The town of Cowra is an airy and attractive place located in the Lachlan Valley in central New South Wales. It is a noted agricultural centre, renowned for its various crops, livestock, and especially its white wines. However, the town will forever be defined by a tragic moment in history, which occurred in the early morning of August 5, 1944.
Cowra was a holding area for Prisoners of War and other detained immigrants and expatriates during World War II. On that fateful August morning, approximately 1200 Japanese prisoners armed with makeshift weapons staged a breakout, killing three Australian guards in the process. All escapees were eventually accounted for, but not before a considerable number of them were killed during efforts to recapture them.
Rather than try to sweep such history under the rug, Cowra has openly embraced it, and has made every effort to reconcile its horrific past. The graves of all casualties, both Japanese and Australian, are meticulously maintained in the town cemetery. The ruins of the original prison camp are also open for the public to reflect upon, with detailed explanations of aspects of the camp’s layout and operation, its detainees, and of how the events of August 5, 1944 unfolded. Cowra also boasts a beautiful Japanese Garden designed by renowned artist Ken Nakajima, who has also designed gardens in cities as diverse as Rome, Moscow, Montreal and Houston. Visitors can also take in the spectacular, panoramic views of the town and the valley from the Bellevue Hill lookout, not far from the garden.
Cowra is a scenic five hour drive west of Sydney. Alternatively, visitors can take a New South Wales CityRail or CountryLink train to either Lithgow or Bathurst, and then board a connecting coach service to Cowra. Cowra does not wear its history as a badge of shame, but rather as a badge of tolerance and forgiveness. There is no animosity in its portrayal of that dark day, and it has worked hard to promote friendship with an old wartime enemy. And for that, the citizens of Cowra can take a lot of pride.
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