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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Hay
Stop one night on the Sydney–Adelaide run: Shear Outback and the gaol fill an afternoon, then move on. No car hire here, so arrive with wheels.
Hay is a flat Riverina town of about 2,400 people where the Sturt, Cobb and Mid-Western highways meet, roughly halfway across the Hay Plain between Sydney and Adelaide. It is a road-trip stop, not a destination: two museums, a river walk and a main street of pubs and motels. One night is enough; two if you want a slow morning on the Murrumbidgee.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (very hot days), peak summer school holidays
- Stay
- 1 night
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–140 excl. bed · Mid A$140–220 excl. bed · High A$220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From mobiles 112 · Hay Visitor Information Centre +61 2 6993 4045
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$4–6 |
| Pub counter meal | A$22–35 |
| Takeaway Thai or Chinese | A$15–25 |
| Beer: schooner in a pub / can at the bottle shop | A$6–9 / A$4–6 |
| Museum entry (Shear Outback / Hay Gaol) | A$15 / A$4 |
| Fuel, per litre | A$1.80–2.10 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- WGA · Wagga Wagga
- Nearest airport with scheduled service, about 2–3 h by road east; hire a car there before driving to Hay — no car hire in Hay
Typical fares
- Shear Outback entry
- about A$15 adults, A$10 concession
- Hay Gaol Museum entry
- about A$4 adults, A$1 children
- Fuel Hay → Wagga Wagga
- about A$40–55 for a small car
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk the town: Lachlan Street, the gaol, the water towers and the river walk are all within about 15 minutes on flat ground. You need your own vehicle for anything out of town — Shear Outback at the South Hay roundabout and the Hay Plain beyond — and there is no car hire in Hay. Fuel up on Lachlan Street before crossing the plain.
See and do
Known for
- Shear Outback (Shearer's Hall of Fame)
- Hay Gaol Museum
- Murrumbidgee River
- Hay Plain highway stop
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Griffith | Drive east on the Sturt Highway via Darlington Point | About 1 h 45 min |
| Wagga Wagga | Drive east on the Sturt Highway | About 2 h 45 min |
| Leeton | Drive east via Darlington Point and Whitton | About 2 h |
| Tocumwal | Drive south-east via Deniliquin on the Cobb Highway | About 2 h 30 min |
| Urana | Drive east on the Federation Way | About 1 h 30 min |
Sleep
- Lachlan Street (main street)
- Motels and pubs on one strip; walk to cafés, the gaol and the river.
- South Hay, Sturt Highway
- Highway-side motels and Shear Outback; convenient if you are only passing through.
- Riverside and Pine Street
- Quieter, near the Murrumbidgee walk and guesthouse-style stays.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the petrol station? | Where's the servo? |
| A table for two, please | Table for two, thanks |
| Can I pay by card? | Card OK? |
| Is there fuel at the next town? | Fuel up ahead? |
| How far to the next town? | How far to the next town? |
| Thanks, that's great | Cheers, that's great |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- No car hire in Hay: bring your own vehicle or you are stuck.
- Summer days pass 40 °C and the plain has long gaps between fuel and phone coverage.
- Book motels ahead in spring and around events; the town is small.
- Kangaroos and emus on the road at dawn and dusk.
Hay is a small, quiet town and street crime is not the issue. The real risks are summer heat, long drives with fuel and phone gaps on the Hay Plain, and wildlife on the road at dawn and dusk.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Hay yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Shear Outback (Shearer's Hall of Fame)
- Hay Gaol Museum
- Murrumbidgee River
- Hay Plain highway stop
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Hay Visitor Information Centre: www.hay.nsw.gov.au/VisitHay.aspx
- Shear Outback: www.shearoutback.com.au
- Hay Gaol Museum: www.hay.nsw.gov.au/Business-Community-Directory/Tourism/Museums-Galleries/hay-gaol-museum
- Wikivoyage: Hay, revision 5241389 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5241389
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Hay
Can you take me to this address, please?
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance000
- From mobiles112
- Hay Visitor Information Centre+61 2 6993 4045
No consulates in Hay. Nearest consular help is in Sydney; the US and UK have consulates-general there.
Distances and drive times are approximate.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/hay). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.