Around a four-hour drive north-west of Canberra following the Burley Griffin Way is the NSW country town of Griffith, a planned city designed by the genius architects of Canberra – Walter Burley Griffin and Marion Mahony Griffin.
It’s a scenic drive through the undulating countryside of Yass Valley and Hilltops, past the grain fields around Harden-Murrumburrah and Temora, and the flat grazing country near Ardlethan before striking the rich irrigated farmlands at Yenda, about 20km this side of Griffith. Here, the land is suddenly lush with rice fields, vineyards, citrus, plum and almond trees.
Griffith was founded in 1916, just three years after Canberra, as a key centre of the visionary Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (MIA) that was transforming desert-like country in NSW into the productive agricultural lands of the Riverina, often referred to as the food bowl of Australia.
A multicultural city, more than 60 per cent of Griffith’s population claim Italian heritage, many of whom migrated post WWI to establish or work the farms in the new MIA, and again post WWII.
WHERE WE STAYED
Right in the heart of Griffith on its grand main street, Banna Avenue, is the recently refurbished Gem Hotel. CW stayed in a beautifully appointed deluxe king suite on the third floor, with a king size bed, a luxurious freestanding bathtub in the spacious ensuite, kitchenette, big screen TV, leather tub chairs, a desk, multiple charging points for mobile devices, free wi-fi, and a balcony offering views of the verdant and vibrant city centre. Warm and inviting, the Gem has the friendly hospitality of a country inn with all the modern amenities and sophisticated style you’ll find at a first-rate metropolitan hotel. Striking pieces by local artists adorn the lobby, hallways and rooms, adding colour and unique flair to the contemporary neutral décor. The Gem Hotel was busy the weekend we stayed with business visitors, tourists (like us), and guests of “a big Italian wedding” on Saturday afternoon.
201-207 Banna Avenue, Griffith; Bookings: gemhotel.com.au, 02 6913 5050
WHERE WE ATE
On Saturday night, we dined as guests of the casually elegant and inviting Bull & Bell steakhouse located on the ground floor of the Gem Hotel. It was full of happy, smiling diners of all ages, enjoying the carefully curated menu designed by ex-capital city (Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane) chef, Anthony Fullerton. True to the restaurant’s “farm to table” philosophy, Anthony’s menu proudly showcases local produce grown within a 300km radius of Griffith. Anthony tells us because his local suppliers deliver such top quality, flavoursome goods, he keeps the entrees and mains relatively uncomplicated to allow the top notch produce to speak for itself. On the menu you’ll find local quail, unusual, highly sought-after Margra Australian white lamb (a special hybrid sheep grown just for meat, not wool), which Anthony tells us “tastes amazing”, and sustainable Aquna Murray cod, grown nearby in open ponds. “We’re so far inland, we don’t serve seafood,” Anthony says. “Why would you, when we have this beautiful Murray cod that’s native to the area right here.” And of course, being a steakhouse, one page of the menu is devoted to steaks, including grass-fed, grain-fed, wagyu and dry aged, rib, eye, rump fillet, sirloin, T-bone, a 1.3kg tomahawk cutlet, and more, to suit every taste and appetite. Each is served with your choice of a herbed butter or sauce – Bearnaise, pepper, red wine jus, and mushroom. Can’t decide? Our gracious server, Olivia, kindly suggested a sample of all four sauces. The extensive wine menu also includes offerings from 20 local wineries, including a house red and white bottled just down the road by Calabria Family Wines, as well as drops from around Australia and the world.
Having spied tantalising options on the short but impressive dessert menu that caught our eye, we heeded Olivia’s excellent suggestion and shared a scrumptious eggplant parmigiana for entrée. For mains, my plus-one enjoyed the Flinders natural grass fed MB2+ eye fillet, with all four sauces (the pepper came up trumps) and a side of bright green, al dente broccolini and beans. Having recently reintroduced fish into my diet, I devoured the melt-in-your-mouth fillet of cod served with colcannon potato, salted capers, red onion and shaved fennel – a match made in heaven.
For dessert, we shared the decadent bitter chocolate tart in a crispy chocolate pastry with pistachio gelato, and a tasty frozen nougat sandwich with a berry compote and chocolate shortbread. We discovered later that Anthony’s hero dessert is his vanilla panna cotta (made using local almond milk) with de-hydrated fruit salad. It must be good if it tops our selections!
