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The twin towns of Albury and Wodonga sit on either side of the Murray River, which forms the border between New South Wales and Victoria. The area is a popular stopover for the journey between Sydney and Melbourne, and the combined population between the two centres is about 100,000.

I have only passed through Wodonga, but was taken by some public art and sculptures throughout the city centre. One of the most visually stunning artworks can be found along the Lincoln Causeway, before the Murray River bridge crossing to Albury. The Porta Balls was created by Ken Raff in 2007, and there is an atmospheric photo of it here.

There are a vast number of artworks in Wodonga and Albury, with a listing of nearly 200 sites available on the Albury-Wodonga Open Data Hub. This includes an entry for the above depiction of a Murray Cod, Australia’s largest freshwater fish, created by Lukas Kasper. These fish can reach a maximum weight of 113 kg (249 pounds), and grow up to 1.8 metres (71 inches) in length.

Until 2008, the Wodonga Railway Station was in the commercial centre of Wodonga. A rail bypass commenced in 2008, and from 2010 trains have been operating from the new station site. This rail relocation supported the redevelopment of railway land located in the commercial area, as well as reducing nearly a dozen level crossings. Junction Place is an urban space that was created on the historic railway station and rail yards area, and includes cafés, retail and restaurants and open public spaces.

There are more murals and artworks to be discovered along High Street in Wodonga, including several created by Dean Bowen. They include the Smiling Kookaburra, shown above.

Another sculpture that caught my eye was the above series of dogs and owners, also in High Street. This was located near Wodonga’s water tower, which was built in 1923. It was decommissioned in 1959, but remains an important part of the streetscape of the city.

These are just a handful of some of the many sculptures and murals available for exploration in Wodonga and Albury. There are multiple art and sculpture trail walks which showcase the amazing creativity in the region.

Have you had an artistic wander through Wodonga?

Photo: sculptures near the War Memorial, Woodland Grove, Wodonga