Cowra#Japanese War Cemetery and Garden

During World War II, Cowra was the site of a prisoner of war (POW) camp. Most of the detainees were captured Japanese and Italian military personnel. However, in July 1942, Indonesian political prisoners from the Dutch Tanahmerah prison on the Digul river, in West Papua, were transported as "prisoners-of-war" to the Cowra prison camp, at the behest of Netherlands East Indies government-in-exile (with others who were ill being sent to Liverpool). These Indonesian prisoners arrived in mid 1942 and were released on 7 December 1943, and subsequent to their release, played an important role in the black bans which effectively frustrated the Dutch reimposition of colonial rule in the Indies.)Lockwood, R. (1975) Black Plague. Australasian Book Society Ltd., Sydney, Australia. {{Listed Invalid ISBN|9 09916 68 3}}

{{Main|Cowra breakout}}

On 5 August 1944, at least 545 Japanese POWs attempted a mass breakout from the camp. Simultaneously, other Japanese prisoners committed suicide, or were killed by their countrymen, inside the camp.

The actions of the POWs in storming machine gun posts, armed only with improvised weapons, showed what Prime Minister John Curtin described as a "suicidal disregard of life".{{citation needed|date=October 2018}}

During the breakout and subsequent recapture of POWs, four Australian guards and 231 Japanese died, and 108 prisoners were wounded. The dead Japanese were buried in Cowra in the specially created Japanese War Cemetery. This is the only such cemetery in Australia, and also holds some of the dead from the World War II air raids on Darwin.

An Avenue of Honour also commemorates those who died in World War I. There is an annual ceremony to commemorate the breakout, involving local school students, council members, local dignitaries and guest Japanese visitors.

File:Cowra Railway Station 01.jpg]]

Cowra has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:

• Blayney–Harden railway: Lachlan River railway bridge, Cowra{{cite NSW SHR|5045435|Cowra rail bridge over Lachlan River|hr=01031|access-date=18 May 2018}}
• Blayney–Harden railway: Cowra railway station{{cite NSW SHR|5011979|Cowra Railway Station and yard group|hr=01122|access-date=18 May 2018}}
• Evans Street: Cowra Prisoner of War Camp Site{{cite NSW SHR|5045173|Cowra Prisoner of War Camp Site|hr=00619|fn=S90/00661;S91/06355|access-date=18 May 2018}}

According to the 2016 census of Population, there were 10,063 people in Cowra.

• Italian people made up 5% of the population.
• 85.2% of people were born in Australia. The next most common country of birth was England at 1.4%.
• 89.0% of people spoke only English at home.
• The most common responses for religion were Catholic 29.7%, Anglican 26.0% and No Religion 16.0%.
• Cowra has a higher than average unemployment rate. Presently at 8.2%

File:Women training at the Cowra Experiment Farm, 1919.jpg

;Primary schools

• Cowra Public School
• Mulyan Public School
• Holman Place Public School
• St Raphael's Catholic School (K–6)

;Secondary schools

• Cowra High School (7–12)
• St Raphael's Catholic School (7–12)

Cowra also has a campus of the Western Institute of TAFE.

Radio stations with transmitters located in or nearby to Cowra include:

AM:

• ABC Local Radio 549 AM
• 2LF 1350 AM

FM:

• Hit Network 105.9 FM
• Triple M – Central West 105.1 FM
• Roccy FM 99.5 FM
• ABC Classic FM 102.7 FM
• ABC Radio National 104.3 FM
• FM107.5 107.5 FM
• Triple J (2JJJ) 101.9 FM

Cowra receives five free-to-air television networks and their affiliates which are relayed from Orange, and broadcast from nearby Mt Canobolas:

• ABC – ABC TV, ABC TV Plus/ABC Kids, ABC ME and ABC News
• SBS – SBS TV, SBS Viceland, SBS Food, NITV, SBS World Movies and SBS WorldWatch
• Seven Network – Seven, 7two, 7mate, 7Bravo, 7flix, ishop TV and Racing.com
• Southern Cross – 10 HD, 10 Bold, 10 Peach, 10 Shake and Sky News Regional
• WIN – 9HD, 9Gem, 9Go!, 9Life and Gold
• Local half-hour long news bulletins are broadcast by Seven and WIN but Southern Cross shows local news updates instead from its Hobart studios.

