Cook up an Italian-inspired feast in your camp kitchen while staying in this Riverina town.
The small city of Griffith in NSW’s southern Riverina area is notable for its strong Italian heritage. Further, the Riverina is known as the breadbasket of New South Wales because of its fertility and the variety of produce grown here. Self-catering campers will love stocking up on Italian and other fresh foods available around town before heading out into the wilderness around Wagga Wagga, Narrandera, and Albury. Stay at a well-equipped Griffith holiday park or choose to pitch a tent beside Lake Wyangan, just north of town.
About two hours’ drive east of Griffith is the larger town of Wagga Wagga (or just Wagga for short), at the crossroads of highways heading in all four directions. Here you can find campsites beside the Murrumbidgee River, many with access to kayaking, swimming, and shady picnic spots. In summer, head to the sandy Wagga Beach on the river, or cool off in one of many lagoons that branch out from the waterway.
About an hour’s drive southeast of Griffith, Narrandera is another great spot for water sports, inland river beaches, and fresh local produce. Visitors can also spot koalas in the Murrumbidgee Valley National Park and birds at the artificial Narrandera Wetlands. Campsites and holiday parks may be limited, but head further out of town for access to quiet, sprawling Hipcamp properties open to tent campers and caravanners.
Campers heading south to Victoria—perhaps on a road trip all the way to Melbourne—might want to stop in Albury, three hours’ drive south of Griffith. Check out Lake Hulme, where the Murray River is dammed, and use the town’s location on the Victoria border as a handy access point for exploring the nearby state parks in this state, such as Mount Granya and Mount Lawson.
The Riverina area experiences hot summers and cold and wet winters. Most campers—whether in a tent or a caravan—are most comfortable in spring and autumn when temperatures are warm and generally dry. As Griffith is a small city, it attracts fewer tourists than Wagga Wagga down the road, but as there are fewer camping options it’s a good idea to book in advance when camping around peak holiday times.