wagga wagga grew quickly, reaching a population of 627 in 1861 and during that decade a number of hotels and stores opened, as well as professional services in the form of banks, solicitors, doctors and dentists. the "wagga wagga advertiser" is still published today as "the daily advertiser" and commenced in 1868. until the 1860s most goods were transported to markets by bullock wagon. for a short time, the arrival of faster, cheaper and more reliable riverboats allowed goods to be transported more easily to export markets. the riverboat era ended when the new south wales government extended the railway line to north wagga wagga in 1878 and across the river to wagga wagga itself in 1881.