About 100km from Canberra, where the Hume Highway crosses the Murrumbidgee River, Gundagai nestles in the valley. We decided to stop over for a couple of nights in a free camp at Mosleys Creek in walking distance from the town.
There's plenty to see here. The Niagara Cafe, in the main street, has been operating since 1916, originally as an Oyster Saloon and refurbished in 1938 as a cafe. It's decor is still the original Greek milk bar/cafe style. Many celebrities and politicians have stopped off for refreshments here. This is just one of the many historic buildings in the town. Upstairs in the hardware shop is an exhibition of photos taken by Doctor Gabriel who was the town doctor from 1887. Some of his photos are also in the Museum.The Museum is very comprehensive. Wall murals done in coloured wool illustrate the towns pastoral history.
Outside the Museum is the original "5 mile" milepost which marked the home of the Dog on the Tuckerbox until miles were replaced by kilometres. Somehow "8 kilometres from Gundagai" doesn't have the same romantic ring to it as "5 miles from Gundagai". We've seen the Dog many times so didn't make the detour this time. Just across the road from the Dog is "Snake Gully", home to Dad, Dave, Mum and Mabel, the main characters in Steele Rudd's book about life in a small country town. They are immortalised in statue form in a Gundagai park.
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