Griffith

• Summary
• Weather for Griffith

Griffith is the heart of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) and is one of the largest wine and vegetable production areas in Australia. The area is also the home of the wiradjuri nation, taking up a third of the state of NSW.

The town was originally designed by Walter Burley Griffin, a landscape architect from Chicago (also responsible for the urban development of Canberra). Griffith is renowned for its fine wineries and there are few more delectable ways to spend a lazy weekend than touring this area and sampling the local fruity fare.

There is a huge array of recreational outlets in and around Griffith. Lake Wyangan, 10 km from the city centre is an ideal location for water sports such as sailing, water skiing, power boating, rowing and windsurfing - and has 10 hectares of picturesque picnic grounds. The Cocoparra National Park, 24 km from Griffith provides the opportunity for bushwalking, picnicking, nature study, bush camping and photography. The park is abundant with varieties of flora and fauna, and the springtime sees the area alive with colour as a great number of wildflowers burst into bloom.

The escarpment known as Scenic Hill, offers panoramic views of the area and is criss-crossed by walking tracks for bushwalking enthusiasts. Also located on Scenic Hill is the Hermit's Cave. This small cave was home for many years to Valerio Riccetti, an Italian migrant who created cliffside gardens, while living as a recluse in the cave. Along with many of his countrymen, Ricetti, was interned at the nearby town of Hay during World War II, then following the War he returned to Italy. His hillside gardens are being restored to their former glory by a local service club. While at Scenic Hill drop into the popular Pioneer Park Museum where buildings and machinery used in the early days of settlement are displayed in bushland.

Griffith also boasts an impressive regional theatre filled with a variety of live entertainment. Performers of a high calibre from local, national and international spheres showcase their acts here. A regional art gallery and a number of private galleries also have much to offer the art lover.