8 Main Streets Where New South Wales Comes Alive
The liveliest main streets in New South Wales double as gathering places and festival stages. For example, Bate Street becomes the talk of the town during the Tilba Festival, where vendors line the road. Come springtime, Leura Mall truly comes alive with its cherry blossoms and the Leura Gardens Festival. Meanwhile, Sheridan Street gets its turn during the Festival of Gundagai, which brings live music to the heart of town. These eight streets show how much of a town’s character can be packed into just a few walkable blocks.
Leura: Leura Mall
Located in the Blue Mountains, Leura has the prettiest main street in New South Wales. The cherry-tree median gives the town a natural feel, especially in spring when they bloom and the Leura Gardens Festival is running. The festival takes place across town, including on the Mall, and showcases Leura's beautiful local gardens and landscapes.
Leura Mall is also the town's commercial heart, with many buildings dating back more than 100 years, and it's a popular destination for locals and visitors alike. Leura artists spend much of their time at the Nook, an artist co-operative that displays and sells artwork. Local artists like Bhajan Atwal, Virginia Burrow, and Chris Davidson are featured here. The Mall also has endless food options, including Leura Gourmet. The cafe offers great coffee and breakfast, plus specialties like prawn pasta and goat cheese tart.
Bowral: Bong Bong Street
Bong Bong Street offers a perfect atmosphere in the fall, with its many deciduous trees creating great fall color on the town's main thoroughfare. The street is home to many small stores for a great day of shopping. Bookshop Bowral has served the community since 1992, with an extensive collection of classic and contemporary literature to suit your tastes. Right beside Bong Bong Street is Dirty Janes Bowral, an antique store. Inside is a nearly endless selection of vintage goods and antiques, perfect for a gift or a new piece of home decor.
Bong Bong Street is also home to the Empire Theatre, one of Australia's oldest theatres, dating back to 1915. Today, it still shows newly released movies, as well as ballet and opera screenings as special events.
Berry: Queen Street
History is still alive and well on Queen Street in Berry, with many buildings still existing from Victorian times, including the Berry Museum. The building that houses the museum was used as a bank in the late 1800s. The museum features exhibits and artifacts that trace the town's origins, the Berry family who helped establish it, and the milling industry that was once so prominent.
But Queen Street is not stuck in the past, as it also has several delicious eateries that make it one of New South Wales' best main thoroughfares. The most famous of these is the Berry Donut Van, which has long been one of the best places to get a donut in Australia. The van serves homemade donuts with a variety of toppings, like cinnamon and Nutella. For more desserts, there's Berry Sweet Treats and Ice Creamery. They have 13 flavors of local gelato, plus plenty of gummies and chocolates.
Central Tilba: Bate Street
Central Tilba is a small village of just under 350 people, but it has an excellent rural main street. Bate Street takes its name from the Bate Family, a politically prominent family who were the first Europeans to settle in the area. The town's early history was dominated by gold digging and the dairy industry, and that history is still evident today. Tilba Dairy sits in the historic ABC Cheese Factory and offers artisanal cheeses, tastings, and a look inside the factory. Just down the road is the Dromedary Hotel, which is located in a building from 1895. They still serve up classics that bring the town together, like burgers, fish & chips, and steaks.
And Bate Street becomes the star attraction during the annual Tilba Festival. The festival takes over the street, with events and vendors lining the road. It's the biggest event of the year in Tilba and shows just what makes Bate Street so special.
Braidwood: Wallace Street
Braidwood was a town forever changed by the discovery of gold, and that is apparent on Wallace Street. The upper portion of the street has many historic buildings from its early settlement, while the lower portion serves as a commercial hub that emerged during the gold rush as new businesses opened to support the influx of residents. That story and more are expanded upon at the Braidwood Museum. The museum features art and artifacts from Braidwood's early days, with a focus on the influx of Chinese immigrants and how it shaped the town. They also offer cemetery tours to see the graves of many prominent figures from the past.
In the commercial part of Wallace Street, you'll see numerous boutique restaurants and stores. Deadwood offers a quirky charm and a great cup of coffee, with flowers and antiques for sale. Much to Do About Chocolate offers artisanal chocolates and other candies from all over the country. And up the street is Car Models of Braidwood, a hobby shop specializing in model cars to get more people into the hobby.
Gundagai: Sheridan Street
Sheridan Street is as iconic a main thoroughfare as you'll find in New South Wales. Many of the old buildings are painted in heritage colors, and every year the town gathers on Sheridan for the annual Festival of Gundagai. The September festival has entertainment all along the street, with live music, local vendors, and roving circus performers.
Outside of festival weekend, there's still plenty to see on Sheridan Street. It is the home of Carberry Park, a great place to enjoy greenery and see historic sculptures. It also serves as the starting point for a walking tour of the many historical buildings on or near Sheridan. The Gundagai Bakery has the best baked goods in town, with an extensive selection of cakes and pastries, as well as its famous sausage rolls. And for a quirky destination, there's the Australian Pen Museum Inc. This museum has an extensive collection of pens and a vintage classroom for a unique experience.
Gulgong: Mayne Street
A gold rush built up Gulgong, with much of that development centered around Mayne Street. Today, the street still maintains that rustic charm, with several buildings still standing from those days. The Holtermann Museum has exhibits that preserve that gold rush history and is a piece of living history itself. The museum and collection opened in 2019 inside two refurbished buildings from the 1870s, the American Tobacco Warehouse and the Greatest Wonder of the World.
Mayne Street also has several other famous historical buildings to see. The Prince of Wales Opera House is the oldest still-operating opera house in the Southern Hemisphere. Its historic architecture hosts a variety of shows throughout the year, from comedy to theatrical productions. The Henry Lawson Centre just down the street is dedicated to Lawson, a famous bush poet who lived in Gulgong. He is also the subject of the yearly Henry Lawson Heritage Festival of Mayne Street, with poetry readings, storytelling, and live music on across the street for one of New South Wales' best festivals.
Bellingen: Hyde Street
Bellingen was originally built around the dairy industry, with Hyde Street developing as the town's hub. Though the dairy industry has subsided as the driving force of the town, Hyde Street survives as a quieter main street with plenty to see and shops to explore. For coffee, there's Black Bear on the corner of Church Street and Hyde. They serve many specialty coffees to go along with brunch favorites like eggs benny or smoked salmon bagels. For upscale dining, there's the Blue Door, just across the street from Black Bear. They offer a 7+ course lunch and dinner tasting menu with locally sourced ingredients for a world-class meal.
Hyde Street is also home to Macleays Vintage Motorcycle Museum & Gallery, a popular destination for motorcycle enthusiasts. The collection is home to many vintage motorcycles, all well-preserved and offering a glimpse into the past.
A great main street will feature a walkable character and plenty to see, making the town truly feel like a community. These towns are no exception, as the community comes together for lively festivals and multiple unique museums - including a motorcycle museum and a pen museum. Not to mention, the restaurants and specialty shops make it hard to resist coming back. From opera houses to 100-year-old businesses and modern restaurants, these are 8 main streets where New South Wales comes alive.
