More than four decades ago, Cowra’s reputation as a rural heartland grew into a centre of innovation, industry and culture.

Following years of the Edgells-Simplot canning factory operating as a hub for preserving fresh, local, food, the opening of the Cowra Japanese Gardens and Cultural Centre in 1979 blossomed into a must-visit site for those across our region. Local events such as the Festival of International Understanding gained momentum, celebrating multiculturalism in a town once marked by wartime tragedy.

With a bustling main street that still maintains many of the facades we see today, industry was the heart of Cowra, bolstered by a strong agricultural heartland across the fertile soils of the Lachland Valley.

Though economic pressures of the era touched regional towns across Australia, Cowra stood resilient, creating the food and fibre those across the country relied upon. The 1980s marked a time in which Cowra evolved from a rural community to a place where history, culture, and country values came together.