Albury-Wodonga, travel guide and things to do: Nine highlights

The combined Wagirra Trail and Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk is a unique and salubrious showcase of Indigenous outdoor art. Credit: Destination NSW

THE ONE WALK

Unfurling along the secluded banks of the Murray River not far from town, the combined Wagirra Trail and Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk is a unique and salubrious showcase of Indigenous outdoor art. The main Wagirra Walk, as beautiful as it is inspiring, extends for 15 kilometres return but a rewarding appreciation of sculptures, plus the eucalyptus camaldulensis (red river gums) and the fringed watercourse can be achieved without too much exertion and time. See visitalburywodonga.com

THE ONE HOTEL

Motels have always dominated these two traditional highway towns until CIRCA 1928 stridently emerged on the Albury-Wodonga accommodation scene. This stunning smallest of small hotels - with only two upscale guest rooms though more are planned - is conveniently set right on Dean Street, Albury's long main drag. Built inside an Art Deco-era bank, the large and lavishly-appointed, art-themed suites are complemented by a day spa and a lobby festooned with art from the owners' extensive Asia-Pacific travels. See circahotels.com

THE ONE GALLERY

Few regional art galleries are better located than MAMA (Murray Art Museum Albury), a short stroll from CIRCA 1928 and few other regional art galleries in Australia can surpass it. Originally the Albury Regional Art Gallery, MAMA emerged from an ambitious multi-million dollar redevelopment and expansion more than five years ago. Aside from the regular, often avante-garde, temporary exhibitions, there's also an inhouse cafe overlooking a city park as well as an excellent gallery shop specialising in art and design. See mamalbury.com.au

THE ONE CAFE

Nowadays Albury-Wodonga, like most major regional centres, is not bereft of the sort of cool cafes characteristic of the big cities. However, it's hard to beat The River Deck Cafe. Open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch, this classy restaurant, cafe and kiosk enjoys a prime position inside a modern pavilion right beside the Murray and in the middle of Noreuil Park. Beloved of locals, it's the twin cities' glorious shaded riverside park which curls around the famed waterway like an emerald necklace. See riverdeckcafe.com.au

THE ONE BAR

Melbourne's much mimicked laneway and bar culture has migrated all the way to the Murray. Off Albury's Dean Street, Amp Lane is home to the hipster Temperance and General, billed as the city's original laneway bar. The drinks menu is teamed with tapas-style snacks served inside a dimly-lit New York-style art deco period building or al fresco in the laneway itself. It's a top spot for a pre or post-prandial tipple and an opportunity to observe the locals at play beyond the less intimate and lovely pub scene. See temperanceandgeneral.com.au

THE ONE DISTILLERY

A magnificently restored flour mill from the 1920s is the unlikely home to a cutting-edge distillery and Belgian-style chocolatier. One of the most popular pit stops along the Murray touring route, and deservedly so, Corowa Whisky and Chocolate is about 45 minutes' north-west of Albury-Wodonga, and located just outside the centre of this eponymous historic riverside town. Combine a tasting (or purchase) of artisan whisky - and ditto handmade chocolate - with breakfast or lunch at the restaurant set within the historic structure. See corowawhisky.com.au

THE ONE WALKING TOUR

One of Albury's most easily overlooked features is its rich architectural heritage which extends from the 19th and 20th historic buildings flanking its main street to the imposing 1881 Victorian Italianate-style railway station. Take it all in as part of a self-guided two-hour walking tour of the CBD. There's a downloadable illustrated map online and be sure to allow time to explore the superb Albury Botanic Gardens which features a new children's garden including a fairy temple and troll cave. See alburycity.nsw.gov.au; visitalburywodonga.com

THE ONE SIDE TRIP

Once largely overlooked due to the busy, truck-landed Hume Highway passing directly through it, Holbrook, 45 minutes' north of Albury, is enjoying a whole new lease on life since it was bypassed by what is now the Hume Freeway. Perfect for a feed is the Ten Mile, a destination eatery set inside a former century-old mechanic shop. Aside from the healthy tucker on offer, there's also a store selling local produce and nifty homewares. After your repast, take a leisurely stroll along the main street to the unlikely but fascinating submarine museum in the town's main park. See thetenmile.com.au

THE ONE RESTAURANT

Despite its unprepossessing setting inside a converted shopfront off an Albury CBD side street, the polished Bistro Selle is one of the nearest establishments you'll get to a fine dining experience on either (near) side of the Murray. A good one it is, too, with the now almost mandatory emphasis on quality local produce and some superior drops from North-East Victoria on the considered wine list. Be sure to book as it's a popular choice for canny locals and visitors alike. See bistroselle.com

ONE MORE THING…

Allow time for a visit to Lake Hume, an easy drive beyond the Albury Airport. Not only an important regional water supply resource, Lake Hume, which has the capacity to hold six times the water in Sydney Harbour, is a popular aquatic playground for the twin cities and surrounding region. See visitalburywodonga.com

Anthony Dennis visited Albury-Wodonga courtesy of Destination NSW. See visitnsw.com