The local newspaper is the Cowra Guardian, published by Australian Community Media.

{{further|Cowra wine region}}

Viticulture is a significant industry in the Cowra area. The first vineyards were planted in the 1970s and were predominantly Chardonnay. Since this time, a range of varieties have had success, including Mourvedre and Tempranillo.{{cite web |url=http://www.winesofcowra.com.au/ |title=Vineyards of Cowra and Canowindra, NSW Central Ranges |publisher=Cowra Region Vineyard Association Inc. |access-date=29 October 2016}}

Under the Köppen climate classification, Cowra has a humid subtropical (Cfa) climate, with a cold semi-arid (BSk) influence. Average maximum temperatures ranging from {{convert|32|°C|0|abbr=on}} in high summer to {{convert|14|°C|0|abbr=on}} in mid winter, while minima range from {{convert|16|°C|0|abbr=on}} to {{convert|2|°C|0|abbr=on}}.{{Cite web |url=http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/content/research/centres/cowra/our-location |title=Climate at the Cowra Agricultural Research & Advisory Station | NSW Department of Primary Industries |access-date=26 May 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160530080054/http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/content/research/centres/cowra/our-location |archive-date=30 May 2016 |url-status=dead }}

Cowra sits on the border zone between the cool, wet highlands of the Great Dividing Range and the hot, dry plains of western New South Wales. As a result, Cowra experiences climate characteristics of both regions: with cold sub-10 °C maximum temperatures, frequent frost and even snow in winter, and frequent 40+ °C temperatures in summer. Other towns that experience this 'border' climate are Inverell and Mudgee further north, Yass and Tumut further south, Corryong in Victoria and Dalby in Queensland.

Rainfall is mild and distributed fairly evenly all year round, however it slightly peaks in summer with thunderstorms and again in winter with cold fronts. The average annual rainfall is {{convert|598.3|mm|0|abbr=on}}, while Cowra's wettest month on record was January 1984, with {{convert|371.0|mm|0|abbr=on}} recorded. Extreme temperatures have ranged from {{convert|46.6|°C|0|abbr=on}} to {{convert|-8.0|°C|0|abbr=on}}. Cowra is considerably sunny, having 145.8 clear days on an annual basis.{{BoM Aust stats|site_ref=cw_065091_All|site_name=COWRA AIRPORT COMPARISON|access-date=26 April 2013|date=April 2013}}

{{Weather box

| location = Cowra Airport Comparison (1966–2011); 300 m AMSL; 33.85° S, 148.65° E

