Tamworth (New South Wales)

Tamworth is nationally famous as the "Country Music Capital of Australia", annually hosting the Tamworth Country Music Festival in late January. The city is recognised as the "National Equine Capital of Australia" because of the high volume of equine events held in the city and the construction of the world class Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre (AELEC). The city additionally is known as the "City of Lights", being the first place in the Southern Hemisphere to utilise electric street lights.
Tamworth itself is a well developed and confident regional centre. It has a great location by the side of the Peel River, that has playgrounds, coffee shops and parks. Peel Street itself is the main shopping strip, running parallel to the river.

You can fly, drive yourself, catch a train from Sydney or Armidale, and catch a connecting coach in from a few surrounding towns. The days of coaches plying the inland route between Sydney and Brisbane are gone, with all such services now travelling the coastal Pacific Highway route to Brisbane.

By car

The New England Highway runs inland between Sydney and Brisbane via Tamworth. The road is mainly good quality, single carriageway - with regular overtaking lanes.
It will take around 5 hours to drive from Sydney - with no breaks. Effectively a full day's drive. There are a variety of inland routes if you are coming from Melbourne, but by the time you pass Canberra, the quickest route will be via Sydney.

By train

NSW Trainlink trains connect Tamworth to Armidale and Sydney daily. A connecting bus travels along the old branch line to Inverell before each train departure and after each arrival. Tickets must be booked before boarding.
Peel Street is less than 5 minutes walk downhill from the station.
===By plane===

• Tamworth AirportA sizeable airport for a regional town. It has a nice air-conditioned terminal, with a cafe and ATM. It has car hire and taxis available to meet flights. For Qantas club members there is a flight lounge in the terminal. Qantas runs regular services between Sydney, up to six flights a day on weekdays. Virgin Australia also fly to Tamworth from Sydney.

The airport itself is around 10km from town. Too far to walk. There is cycleway nearly all the way to the terminal.

The main mall along Peel Street can be walked on foot in about twenty minutes. The nice parks between the mall and the Peel River have pedestrian and cycle paths running through them. For anywhere else in the city, a car is definitely recommended.
A couple of bus companies run services through Tamworth on weekdays.
During the Country Music Festival in January there are special bus services which do various circuits of the city.

• Golden GuitarTamworth is Australia's country music capital. A memorial to country music.

• Memorial to the Australian Light Horse

  address: Bicentennial Park, Kable Avenue
  The cast bronze statue of a Waler horse and an Australian Light Horse Trooper

• Tamworth Regional Botanic Garden

  address: Piper Street
  There is a lookout in that gives stunning views across the area's agricultural land.

• Oxley's Lookoutis set high above the city. It's westward outlook allows for stunning sunset and evening views.

Events

• 
  

Akubra hats are a local specialty - this is the home of country music after all!
Tamworth is a great retail sector for the New England with 5 Major Shopping Complexes, 3 Down the main Street.

• Tamworth Shopping World: Anchored by Big W, Woolworths, The Regent Shop and Australia Post is a large shopping complex on Brisbane Street. It consists of 50 Specialty Shops, A Fast Food Court & Multi Storey Car Park over 3 levels.
• Tamworth City Plaza: Ancored by K-Mart and Coles, it is in the heart of the CBD. The Centre Includes 45 Specialty Shops, A Fast Food Court, and Undercover Shaded Parking.
• Centrepoint Tamworth: Also located in the heart of the CBD, across from Target Department Store, Centrepoint Offers Franklins Supermarket, 6 Cinema Complex with a Performing Arts Arena, Child Care Centre, 40 Specialty Shops over 2 floors of shopping, Fast Food Court & Alfresco Dining and a multi Storey Car Park over 3 levels.
• Tamworth Arcade: A small arcade offering 20 specialty stores in the heart of the CBD.
• Tamworth HomeSpace: A Bulky Goods Centre in Tamworth's fastest growing Estate. It is located near Harvey Norman, and other Bulky Goods Stores.

• Albert Hotel

  phone: +61 2 6766 2442
  address: 211 Peel St
  Panama Jacks has a selection of entrees and main courses to suit everyone’s appetite. Entertainment provided.

• Bucking Bull

  address: Centrepoint Shopping Centre
  Tasty, good quality food. Specialising in burgers, roast meats, sandwiches, subs and hot filled spuds. Dine-in or take-away.
• SSS BBQ Barns, Near the Golden Guitar, Great Atmosphere, Food and Service with a Smile.
• Hogsbreath, on Peel Street serves a range of foods.
• Outback Jack's, near the Golden Guitar, Goonoo Goonoo Road. It is a steakhouse.

Imperial Hotel, Cnr Brisbane and Marius Street, known to the young people of the town as "The Impy", is the hub of Tamworth's night life.
Good companions, Brisbane Street, also known as "The Goodies". With it's recently refurbished metro styling is another of the many local hotels. One of the few local venues with a cocktail list.
Tamworth Hotel, Marius Street (opposite the train station). Grand country town hotel. Known for its selection of beers, cigars and fine wine.
Central Hotel, Cnr Peel and Brisbane Street.
For a cheap drink visit one of the registered clubs, including Wests Diggers, West Tamworth League Club, the Services Club, or one of the sporting clubs.

• All Seasons Tamworth Towers

  address: Cnr Oxley Hwy & Ebsworth Street
  108 rooms with views of the Moonbi Ranges and the Peel River. All rooms are non-smoking, and feature Austar television, high speed Wi-Fi and reverse-cycle air conditioning. Restaurant and bar on-site.

• Motel 359

  address: Goonoo Goonoo Road

• Tamworth YHA Hostel

  address: 169 Marius Street, Tamworth

• The Albert Hotel

  phone: +61 2 6766 2442
  address: 211 Peel St
  Newly renovated hotel offers a great atmosphere catering for a relaxed evening or a night out. Entertainment provided.

• Sundance Park Motel

  phone: +61 02 6765 7922
  address: New England Highway
  All 25 rooms are on ground floor level with parking at your door. The rooms are set well back from the road. Extensive gardens surround the half-court tennis/basketball court and swimming pool with heated spa.

• Take the half-hour drive to Nundle. Go gold prospecting, buy wool at the mill, check-out the art gallery, search for antiques, or have lunch at the pub. There is also a craft co-op, an op-shop, general stores, an 1850s-type prospector's store, a restaurant and places to have coffee. There is a motel if you wish to stay-over. Take a different route back to Tamworth - either the sealed New England Highway or the back dirt road.
• Armidale is an easy day trip.
• Barraba is 90 kilometres north of Barraba in the heart of the Fossickers Way.
• Bundarra is 161 km north of Tamworth via New England Highway, Uralla, Thunderbolts Way.
• Tingha is 196 km north of Tamworth via New England Highway, Guyra, Guyra Road.