Sunday morning, we returned to Bull & Bell for breakfast where my almond cappuccino (the local fresh almond milk is delicious) and oven baked portobello mushrooms on toast with sauteed kale and white bean puree sated my appetite, while plus-one chose Paddock Peckers free-range scrambled eggs on sourdough toast and a pot of tea. Perfect.
201-207 Banna Avenue, Griffith. Menu: bullnbell.com.au. Bookings: 6913 5050.
Bertoldo’s Pasticceria: Not far along Banna Avenue across from the Gem Hotel, you’ll find this impressive bakery and gelateria that has been serving delicious Italian style breads, cannoli, cakes, biscuits, slices and French nougat to the people of Griffith and surrounds for over 70 years (since 1951). It’s a true family business, now run by the founder’s two sons and their families. The ricotta or custard cannoli are their top sellers, with trays of the mouth-watering pastries refilled several times a day. Bertoldo’s was bustling the Monday morning we stopped in – and we’re told that was quiet compared to Saturday mornings! I highly recommend the almond and walnut Italian biscuits (crunchy with a delicious chewy centre) and the almond nougat handmade by the founder’s multi-skilled granddaughter, Kandice Bertoldo, who can make anything sold in the shop. Closed Saturday afternoons and Sundays.
324 Banna Avenue, Griffith.
La Piccola Grosseria & Italian Deli: Another Griffith institution is this pocket-sized grocery shop and deli selling a comprehensive range of traditional Italian fare. In addition, delicious coffee, scrumptious almond croissants and a selection of freshly filled panini cater to the breakfast and lunch crowd. It was a pleasure meeting the personable Sam (Salvatore) Trimobli, and his sister Maria, who, along with their sister Anna, took over the grocery van business from their father and gave it a permanent home in this delightful space adorned with pictures of Sam’s other passions alongside great Italian food – football (the round ball kind) and family. Be sure to stop in and say “Ciao”. Open 7 days from 7.30am.
444 Banna Avenue, Griffith.
Rocket Toppa: A Griffith speciality, this deliciously fresh and light, less cheesy version of a pizza is sold at most Italian pizza places in town. Highly recommended. It would be a popular addition to the menu at Canberra pizzerias, especially in summertime.
WHAT TO SEE
Even if you plan your visit in advance, it’s worth stopping in at the Griffith Visitor Information Centre, conveniently located on the way into town, to meet the friendly staff, discover attractions of interest to you, find out what’s happening during your stay, see their informative new display, and peruse the local produce for sale. Our tip: The local prunes in port are delicious.
1 Jondaryan Avenue, Griffith; 02 6962 8400; griffith.nsw.gov.au
Calabria Family Wines Cellar Door: A definite highlight of our visit was meeting Bill Calabria AM, the patriarch of this third-generation winery established by his father in 1945 (although their Griffith story started in the 1920s). When we arrived, the dynamic 74-year-old was busy painting the wine room beyond the cellar door, but kindly put down his brush to take us for a tour of the winery. Bill showed us the 60-year-old open concrete fermenters which were built by founder Francesco Calabria and his sons (Bill is the youngest of nine children), that are still used today for all premium red wines, as well as the impressive banks of high-tech stainless-steel vats that see Calabria Family Wines produce more wine than the entire NSW Hunter Valley – and they’re only the third biggest winery in Griffith!
Inside the front doors, the Tuscan-style cellar door is a delightful place to sample the extensive variety of their Riverina wines, including the region’ss signature red, the Durif, and traditional Italian varieties such as Prosecco, Moscato, Nero d’Avola, and Montepulciano. We were graciously hosted by Elise, who explained the characteristics of each wine we tasted, accompanied by a platter of nibbles, and packaged our purchases after the tasting. (We took home a selection of five different wines.)
Elise also led us downstairs to Bill’s private cellar, created by this living legend jackhammering the wall that separated the two original concrete vats (one for red wines, one for white). The result is an atmospheric space where soft light reflects off the dappled beeswax-coated walls lined with bottles of their best wines, trophy cabinets and historic photos, and a long table where you can sit and taste Calabria’s premium wines.
Cellar Door tastings cost $10 per person (for up to 8 wines); bookings recommended. Seated tastings in Bill’s Private Cellar paired with regional platter are $35 per person; bookings essential.
1283 Brayne Road, Griffith; calabriawines.com.au
Griffith Regional Art Gallery: In a charming art-deco building next door to the Gem Hotel, the gallery was displaying a colourful exhibition by renowned Australian artist Ken Done. The other half of the building houses the local war museum.
