Discover Yass

In Yass, experiences range from railway history and historic streets to paths along the Yass River. You can explore the town in different ways: take a walk along the historic main street, visit sites connected with its railway heritage or observe nature by the river. This makes it easy to plan your stay around the things that interest you most.

History in streets, station buildings and archives

The Yass Historic Walk and Drive takes you along a well-preserved main street with buildings dating from the 1840s. For a different perspective on the town’s history, the Yass Town Drive focuses on history and heritage. Both offer a historical focus, but differ in the formats described.

The Yass Town Railway Station and yard group also tells the story of the town’s railway heritage: it is the only surviving tramway or light railway station complex. At the Yass Railway Museum, visitors can walk around the museum grounds and see the main station building, an original loading ramp, a goods shed and steam locomotive 1307. These different exhibits offer tangible ways to explore station life, freight transport and locomotive history.

Those wanting to explore the region’s history in greater depth will find a nationally significant archival collection at the Yass Valley History Centre. Exhibitions and opening arrangements may change, so check the current conditions before planning a visit.

Cooma Cottage offers guided tours of the historic property on its original 100-acre site. Check the current booking conditions in advance. The 440-kilometre Hume and Hovell Track also begins at Cooma Cottage. This offers not only an insight into a historic property, but also the prospect of a longer walking trail as a separate travel experience.

River scenery and paths along the Yass River

The Yass River and surrounding habitats are home to native flora and fauna, including fish, birds, marsupials, reptiles, amphibians and insects. The Yass Town Trail Walk combines nature and cultural heritage: information boards explain the natural, cultural and historic heritage of the Yass River. Along the trail, you can also observe birds, marsupials, amphibians, insects and plants.

A path runs along the river in Riverbank Park, where you can go for a walk among the ducks. Together with the Trail Walk, this offers a choice between a riverside loop and a path that also introduces the heritage of the Yass River through information boards. Which perspective suits your day best depends on whether you mainly want to walk, observe nature or learn about the river’s history as well.

Plan your stay around your interests

When planning, it helps to distinguish between the different highlights rather than treat them as a single experience. The historic main street, the railway station group and the Railway Museum offer different ways to explore the town’s heritage; the Yass Town Drive also focuses on the town’s history. Along the river, information boards, nature observation and walking paths take centre stage. At 440 kilometres long, the Hume and Hovell Track is in a different league from a walk in Riverbank Park.

The topics described offer ideas for different day plans, without requiring you to limit yourself to just one side of Yass.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Moss Vale, Cumnock, Carrathool, Lismore, Vacy, Murrumbateman, Cooma, Pottsville.

For the main travel overview: New South Wales.