Explore Junee NSW

Junee ~ New South Wales

Junee is a charming town, rich in railway history, with lovely heritage buildings in the Riverina region of New South Wales.

It is located 450 kilometres southwest of Sydney and 40 kilometres from Wagga Wagga.

In the late 19th century, Junee was an important railway town as it was the key junction for the Main South railway line connecting Sydney and Melbourne. The railway still operates and runs through the middle of the town.

During our stay in Junee, we visited the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory, explored the Junee Roundhouse Railway Museum and wandered around town, admiring the heritage buildings and parks.

Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory

The Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory is located in the historic five-storey flour mill that was built in the 1930s. It is open daily from 9.00 am to 4.00 pm.

It has a licensed restaurant and cafe that is open for breakfast and lunch, with indoor and outdoor seating areas.

You can watch the creation of organic licorice and chocolate products and browse through the retail store and the gift store.

Located right next door to the Junee Licorice & Chocolate Factory is the Classic Car Garage, where, for a donation, you can wander around and see the classic cars.

Junee Roundhouse Railway Museum

The Junee Roundhouse Railway Museum is usually open from Wednesday to Sunday from 10.00 am to 4.00 pm.

The roundhouse opened in 1947 and was a state-of-the-art steam locomotive facility, it was actually the largest circular railway roundhouse in the Southern Hemisphere. 

Since 1994, half of the building has been used as a museum, and the other half is used to service locomotives.

In the roundhouse, you will see a great collection of steam and diesel locomotives, passenger cars and other assorted railway memorabilia. You can climb aboard most of the trains, and there are information boards near them.

The Junee Accident Train has been at the Junee depot since 1947, there were only five of these trains built, and this is the last one that is still fully operational.

Heritage Walk

Junee has lovely parks and gardens and beautifully preserved historic buildings that date back to the 1800s. The town is divided by the railway tracks, creating an East side and a West side. 

As we wandered around the East side of Junee, we saw the following buildings.

Junee Railway Station

The Junee Railway Station was built between 1883 to 1885 and is a lovely heritage-listed Victorian building that is still in use today. Inside the beautifully preserved building with 6 metre high ceilings and original fittings is a cafe and gift shop.

Loftus Hotel

Across from the railway station is the stunning Loftus Hotel. This is one of Junee’s most impressive buildings, and it dates back to 1896.

You can now stay at the Loftus Hotel, and the rooms and apartments carry the timeless charm of the original 19th-century building.

Commercial Hotel

The original Commercial Hotel was built in 1882, and in 1914 it was partially destroyed by fire. The current Federation-style hotel was built in 1915.

Post Office

The heritage-listed post office on Lorne Street was constructed in 1888.

Former School of Arts Building

The Former School of Arts building was built in 1903, in the Beaux Arts style.

Memorial Park

The Memorial Park on the East Side is a lovely park to relax and enjoy the beautiful roses, it also has BBQS, picnic tables and toilets.

The western side of Junee has wide streets, with more stunning heritage buildings and lovely gardens.

Hotel Junee

The Hotel Junee was formerly known as the Railway Hotel, and it was the town's first hotel when it opened in 1878. The current hotel was built in  1911 in the Art Nouveau style.

Catholic Church 

St Joseph’s Catholic Church was built in 1930, and has the church's twin towers are a prominent feature in Junee. 

Athenium Theatre

The Athenium Theatre, with its lovely Art Deco façade, opened in 1929 and was used as a theatre until 1972. It is one of only three intact movie theatres to survive in country areas.

The Broadway Hotel

The Broadway Hotel was constructed in 1914 and used as a hotel until 1999; it now houses a museum.

War Memorial 

In the middle of the street is a lovely garden, with roses and interesting park benches. You can also see the War Memorial that was built in the 1920s to honour those who fought and died in World War 1.