Discover Yass: railway history, river and nature

Yass offers several distinct reasons to visit: railway heritage, historic streetscapes, an important archive and nature along the Yass River. You can focus on railway history, buildings from the 1840s, a personal tour of a historic property or riverside trails. The places and activities differ in whether they focus on individual buildings, a historical collection, landscapes or wildlife and plant life.

Railway heritage and historic streetscapes

The Yass Town Railway Station and yard group is the only surviving tramway or light railway station complex. At the Yass Railway Museum, you can explore the grounds on foot and see the main station building, an original loading ramp, a goods shed and steam locomotive 1307.

The Yass Historic Walk and Drive takes you through a well-preserved main street lined with buildings from the 1840s. Here, the focus is on the historic buildings along a street, while the museum displays specific features of the station precinct. The Yass Town Drive focuses on the town’s history and heritage. This lets you choose between the perspective of a historic street and a broader focus on the town’s history.

The Yass Valley History Centre adds a nationally significant archival collection to this historical perspective. Exhibitions and opening arrangements may change; check the latest information when planning your visit. The archival collection offers a different way to engage with history than the visible buildings.

Cooma Cottage and the Hume and Hovell Track

On its original 100-acre property, Cooma Cottage offers personal tours of the historic homestead. Booking requirements may change; check the current conditions before your visit. Cooma Cottage is also the starting point of the 440-kilometre Hume and Hovell Track. These offer two distinct interests: a tour focused on the property and the starting point of a long-distance trail.

Riverside trails and nature

Native plants and animals are found along the Yass River and in surrounding habitats, including fish, birds, marsupials, reptiles, amphibians and insects. On the Yass Town Trail Walk, you can observe birds, marsupials, amphibians, insects and plants. Information panels along the Yass Town Trail Walk explain the natural, cultural and historical heritage of the Yass River.

At Riverbank Park, a trail follows the river, where you can stroll and watch the ducks. The Yass Town Trail Walk is associated with nature observation and information panels; at Riverbank Park, the riverside trail and ducks take centre stage. These different focuses can help you choose a walk based on the nature or information you’re interested in.

Discover more destinations: Krambach, Young, Silverton, Ulmarra, Cumnock, Waratah, North Albury, Wollongbar.

For the broader travel guide: New South Wales.