| metric first = Yes

| single line = Yes

| rain colour = green

| Jan record high C = 46.6

| Feb record high C = 44.2

| Mar record high C = 39.5

| Apr record high C = 36.0

| May record high C = 27.0

| Jun record high C = 24.0

| Jul record high C = 22.0

| Aug record high C = 34.4

| Sep record high C = 33.5

| Oct record high C = 36.7

| Nov record high C = 43.8

| Dec record high C = 41.8

| year record high C = 46.6

| Jan high C = 32.2

| Feb high C = 31.4

| Mar high C = 28.1

| Apr high C = 23.6

| May high C = 18.6

| Jun high C = 14.7

| Jul high C = 13.7

| Aug high C = 15.5

| Sep high C = 18.6

| Oct high C = 22.7

| Nov high C = 26.7

| Dec high C = 30.2

| year high C = 23.0

| Jan low C = 15.6

| Feb low C = 15.6

| Mar low C = 12.5

| Apr low C = 8.3

| May low C = 5.1

| Jun low C = 3.1

| Jul low C = 2.1

| Aug low C = 2.8

| Sep low C = 4.5

| Oct low C = 7.0

| Nov low C = 10.2

| Dec low C = 13.1

| year low C = 8.3

| Jan record low C = 5.0

| Feb record low C = 5.0

| Mar record low C = 0.6

| Apr record low C = -3.0

| May record low C = -5.0

| Jun record low C = -5.5

| Jul record low C = -8.0

| Aug record low C = -6.0

| Sep record low C = -3.0

| Oct record low C = -2.0

| Nov record low C = -2.0

| Dec record low C = 2.0

| year record low C = -8.0

| Jan rain mm = 59.6

| Feb rain mm = 52.9

| Mar rain mm = 40.4

| Apr rain mm = 42.8

| May rain mm = 46.3

| Jun rain mm = 40.5

| Jul rain mm = 52.5

| Aug rain mm = 47.8

| Sep rain mm = 52.5

| Oct rain mm = 56.3

| Nov rain mm = 53.3

| Dec rain mm = 53.4

| Jan rain days = 6.5

| Feb rain days = 5.7

| Mar rain days = 5.8

| Apr rain days = 5.5

| May rain days = 7.6

| Jun rain days = 9.4

| Jul rain days = 11.0

| Aug rain days = 10.2

| Sep rain days = 9.1

| Oct rain days = 8.2

| Nov rain days = 7.8

| Dec rain days = 6.5

| unit rain days = 0.2mm

| humidity colour = green

| Jan afthumidity = 34

| Feb afthumidity = 37

| Mar afthumidity = 39

| Apr afthumidity = 44

| May afthumidity = 54

| Jun afthumidity = 63

| Jul afthumidity = 62

| Aug afthumidity = 57

| Sep afthumidity = 53

| Oct afthumidity = 47

| Nov afthumidity = 39

| Dec afthumidity = 32

| year afthumidity = 47

| source 1 = Bureau of Meteorology

| date = April 2013

}}

Cowra has a wide variety of retailers both large and small, including:

• Coles – supermarket
• Woolworths – supermarket
• Aldi – supermarket
• Bunnings Warehouse – hardware
• The Reject Shop – discount variety store
• Total Tools

A cemetery was initially created holding the 231 prisoners who died in the Cowra Breakout and was tended by members of the Cowra RSL after World War II.{{Cite web |title=COWRA WAR CEMETERIES |url=https://visitcowra.com.au/cowra-war-cemetries |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Visit Cowra |language=en-AU}} The site is next to the Australian War Cemetery, which houses local servicemen, personnel who died in the area, and four of the guards of the Cowra breakout. There are also a few Indonesian prisoner graves of people who were detained by the Dutch authorities.

Formalisation of the site as an official war grave began in 1959 and the site opened as the Japanese War Cemetery on 22 November 1964.{{Cite web |title=History of the Cowra Japanese War Cemetery Online Database |url=https://cowrajapanesecemetery.org/history-of-the-cowra-japanese-cemetery/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Cowra Japanese War Cemetery |language=en-AU}} Eventually, 524 bodies were interred there, including civilian internees and all other Japanese combatants who were buried in other parts of Australia (since their graves were later moved there).{{Cite web |title=The Cowra Japanese War Cemetery Online Database |url=https://cowrajapanesecemetery.org/ |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=Cowra Japanese War Cemetery |language=en-AU}}{{Cite web |last=webadmin |date=2012-04-11 |title=Cowra Japanese War Cemetery |url=https://www.warmemorialsregister.nsw.gov.au/memorials/cowra-japanese-war-cemetery |access-date=2023-10-09 |website=www.warmemorialsregister.nsw.gov.au |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=History {{!}} Cowra Japanese Garden |url=https://www.cowragarden.com.au/history |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=CJG |language=en}} Not all dead were Japanese nationals, but include 25 Taiwanese and 1 Korean (which at the time were colonies of Japan).

