Young
Young is a small city of 10,610 (2021) in the Riverina of New South Wales famous for it stone fruit growing - cherries, peaches and plums. Young is a regional centre and easy day trip from Canberra, or a diversion of the Hume Highway. It's a pretty town, with parks, fine buildings, and some history.
Get in
There is an airport in Young, but there is no scheduled passenger transport. The most convenient airport would likely be in Canberra.
The railway line into Young also has no passenger service. NSW Trainlink XPT operates to Cootamundra from Sydney daily, where you can change for a connecting coach service.
By car from Sydney the quickest route is to take the Hume Highway to Yass, and then the Lachlan Valey way turn through Boorowa to Young. The road route is very indirect, with Yass sharing the same latitude as Wollongong, but taking over 4 hours for the trip from Sydney.
Get around
As with most New South Wales country towns, a car is almost a necessity to see the sights around town. There is a local taxi service, and some of the fruit orchards are close to town.
See
- Railway Station. The old railway station is now the tourist information centre and museum. Next to the station are the large cherries for your selfie.
Do
- Annual Cherry Festival in late November or early December.
- Fruit Picking. From November through to January, you can pick cherries of all varieties, apricots, plums, nectarines and strawberries. It's a very popular pastime, so be up early to beat the crowds and the heat.
- Ballinaclash - pick your own, buy a box, or taste their wines.
Buy
Young is a three blocker - meaning that the shopping strip covers a full three blocks. You'll find most services here, a fully stocked Woolworths Supermarket, Target Country, and a few quirky shops as well. Banks and ATMs are easy to find. Expect most shops to be closed on Saturday afternoons, and everything except the Woolworths closed on Sunday.
- Sandaj. Homewares, coffee and snacks 7 days.
Eat
- 🌍 Wilders Bakery, 207-209 Boorowa St, ☏ +61 2 6382 1275. 6AM-5:30PM.
Drink
With seven pubs lining the main street, you'll not be short of a place to drop in for a beer. Try the Australian or the Commercial. You used to be able to play a round of golf, followed by visiting all nine pubs in Young, but with only seven remaining the challenge is diminished. You find the craft-beer culture has all but bypassed the town, so you'll struggle to find your IPA, but the Tooheys New flows freely. Most pubs will also serve food, with the quality of the pub measured only by the percentage of the plate covered by the schnitzel. Its a little disappointing to find the covered verandahs common to many country pubs are absent in Young.
Sleep
Accommodation consists of a few motels, the pubs, and a caravan park. Accommodation can actually completely sell out during the picking season, with visitors and backpackers (fruitpickers) competing for the few available beds.