A Guide To Leeton: Eat, Stay & Play
Tucked between golden fields and citrus groves, Leeton is the kind of town that invites you to slow down, exhale and rediscover simple pleasures. It’s stylish but unpretentious.
A place where Art Deco architecture frames wide streets, the coffee is always good, and everyone seems to have time for a chat. Often overlooked by fast-paced travellers, Leeton rewards those who linger with flavours, stories and scenery that capture the true heart of the Riverina.
EAT
Start your morning at Stir Espresso, a bright café filled with the aroma of locally roasted coffee and the hum of conversation. Just down the road, The Coffee Tree pairs Byron Bay Coffee with homemade cakes that taste like childhood favourites. For brunch, La Fresco Caffè is a locals go-to, serving colourful, produce-driven dishes that celebrate what’s grown right here in the region.
In the afternoon, make your way to Whitton Malt House, a short 25 minute drive set beside a serene lake, it’s part distillery, part restaurant, part escape. Order a whisky tasting paddle, and enjoy a long lunch that flows into a sunset dinner, taking in the view as the light dances on the water.
STAY
Leeton’s hospitality is as genuine as it comes. If you’re not already at Whitton Malt House, why not book in at the Hydro Motor Inn, a beautifully restored building that nods to Leeton’s 1910s irrigation-era beginnings. Or check into one of the town’s boutique motels for modern comfort just steps from cafés, shops and leafy parks. Either way, you’ll wake to soft morning light, magpies calling, and that rare sense of having nowhere else you need to be.
PLAY
Leeton’s beauty lies in its details. Wander past curved façades and vintage signs on Pine Avenue, a living reminder of the town’s roaring-twenties boom.
Stroll through Mountford Park, picnic beside Yanco Lagoon, or head out to the Fivebough Wetlands for birdwatching and walking trails that stretch across mirror-still water.
Visit the Roxy Community Theatre, a restored 1930s gem that still lights up for film nights and local performances.
And if your timing’s right, join the locals at the Leeton Farmers Market, where stalls overflow with citrus, honey, wine and hand-made goods and be sure not to miss the must-see Art Deco and Easter SunRice Festival.