The cemetery is on Crown land owned by the New South Wales government under trusteeship of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Use of the land, was granted to Japan in 1963 on a payment-of-costs basis.{{cite book |last1=Rix |first1=Alan |title=The Australia-Japan political alignment : 1952 to the present |date=2013 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1134641734}}{{cite web |title=Cowra Japanese War Cemetery and Shrine Area |url=https://www.warmemorialsregister.nsw.gov.au/content/cowra-japanese-war-cemetery-and-shrine-area |website=Register of War Memorials in NSW |publisher=Government of New South Wales |access-date=22 September 2018 |language=en |date=11 April 2012}} In 1971, the Cowra Tourism Development decided to celebrate this link to Japan, and proposed a Japanese garden for the town. The Japanese government agreed to support this development as a sign of thanks for the respectful treatment of their war dead; the development also received funding from the Australian government and private entities.

Located 3 kilometres south of the war cemetery is the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre. It was designed in 1977 by Ken Nakajima (1914–2000), a "world renowned architect"{{Cite web |title=Cowra Japanese Garden & Cultural Centre |url=https://www.nationaltrust.org.au/initiatives/cowra-japanese-garden-and-cultural-centre/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=National Trust |language=en-AU}} of Japanese gardens at the time.{{Cite web |title=Construction {{!}} Cowra Japanese Garden |url=https://www.cowragarden.com.au/construction |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=CJG |language=en}} The first stage was opened in 1979,{{Cite web |title=Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre {{!}} NSW Holidays & Accommodation, Things to Do, Attractions and Events |url=https://www.visitnsw.com/destinations/country-nsw/cowra-area/cowra/attractions/cowra-japanese-garden-and-cultural-centre |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=www.visitnsw.com |language=en-AU}} with a second stage opened in 1986. The gardens were designed in the style of the Edo period and are a komatsu ("small pine-tree") or strolling garden. The rocky hillside, manicured hedges, waterfalls and streams, and the two lakes provide a serene environment for a myriad of birdlife. Special features of the garden include a Bonsho Bell, a traditional Edo Cottage, an authentic open air Tea House and a Bonsai House.{{Cite web |last=Service |first=NSW Department of Customer |date=2023-02-23 |title=Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre {{!}} NSW Government |url=https://www.nsw.gov.au/visiting-and-exploring-nsw/locations-and-attractions/cowra-japanese-garden-and-cultural-centre |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=www.nsw.gov.au |language=en-AU}} They are designed to show 'A Sense of Season' throughout the year{{Cite web |title=Cowra Japanese Garden |url=https://www.cowragarden.com.au/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=CJG |language=en}} as well as represetative landscape types of Japan. At five hectares (12 acres), the garden is the largest Japanese garden in the Southern Hemisphere. They were added to the National Trust Register in June 2013.

After cherry trees were planted in 1988, an annual Sakura Matsuri (cherry blossom festival) was first held in 1990 and is an event in Cowra's tourism calendar and is held in the gardens during September.{{Cite web |title=2024 Sakura Matsuri |url=https://artsoutwest.org.au/events/2024-sakura-matsuri/ |access-date=2024-11-24 |website=Arts OutWest |language=en-US}} The festival celebrates the birth of spring. Locals, Australian and international visitors alike have the opportunity to experience traditional elements of Japanese culture. Sakura at the Cowra Japanese Garden is celebrated annually when the cherry blossoms are at their peak.

{{gallery

|align=center

|File:02. Japanese Garden, Cowra, NSW, 22.09.2006.jpg|Japanese lake with stone lantern

|File:05. Japanese Garden, Cowra, NSW, 22.09.2006.jpg|Looking across the lake to the teahouse

|File:06. Japanese Garden, Cowra, NSW, 22.09.2006.jpg|Lower lake with spring blossoms

|File:03. Japanese Garden, Cowra, NSW, 22.09.2006.jpg|Big bird rests on a stone lantern in the upper lake

|File:07. Japanese Garden Pano, Cowra, NSW, 22.09.2006.jpg|Panoramic view from the Symbolic Mountain at the Japanese Gardens

}}

The most popular sport in Cowra is rugby league. The local team, the Cowra Magpies, compete in the Peter McDonald Premiership, of which they are a part of the Group 10 Division.

