The casing of the Australian submarine HMAS Otway in Holbrook

Holbrook is a service town on the Hume Highway in Southern New South Wales best known for the decommissioned submarine that stands next to the highway in the centre of the town.

Get in

The Hume Highway between Sydney and Melbourne now bypasses Holbrook, roughly halfway between the two. The town is still a good stopping point with fuel, food, toilets, and visitor attractions.

See

• 1 Holbrook Submarine Museum, Corner of Albury and Wallace St, ☏ +61 2 6036 2422, tourism@greaterhume.nsw.gov.au. 10AM-4PM. The upper casing of the Royal Australian Navy submarine HMAS Otway has been preserved in a park in Holbrook to commemorate the town's namesake, British World War I submarine hero Lt. Norman Douglas Holbrook VC. The museum includes a recreation of a submarine's control room as well as submarine-related memorabilia. Adults: $6, Pensioners: $4, Students: $3, Family: $10. (updated Jul 2017)
• 2 National Museum of Australian Pottery, 76 Albury St (in the main street, in the centre of town), ☏ +61 2 6036 3464, info@australianpottery.net.au. 9:30AM to 4:30PM Thursday to Tuesday, closed Wednesday. Closed in August. The National Museum of Australian Pottery has an extensive collection of 19th and early 20th century Australian domestic pottery from over 120 Australian pottery companies established between European settlement and the end of World War I, (1918). Adults $5 per head, Children under 16 years of age $4 per head.  

Special Exhibitions:The Shards of Thomas Ball, convict potter, c. 1804-1823, until 31 May 2015

• 3 Woolpack Inn Museum, 83 Albury St (in the main street, opposite the National Museum of Australian Pottery), ☏ +61 2 6036 2131, info@woolpackinn.com.au. 9:30AM to 4PM. The Woolpack Inn Museum is a two story heritage listed historic building. It has 22 rooms showing19th century include bedrooms, dining room, sitting room, kitchen, pantry and laundry, and a number of other rooms filled with historic items. In the grounds is a c. 1872 drop slab school house, a replica of the old Holbrook bakery, a black smith's shop and a large collection of old machinery, wagons and coaches. $5.00 for adults, $3.00 concessions and $1.00 for children. 

Buy

• There are some craft stores along the Hume.

Eat

There are two bakeries in town and a small IGA supermarket with limited hours (closes by 5 to 7 PM). If you're too late for either, the Ampol petrol station's minimart is open 24 hours.

• 1 Holbrook Bakery, 126 Albury St, ☏ +61 2 60362246. Good for pies and sausage rolls. (updated Apr 2021)

Sleep

Accommodation in Holbrook caters squarely to motorists stopping for the night.

• 1 Byer Fountain Motor Inn, 164 Albury St, ☏ +61 2 6036 2077. Simple budget accommodation with clean rooms and a pool. (updated Apr 2021)
• 2 Holbrook Motor Village, 53 Albury St (Behind Ampol petrol station), ☏ +61 2 6036 3100. Basic but comfortable and scrupulously clean cabins and powered camp sites. The small pool is a welcome bonus on a hot summer day. From $149. (updated Jan 2024)

Go next

Routes via Holbrook

Melbourne ← Albury ←

SW M31 NE

→ Tarcutta → Gundagai → Sydney