Lake Albert, Wagga

Lake Albert is one of Wagga's most popular recreational facilities. One can indulge in various aquatic activities such as boating, water skiing, swimming, and fishing. It is also a great place for a picnic; it has barbecue facilities and a children’s playground. There is a walking (and cycling) track and fitness stations. I followed the 5.5 km walking path that goes around the lake. I tried to walk briskly to get an aerobic workout but I had my camera with me and I often stopped to take photos. It took me about an hour to complete the walk and was rewarded with a beautiful sunset!

Charles Sturt University

Charles Sturt University (CSU) is an Australian multi-campus university in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory; Wagga Wagga is CSU's largest campus, spreading over 640 hectares.

The reason for my stay in Australia was to visit my husband who was doing research at CSU; I went there towards the end of his one-year stint. Visiting the uni one weekend, I was amazed at the vast expanse of the campus. It was also amusing to see “different” road signs, such as “echidna crossing” and “duck crossing”.  Vehicles had to be on the lookout for kangaroos that would suddenly appear in the middle of the road!

It was very convenient to get to the uni on workdays since there was a uni bus that stopped right on Baylis St which was just a few minutes walk from Railway St.

Walking around Wagga - Part 2

Here are a few interesting observations/experiences from my walks around town.

Crossing the Street

Even on streets that do not have pedestrian “Walk/Don’t Walk” lights, I felt safe crossing as long as I was at the pedestrian crosswalk. I noticed that vehicles would slow down and stop at the crosswalk even when the pedestrian was still some distance away. They waited for you to cross! At one instance, I signaled the driver to go ahead since I was still only approaching; she seemed shocked at my suggestion and signaled back for me to cross first! How I wish the drivers back home afforded pedestrians the same courtesy.  

The Diagonal Cross

On Baylis St one can cross the street diagonally! They have synchronized the stop lights so that you did not have to do an L-cross but could go right through the street intersection; makes sense!

The Roundabout

A roundabout is a circular junction wherein vehicles must travel in one direction around a central island. In Australia where people drive on the left, the traffic flow around the central island is clockwise. The general rule is to give the right of way to vehicles on your right. It was interesting to watch the cars moving in harmony with each other. Again, it made me think of the drivers back home (sigh!).

Walking around Wagga - Part 1

To get around Wagga, I walked. Before heading out, of course, I would consult the Wagga map that I got for free from the Wagga Visitor Information Center.

Brisk walking for exercise became part of my early morning routine.  Each day I would head out in a different direction, go down a different street, walk a little further. I was soon familiar with the area surrounding Railway St. The route heading south from the back of the house became my favorite for these early morning walks. It was generally an uphill walk, just a gentle (no more than 20-degrees) slope, but it gave me a good aerobic workout. This route passed by the Wagga High School and the Riverina Institute; at the far end was the Wagga Botanic Gardens and Zoo, which was usually my turning point and where I start to walk back. There were some days, however, when I went all the way to the highest point; this gave me a good view of the town.

My days were usually spent at the library and to get there I simply walked north from the house. I cross the footbridge (called Mother’s Bridge) that took me across the railroad tracks and into Baylis St, the main shopping street. Baylis St passes in front of the library and if you follow it across the bridge that goes over the Wollundry Lagoon, the street becomes Fitzmaurice (this is at the northern end, the older part of town). So to get to the library, I pass through many commercial establishments  (restos, boutiques, shopping malls). On a few (several is more like it) occasions, I had gotten side-tracked and have gone shopping (the SALE signs are magnets).  At times I have had to go back to the house to deposit my goodies before heading back out again to make my way to the library.

Victory Memorial Gardens / Wollundry Lagoon

Across the street from the library is a park; the Victory Memorial Gardens is along the banks of the Wollundry Lagoon. From the library you will be greeted by a fountain amid the rosebeds. Trees provide shade to the park benches scattered around. There have been occasions when I would cross the street from the library during lunch hour, settle on a parkbench and munch on my sandwich while reading a book. So peaceful and relaxing. Throughout the gardens also are various war memorials (including The Cenotaph) and dedications to the First and Second World Wars, and the Vietnam War.

Walk further along the banks of the Wollundry Lagoon (away from the library) and you will see residences along the banks of the lagoon. The lagoon is also a wildlife reserve and the ducks are the masters in that area!

Arriving in Wagga Wagga

Most of my stay in Australia was spent in Wagga Wagga, the largest inland city in New South Wales. It is a regional city nestled on the banks of the magnificent Murrumbidgee River. The city is located mid-way between Sydney and Melbourne, just under 500km from each. The name Wagga Wagga is derived from the language of the original inhabitants, the Wiradjuri, the largest aboriginal tribe in New South Wales. “Wagga” means crow and repeating it means the plural, hence Wagga Wagga is “the place of many crows”. However, hardly anyone says the second Wagga; the city is known simply as Wagga.

My first week in Australia was spent in Sydney; so Wagga was a “quiet” city by comparison. The house my husband and I were staying at was very nicely situated; it was close to the railway station, to the main shopping district and the civic center. So when we arrived from Sydney by train in the wee hours of the morning, we just had to cross the foot bridge to get to the house.