the city sits halfway between the largest cities in australia, being 452 kilometres southwest of sydney and 456 kilometres northeast of melbourne with the sydney–melbourne railway line passing through. the sturt highway, part of australia's national highway network, passes through the city on its way from adelaide to its junction with the main sydney–melbourne route, the hume highway, a further 45 kilometres east. this location astride some of the major transport routes in the nation has made wagga wagga an important heavy truck depot for a number of companies including toll holdings. wagga wagga itself is the major regional centre for the riverina and for much of the south west slopes regions, providing education, health and other services to a region extending as far as griffith to the west, cootamundra to the north and tumut to the east.