Road trip through the Riverina

Renowned for its vineyards and top local produce, the Riverina region is known as the "fruit bowl of New South Wales". Located in Southern New South Wales, the Riverina encompasses cities and towns such as Wagga Wagga, Griffith, Gundagai, Narrandera, Tumut, Junee, Temora and Leeton - each offering something very special. If driving from Sydney or Melbourne to Wagga, allow approximately five hours or longer, with stops.

1. Do a chocolate and licorice factory tour

Make sure you include the Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory in your itinerary. Just a 30-minute drive from Wagga Wagga, you'll find this gorgeously restored 1935 flour mill in Lord Street, Junee. It is open every day except Christmas Day. You can tour the factory, make a giant chocolate freckle, sample tasty organic licorice and finish up in the restaurant for an enjoyable meal in beautiful surroundings.

2. Eat pizza and drink the locally produced beer

If you're driving into Wagga Wagga in time for dinner, I can recommend you head straight to the Thirsty Crow micro-brewery in Kincaid Street for its pulled pork pizza. Reasonably priced at $20, it is covered in slow-cooked spiced, barbecued pulled pork, crunch apple salsa, mozzarella and parsley. You'll also want to wash it down with one of the locally brewed beers. There are a lot more craft pizzas to choose from, such as the Pig 'n' Fig Pizza and the 2am Kebab Pizza.

3. Those magnificent men in their flying machines

Rich in aviation history, the Temora Aviation Museum boasts one the world's finest collections of historic aircraft. This includes the only two flying Spitfires in Australia and the only Hudson bomber in the world. About a one-hour drive from Wagga Wagga, the museum also hosts aircraft showcase days on the first and third Saturday of most months. Visitors can enjoy watching some of the museum's aircraft take to the sky and perhaps do aerobatics or formation flying. If you want your trip to the Riverina to coincide with a flying date, check the website.

4. Farm stays and B&Bs

There's a lot to be said about getting away from it all and spending the weekend away in a friendly B&B or farm stay in the country to rejuvenate the soul. There's no shortage of choice when it comes to accommodation, ranging from luxuriously appointed B&Bs, self-contained cottages and stays on working farms. For more information on various types of accommodation in the Riverina, visit the Riverina Tourism website.

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