Community Heritage Grant: Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre

The Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre is a not-for-profit organisation representing post Second World War reconciliation between Japan and Australia. Nestled in the heart of regional NSW, it is a living symbol of peace, reconciliation, and cultural understanding between the two nations.

As part of the Community Heritage Grants (CHG) program, the organisation has received funding to manage and preserve significant Japanese artefacts within their collection.

There is a pond at the base of this image with manicured gardens stretching up the hill behind it. A semi-enclosed outdoor seating area sits halfway up the image on the right-hand side.

Part of the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre.

A garden designed for reflection

The Garden is designed for strolling and based on principles from the Japanese Edo period is a place for reflection, contemplation, and meditation.

The Garden also serves as a place of remembrance. It pays tribute to the soldiers and prisoners of war (POWs) connected to the Cowra POW camp and the breakout that occurred in 1944 – the largest prison escape of the Second World War.

A cultural centre preserving important stories

Complementing the Garden, the Cultural Centre houses a rich and diverse collection of Japanese art and artefacts.

The room of an exhibition gallery. Among other things, four artworks are hanging along one wall, and objects are displayed in glass cases in the foreground.

Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre exhibition area.

Its holdings include ceramics, metalwork, wood carvings, architectural models, paintings, scrolls, lacquerware, textiles, and traditional dolls.

Over the years, the Cultural Centre has made significant progress in preserving this nationally significant collection through the support of the CHG program.

Funding in the 2025 Round will support the purchase of a new display case for iconic items in the collection, improving conservation standards and staff access.

The impact of Community Heritage Grants

The Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre has received funding for 4 projects through CHG, completing all 3 program stages: significance assessment, preservation needs assessment, and finally, undertaking conservation and collection management activities as recommended in the preservation needs assessment.

The room of an exhibition gallery. A variety of objects, from garments to dolls, adorn the walls in numerous display cases. A further three display cases are in the foreground of the image.

Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre exhibition area.

Thanks to the Community Heritage Grants, the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre has made significant strides in preserving and understanding our cultural collection. Over the past five years, these grants have enabled us to assess our preservation needs, enhance our display and storage facilities, and deepen our knowledge of collection care. We are sincerely grateful for the clarity and support these opportunities have provided.

A spokesperson for the Cowra Japanese Garden and Cultural Centre

The CHG program is funded by the Australian Government through the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts; National Library of Australia; National Archives of Australia; National Film and Sound Archive; and National Museum of Australia.

Learn more about Community Heritage Grants and how they support community organisations who care for nationally significant collections.