Wodonga: Discover River Trails, Art and Nature

Wodonga brings together river scenery, art and trails for active pursuits. The Gateway Island Trail combines a sealed path, sculptures by local Aboriginal artists and a landscape of eucalyptus trees. Cultural venues in Gateway Village and green spaces such as Belvoir Park round out the picture.

River Trails and Nature on Gateway Island

The Gateway Island Trail is 4.3 kilometres long and follows a sealed path along the Murray River and Wodonga Creek. The trail is accessible from Gateway Village; its starting point is behind The Lincoln, 64 Lincoln Causeway, on Gateway Island. Along the route, you’ll come across sculptures by local Aboriginal artists. It’s a chance to experience river scenery and public art along one trail.

The natural landscape, with its eucalyptus trees, is home to wildlife including platypuses, wallabies, antechinus, water rats, wedge-tailed eagles, kangaroos, bats and spoonbills. The species range from animals found near the water to birds and mammals. If wildlife watching interests you, this natural aspect adds to the experience of seeing the sculptures and the two waterways.

The Crossing Place Trail offers a different focus. It is located at Gateway Lakes on Gateway Island in Wodonga, near the original crossing places on the Murray River at its confluences with Bungambrawatha Creek and Oddies Creek. The difference is clear when choosing a walk: the Gateway Island Trail is described as a sealed path along two waterways, while the Crossing Place Trail is defined by its location at Gateway Lakes and the original crossing places.

Culture at Gateway Village and in Wodonga

At Gateway Village, HotHouse Theatre presents a range of live performances in an intimate setting. Visitors can often meet the actors afterwards. Gateway Gallery displays contemporary works by more than 50 regional artists, including paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, photography, textiles and jewellery. When planning your trip, you can weigh up an evening at the theatre against an exhibition featuring a wide variety of art forms.

Hyphen also combines culture with practical visitor information: the venue is in Wodonga’s cultural precinct at 126 Hovell St and is fully accessible. Two lifts serve both floors. If accessibility is a consideration in your plans, this is a useful point of reference for a visit to Hyphen.

Green Spaces, Playgrounds and Wildlife Watching

Belvoir Park has a lake with abundant waterbirds and is set within a large, open green space with mature trees. The park also has two playground areas. One is a multi-generational playground with raised platforms, decks, slides, nets, a climbing wall and a Liberty Swing. Water and trees are just as much a feature of the park as its varied playground facilities. As facilities can change, check their current layout before visiting.

Wodonga has more than 80 kilometres of trails for leisurely cycling or challenging hikes. These two options offer an initial guide when deciding whether a relaxed bike ride or a more demanding hike suits your trip. One section of the High Country Rail Trail runs from Wodonga to Old Tallangatta along the shores of Lake Hume. The entire trail can be used by bicycle or on horseback. This distinguishes the specific route information at Lake Hume from the details about using the trail as a whole.

A chain of nature reserves stretches from Wodonga’s southern outskirts through Leneva and Baranduda, offering opportunities for walking and cycling. In Wodonga’s nature reserves, you can also observe or photograph wildlife, birds, flowers and plants. When choosing activities, you can therefore balance getting active on the trails with observing or photographing nature.

What experiences would you like to shape your stay?

When looking for a hotel in Wodonga, your preferred way to spend the day can be a good starting point: river scenery and art on the Gateway Island Trail, theatre and galleries at Gateway Village, green space at Belvoir Park, or cycling and hiking on the longer trails. This lets you put the experiences you’d like to discover at the heart of your trip planning.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Tinamba, Longwood, Cohuna, Meeniyan, Narbethong, Smythesdale, Port Fairy, Cape Bridgewater.

For the broader travel overview: Victoria.