One of the very interesting attractions in Albury is the railway station. There is probably no more grand rural railway station (it is more than 300 metres long). This Italianate red-and-white brick railway station (1881) has a 22-metre high clock tower. It also features original cedar joinery and a cast-iron platform with fluted columns.
It is the third-longest platform in Australia and the longest undercover platform in the southern hemisphere. The station master’s residence, now the town’s Visitor Information Centre, is also worth visiting. It has attractive gardens.
Albury railway station is important in the history of both New South Wales and Victoria. As the two states developed, they opted for different railway gauges which meant that from 1886 through to 1962 all passengers and freight had to be transferred from one state’s railway system to the other state’s at Albury. Everyone and everything had to change.
The station had two clocks, one for Albury time and one for Wodonga time as there was 25 minutes difference between New South Wales and Victoria before Eastern Standard Time was introduced.
Where: Albury, NSW
The Botanical Gardens date from 1871 (they were officially opened in 1877) and are recognised as some of the finest gardens in rural Australia. There are over 1,000 native and exotic plants. These include such rarities (in Albury) as a 46 m Queensland kauri; several river red gums which have been grown from the seeds of the Hovell Tree and a pine which grew from a seed taken at Lone Pine in Gallipoli.
There is an outstanding children’s garden.
A highlight of the gardens is the Hume Monument – the tribute to Hamilton Hume, the first European through the area – which was built in America and originally erected in 1858 in the place of the Hume Tree which had been destroyed. The monument was moved to the gardens in 1884 and the bandstand was built in 1890.
Check out http://www.visitalburywodonga.com/attraction/albury-botanic-gardens for more details. It, rather poetically, notes: “Over the years, the gardens have won many prizes for layout, design, plant selection and annual planting designs.
Explore the 1,000 plus native and exotic plant species while walking along the curved paths and rounded shrub beds. Instead, you may choose to walk cross country over the lush lawns to find a favourite spot in the garden. They recommend that this is completed barefoot for the full experience!”
Where: Albury, NSW