claim to fame is that it held a concentration camp there during WW2 and the Japanese prisoners decided to have a break out. Two things surprise me about this. Firstly, they did this in the middle of winter and Cowra is a cold hole. The second reason was they didn't want to go back to Japan in disgrace because their custom is that its better to die in battle than to be taken prisoner. Well that's how the story goes. So they made one last stand to die in honour. In the process, setting fire to the buildings. They were all but killed in the attempt, as well as a few Aussie soldiers that apparently had never seen action or fired a gun before. I kind of think the Japanese got so cold that they accidentally burnt the building down and everyone panicked. If you do venture out there and see where they plonked these prisoners you could appreciate why they would possibly burn the place down...just to get warm.

    When you go to the cemetery, you will notice the ages of soldiers buried there. The ages are from 16 to 70, even the Japanese that are buried are supposedly within that age group but its not sure if in fact that is their real names and ages, cause again, they didn't want their families to know they were captured.

 

     So what has happened since the break out. Well they built a Japanese garden and a tourist centre that has a nifty hologram that tells the story of one girl that lived in the town during WW2. Of course the story revolves around the break out. If you do pass through Cowra, I'd stop for that alone and possibly the war and rail museum which is rather entertaining. If you go to the  Japanese gardens you will notice a restaurant called the Red Carp. Don't be fooled by the location or name, there's nothing Japanese about it. Its just ordinary food, not a Japanese cook in sight. So here are some tourist type pictures we took.

I must admit, the Pines Tourist park is very nice.  .small, remote and quiet. The cabins are clean and the manageress is very nice. We woke up to sheep peering over the fence at us each morning. The second picture is just outside the tourists centre. A nice garden full of all sorts of flowers..and I don't know any of them. 
Some more of the garden with a sprinkling of hot rods. Marg admired the flowers while I checked out the cars.
The first picture is the outside of the tourists centre. The second picture is just as you walk into the Japanese gardens
This is a green house kind of building that is full of  Bonsai plants...and there's one now!
Of course, what would a Japanese garden be without the obligatory Koi. They are so programmed by the tourists feeding them that as soon as they see anyone they all start slurping at the water. A very peacefull view.
Looking from the highest point in the garden sure is an impressive view. The second picture is at the war and rail museum. I recall this is a 1937 Packhard hearse. Its rather rare as it is an opera? cab with a hearse rear...if thats what its called. It has taken some famous Australians to rest....namely Jack Dyer and Jack Lang to recall a couple.
The last picture is just outside the museum....well that's Cowra

 

 

                                                                                                 HOME