Scenic country town with a sense of community and a lot of history.

Quick facts
The population of Cowra is 9,730 and is comprised of approximately 50.6% females and 49.4% males. Cowra has a population of 716 (7.4%) indigenous people. The median/average age of the people in Cowra is 44 years of age. Cowra is located in the Western NSW Primary Health Network (WNSWPHN). This fact sheet provides an overview of the community profile for the WNSWPHN.
Cowra is a town in the Central West region of New South Wales, Australia. Cowra is located on the banks of the Lachlan River in the Lachlan Valley.
The town is situated at the intersection of three major state highways the Mid-Western Highway, Olympic Highway and the Lachlan Valley Way.
It is about 232km from NSW’s capital city of Sydney. During World War II, Cowra was the site of a prisoner of war (POW) camp.
The closest regional airport is in Bathurst, which is a 1hr 25 minute drive from Cowra, and provides daily flights to Sydney.
NSW Trainlink provides daily services to Bathurst and Lithgow with on links to Sydney.
There is a local bus that services the township.
The main industries people from Cowra work in are:
- Retail trade
- Health care and social assistance
- Manufacturing
- Agriculture, forestry and fishing
- Education and training
- Accommodation and food services
Cowra District Hospital is a 34 bed facility that provides both acute and community based services.
These include a 3 bed emergency department, 24 bed medical/surgical/paediatric/palliative care ward, 6 bed maternity unit, 4 bed high dependency unit, 2 operating theatres, 4 chair day surgery unit, 2 bed recovery unit, 3 chair chemotherapy day unit, community based services, pharmacy, Outreach Canowindra and Grenfell, medical imaging, pathology.
Other services available through Cowra District Hospital include Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health, child health care, adult and child dental clinic, dietetic, family counselling, alcohol/drug, obstetrics, occupational therapy, paediatric, palliative care, physiotherapy, psychology, sexual assault counselling, social work, speech pathology, women’s health nurse.
Cowra is supported by an ambulance service.
Primary schools
Secondary schools
Cowra also has a campus of the Western Institute of TAFE.
For young families Cowra has Family day care, long day care, after school care and vacation care.
Cowra has a vibrant and expanding retail and commercial centre. It boasts the services and facilities you would expect to find in a larger town while still retaining that wonderful feeling of country hospitality.
The main shopping area is in Kendal Street. It has boutique stores and fresh produce stores.
Cowra has Woolworths, Coles, Aldi, Target,
Bunnings and Mitre 10.
In Cowra there are places of Worship for Anglican, Baptist, Uniting, Catholic, Christian, Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, and Presbyterian.
Cowra hosts an annual Festival of International Understanding, featuring a parade, balloons for the kids and events showcasing a particular foreign culture.
The town features a Japanese War Cemetery, Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre, wineries and eateries.
Image gallery
- Health Service
- Main Street
- Main St
- Supermarket
- St Raphael’s School
- Mulyan Public School
- Township