Tingha

Before non-indigenous settlement the area now known as Tingha was mainly lived upon by people from the Nucoorilma group, which is an associated group of the Murri Aboriginal people. Many of their descendants still live in the surrounding area. The name Tingha is an Aboriginal word for "flat or level (ground)".
Tingha was first settled in 1841 by Sydney Hudson Darby and became a mining town after tin was discovered there in the 1870s. Within 12 months Australia’s first commercial tin mines were operating. Around 5,000 people arrived and about 1,000 of the miners were Chinese.
The village was proclaimed a town in 1885. Initially there were enough readily accessible surface deposits to make a good living without using machinery as Chinese people did. By the early 1900s the mining boom was over and Tingha's population had dwindled to just a few hundred people.

Tourism information

• Inverell Tourist Information Centre

  phone: +61 2 6728 8161
  address: 11/31 Campbell Street, Inverell

By car

Tingha is 27 km south east of Inverell via Bundarra Road and Guyra Road, 64 km northwest of Guyra via Guyra Road, and 75 km southwest of Glen Innes via Gwydir Highway, Dodds Lane, Stannifer, and Guyra Road.

By coach

NSW Trainlink operates a rail coach that departs Tuesdays from Armidale at 5:50PM and arrives at Tingha at 6:48PM (Route 337), and departs Tuesdays from Inverell at 6:20AM and arrives at Bundarra at 6:50AM (Route 338). The coach stop is in front of the Police Station in Opal Street. A timetable for the coach can be downloaded here. Booking and payment in advance is essential.

• NSW Trainlink - regular bookings

  phone: +61 13 22 32

• NSW Trainlink - multi-trip and Discovery Pass

  phone: +61 13 22 32

• Inverell

  phone: +61 2 6722 3011
  address: 45 Byron Street
  The coach does not stop here - it stops at the Inverell Visitor Information Centre (Transit Centre), 11-31 Campbell Street.

• Armidale

  phone: +61 13 22 32
  address: Brown Street

• Armidale

  phone: +61 2 6771 5474
  address: Shop 3a, 108 Dangar Street
  The coach does not stop here, it stops at the Railway Station.

By plane

The nearest airport is at Inverell (IVR). Commercial flights are operated by Fly Corporate, with flights connecting Inverell to Brisbane and Sydney on weekdays.

• Inverell Taxis

  phone: +61 2 131 008
  Taxi bookings must be made well before departure and upon arrival at the airport. Admin and alternative booking: +61 2 6722 3533 Call in advance to enquire about fares to/from Tingha.

The nearest major airport with scheduled services is at Armidale (ARM).

By rental car

The nearest car rental agencies are in Inverell, Glen Innes, and Armidale.

• Wing Hing Long Heritage Emporium

  phone: +61 2
  address: 21 Ruby Street
  Former store established by a Chinese tin miner, now a museum on the NSW State Heritage Register. By appointment. $3 per person

• Stonewoman Aboriginal AreaThis area hold special cultural signifcance for the local Aboriginal people. Car parking. No facilities. 750 m walk to cultural site. No pets. No smoking.

• Tingha Tin FestivalCelebrates the discovery of nearby tin which established the village. Held in November.

• Green Valley Park

  phone: +61 2 6723 3370
  address: 161 Jones Road
  Holiday and entertainment park. Day entry (excluding Christmas Day) as well as accommodation.

• Copeton Dam (eastern shore)

  address: end of Howell Road
  Camping (no fees), boating, fishing. Public toilets, rubbish bins, no other facilities

• Fossicking

There are no ATMs in the village

• Tingha Store & Newsagency

  phone: +61 2 6723 3434
  address: 21 Ruby Street

• Royal Hotel

  phone: +61 2 6723 3417
  address: 15 Ruby Street

• Red Rose Cafe

  phone: +61 2 6723 3405
  address: 1/3 Ruby Street

• Royal Hotel

  phone: +61 2 6723 3417
  address: 15 Ruby Street

• Royal Hotel

  phone: +61 2 6723 3417
  address: 15 Ruby Street

• Tingha Gems Caravan Park

  phone: +61 2 6723 3234
  address: 91 Swimming Pool Road

• Green Valley Park

  phone: +61 2 6723 3015
  address: 161 Jones Road
  Holiday and entertainment park. Day entry (excluding Christmas Day) as well as accommodation.

Emergency

• Police Station

  phone: +61 2 6723 3444
  address: corner Opal and Ruby Streets
  Not open 24 hours

• Tingha Multipurpose Service Hospital

  phone: +61 2 6723 3266
  address: 13997 Guyra Road

Fuel

• Tingha Independent

  phone: +61 2 6723 3555
  address: 2 Opal Street

Public telephones

• address: corner of Opal and Ruby Streets

Public toilets

• Tingha Fire Brigade

  address: 20 Ruby Street
  Open daylight hours. Wheelchair access.

• Symes Park

  address: Opal Street
  Open 24 hours.

• Tingha Cemetery

  address: 21 Garnet Street
  Open 24 hours

• Glen Innes - 75 km northeast of Tingha via Guyra Road, Old Mill Road, Stannifer Road, Elsmore Road (turn right), Dodds Lane, Gwydir Highway (turn right) (1 hr 3 min)
• Guyra - 64 km southeast of Tingha via Guyra Road (41 min); 63 km southwest of Tingha via New Valley Road, Moreduns Dams Road, Tenterden Road, Guyra Road (56 min)
• Armidale - 101 km southeast of Tingha via Guyra Road, Guyra, New England Highway (1 hr 7 min)
• Tamworth - 196 km south of Tingha via Thunderbolts Way, Guyra, New England Highway (2 hr 15 min)
• Bundarra - 35 km southwest of Tingha via Howells Road, Thunderbolts Way (turn left) (26 min)
• Barraba - 104 km southwest of Tingha via Howells Road, Thunderbolts Way (turn left), Bundarra, Barraba Road, Gulf Creek Road, McIntyre Road, Woodsreef Road (turn right), B95 (turn left) (1 hr 36 min)
• Bingara - 95 km west of Tingha via Guyra Road, Bundarra Road, Inverell, Gwydir Highway, Delungra Bypass Road, Bingara Road (1 hr 10 min)
• Inverell - 27 km north of Tingha via Guyra Road, Bundarra Road (22 min)