Hay is located on the banks of the picturesque Murrumbidgee River, at the junction of the Sturt, Cobb and Mid-Western Highways. It is in the centre of some of the flattest country on earth. With a population of 3500, Hay is home to five museums, including Shear Outback: The Australian Shearers' Hall of Fame.
Hay has a diverse agricultural industry. Traditionally sheep and wool production was the prominent activity, however today Hay's agricultural industry comprises numerous activities that include rice, cotton, grapes, market gardens (brochili, lettuce, tomatoes, melons, garlic etc), cattle and barley, to name a few.
Hay is a popular destination for visitors who wish to experience the warmth of true country hospitality, and a rich cultural heritage. Hay's main street is lined with heritage buildings, in pristine condition. There are many places to stay, including motels, hotels, bed & breakfasts, caravan parks and camping sites. Hay offers plenty of dining experiences, from country style pub meals to fine dining to take away.
Hay's Museums.
Bullockies and bishops, cooks and coachbuilders, shearers and shed hands, pastoralists and prisoners of war. Visit any of Hay's five museums and you're sure to meet some of the town's real characters, past and present. Characters like painter and preacher Bishop Ernest Anderson, Ah Mow the Chinese gardener, gun shearer Billy Garner, quilter Marion Gibson, or internment camp cartoonist Fred Schoenbach.
Hay's museums can introduce you to some of the really remarkable people who have contributed to our community. See Gallipoli through the camera lens of a Hay soldier. Glimpse the fairies that children imagined lived at the bottom of the Bishop's Lodge garden. Trace Italian POW Colonel Simone's escape from the Hay Gaol. Witness the contribution that shearers have made to Australia's economy.
Hay's five museums are: Shear Outback: The Australian Shearers' Hall of Fame, Bishop's Lodge Historic House & Heritage Rose Garden, Hay Gaol Museum, Hay POW & Internment Camp Interpretive Centre, and the Hay War Memorial High School Museum.
Hay has numerous events that many locals and visitors alike put on their social calender. These events include Bishop's Lodge Spring Market, Hay Races, Hay Agricultural Show, Booligal Sheep Races and the Carrathool Bough Shed Races.
The Hay Visitors Centre can assist with any enquiries. Visitors can phone the Centre on 02 6993 4045 or email haytouristcentre@bigpond.com. The Hay website is www.visithay.com.au.
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