Greengecko Garden Centre: Here we met renowned local artists Lisa Talione and Di Tarr, friends since school days who collaborate on artworks and exhibitions across the region. You can’t miss their vibrant mural of “life”, featuring birds, plants and people, adorning the long, corrugated iron fence that separates the nursery from the main road into town. Hand painted just before the pandemic hit in March 2020, the mural became a beacon of hope and happiness for the local community. As well as a wide variety of plants and outdoor furniture, the nursery also sells garden art by local creatives and is home to an art studio, where Lisa and Di run workshops and create some of their beautiful pieces.
638 Mackay Avenue, Griffith; greengeckogardencentre.com.au
Rotary farmers market: Most Sunday mornings at the showgrounds (around 48 weeks a year), you’ll find up to 35 stalls where local producers and makers sell their fresh produce and wares. Entry is via gold coin donation. We found tables laden with fresh tomatoes, melons, plums, pumpkins, zucchini, and more; jars of jams, pickles, relishes, marinated vegetables, honey, and olives; freshly fried savoury or sweet zeppole (Italian donuts); European cheeses (the only imported produce onsite); locally baked German cakes; handmade clothing, accessories and homewares; a second-hand store selling treasures; and a popular café in the corner serving up coffee and breakfast rolls.
Our tip: The freshly cooked zeppole are delicious.
Hermit’s Cave Heritage Trail: On the escarpment just five minutes’ drive from the CBD, a great lookout over the city and surrounding farmlands sits above caves that were home to Griffith’s legendary hermit, Italian migrant, Valeri Ricetti, from the last 1920s until 1952. Venture down the hill on a 1km self-guided trail past some of the cave-like rock shelters, stone walling and terraced gardens that Ricetti built during his years living on the hill. Note: Good walking shoes are recommended; parts of the track are steep and not accessible to infants, the aged or people with a disability. Tip: Pick up a walking trail map from the Griffith Visitor Information Centre.
Walks: One block behind Banna Avenue, take the Banna Lane Mural Trail past a series of big, colourful murals painted on several walls of buildings lining the street. At the end of the lane, turn right back onto Banna Avenue towards the Regional Theatre precinct, then head down Kookora Street to City Park, which follows the irrigation channel that skirts the CBD. Here you’ll find a great playground for kids and a community garden where locals can pick lemons from the tree, or seasonal vegetables and herbs growing in raised garden beds. Next block along is Oddfellows Park which features a series of striking granite sculptures created to celebrate the city’s centenary in 2016, and a stand of majestic river gums. Given Griffith’s strong Italian heritage, there’s also a walk marked with plaques to celebrate the contribution and legacy of Italians to the city from its earliest days. Information about the walks are available from the Griffith Visitor Information Centre. For a longer walk, try the new shared cycle/pedestrian path that links Griffith with Lake Wyangan, around 12km northwest of the city.
BREAK THE JOURNEY
The drive to Griffith NSW from central Canberra is around 4 hours 12 minutes along very good, sealed roads that pass through quaint country towns. Be prepared for a traffic light stop at the archaic single-lane bridge west of Wallendbeen.
There are plenty of interesting places to break the journey, such as Harden (Jackson’s Bakery is recommended, open Mon-Fri) and wander the picturesque, quiet, main street one block north of the highway. Its historic twin town of Murrumburrah also boasts a charming main street (on the highway), plus a stunning mural adorning the silos opposite the information centre, and an impressive bronze statue dedicated to ‘Bill the Bastard’, a local equine hero of WWI, carrying five soldiers.
Around two and a half hours from Canberra, Temora is renowned for its aviation museum, while the well-appointed visitor information centre not only offers tea, coffee and biscuits (honour system) and clean facilities, but here you’ll find the only NSW ambulance museum, a room of Indigenous artifacts, and a rural museum, which includes the slab cottage that was Sir Donald Bradman’s first home (relocated from Cootamundra). It’s also worth turning off the highway to explore Temora’s attractive main street, which was bustling the Monday morning we stopped in.
Closer to Griffith, the village of Barellan boasts a big tennis racquet honouring hometown hero Evonne Goolagong Cawley in a tidy park across the road from a row of ageing shops, including a once grand old hotel (built 1924).
Note: CW editor Julie Samaras visited Griffith as a guest of the Gem Hotel and its in-house restaurant, Bull & Bell, with additional itinerary courtesy of #VisitGriffith.