• Cowra Magpies are a rugby league team playing in the Peter McDonald Premiership (Group 10) competition.
• Cowra Eagles are a rugby union team playing in the Central West Rugby Union competition.
• Cowra Blues are an Australian rules football team playing in the AFL Central West competition.
• Cowra Eagles are a soccer club playing in the Orange District Soccer Senior Men's (1st Grade) competition.
• Cowra Netball association play in State Age Championships competition.
• Cowra Squashed Frogs are a hockey team playing in the Western Division.

{{Historical populations

|type= Australia

|1921|3716

|1933|5056

|1947|5473

|1954|6097

|1961|6288

|1966|7076

|1971|7295

|1976|7734

|1981|7900

|1986|8207

|1991|8422

|1996|8544

|2001|8691

|2006|8430

|2011|8107

|2016|8225

|2021|8254

|source=Australian Bureau of Statistics data.{{cite web |title=Statistics by Catalogue Number |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/AUSSTATS/abs@.nsf/ViewContent?readform&view=ProductsbyCatalogue&Action=Expand&Num=2.2 |access-date=7 May 2024}}{{cite web |title=Search Census data |publisher=Australian Bureau of Statistics |url=https://www.abs.gov.au/census/find-census-data/search-by-area |access-date=7 May 2024}}

}}

The first European explorer to the area, George William Evans, entered the Lachlan Valley in 1815. He named the area the Oxley Plains after his superior the surveyor-general, John Oxley. In 1817 he deemed the area "rather unfit for settlement". A military depot was established not long after at Soldiers Flat near present-day Billimari. Arthur Ranken and James Sloan, from Bathurst, were amongst the first white settlers on the Lachlan. They moved to the area in 1831.

The township of "Coura Rocks" had its beginnings in 1844. Around 1847, the township site became known as Cowra, and in 1849, was proclaimed a village.{{cite news|title=Cowra|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/New-South-Wales/Cowra/2005/02/17/1108500193420.html|department=Travel|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|access-date=24 October 2011|date=8 February 2004}}

In the 1850s many gold prospectors passed through headed for gold fields at Lambing Flat (Young) and Grenfell. The first school was established in 1857. The first bridge over the Lachlan River was built in 1870. Gold was discovered at Mount McDonald in the 1880s. The rail head from Sydney reached Cowra in 1886. Local government was granted in 1888. The first mobile telephone exchange was established in 1901. The town water supply was established in 1909, the gasworks in 1912 and town supplied electricity was introduced in 1924. From 1904 to 1966 the Cowra Experiment Farm was im operation, experimenting with wheat and with fallow crops.{{cite web | title=Cowra Experiment Farm | website=Research Data Australia | url=https://researchdata.edu.au/cowra-experiment-farm/165999 }}

Cowra hosts an annual Festival of International Understanding, featuring a parade, a fireworks display, balloons for the kids and events showcasing a particular foreign culture. In 2020 it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite web | title =Festival of International Understanding | publisher =Australian Broadcasting Corporation Central West NSW | year =2002 | url =http://www2b.abc.net.au/EventCentral/View/event.aspx?p=25&e=4380450 | access-date =23 November 2010 | url-status =dead | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20110615114035/http://www2b.abc.net.au/EventCentral/View/event.aspx?p=25&e=4380450 | archive-date =15 June 2011}}

• Ellie Carpenter (born 2000), soccer player who plays for Olympique Lyon and for the Australia national team{{Cite web |date=2023-04-26 |title=Why it's easy to forget that the world's best full-back, Ellie Carpenter, is just 22 |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/37638261/why-easy-forget-matildas-star-ellie-carpenter-just-22 |access-date=2023-08-31 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

• {{wikivoyage inline|Cowra}}
• [http://www.cowraregion.com.au/ Cowra Shire Council]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20050901171134/http://www.naa.gov.au/Publications/fact_sheets/fs198.html Fact sheet on 1944 Cowra outbreak], National Archives of Australia
• [http://www.cowratourism.com.au Cowra Tourism Corporation]
• [http://www.cowragarden.com.au Cowra Japanese Garden]

{{authority control}}

Category:Towns in New South Wales

Category:Towns in the Central West (New South Wales)