Tamworth Overview

Every January, Tamworth (pop. 37,500) hosts the Country Music Festival (begins the third F of Jan. and lasts for 10 days. www.tcmf.com.au), drawing famous crooners and hordes of fans. A more recent tradition, the Hats Off to Country Festival brings smaller crowds every July but promises a full slate of live music for four straight days. The country spirit is otherwise upheld by 10-gallon-hatted cowboys and tie-in tourist attractions, like the giant golden guitar and a concrete slab with handprints of country artists. Though the town is a destination for country-music lovers, it is also a pleasant stopover for those headed to nearby national parks or Brisbane. It’s also close to several of the popular Jackaroo and Jillaroo schools in the area.

Transportation. The train station, on Marius St. between Brisbane and Bourke St., has a travel center that books tickets. (☎02 6701 9050. Open M-F 9am-5pm.) Countrylink (☎13 22 32) runs express trains to Sydney (6hr.; 1 per day; $60, concessions $42). All buses run from the coach terminal outside the visitors center. Greyhound Australia (☎13 14 99 or 13 20 30) travels to Brisbane (10hr.; daily 8am and 8:55pm; $197, concessions $93) and Sydney (7hr., daily 4:45am, $99/88) via Newcastle (5hr., $78/70). Keans Travel Express (☎02 6543 1322) also travels to other destinations; call or check at the visitors center for details. For car rental, Avis (☎02 6765 2000), Budget (☎13 27 27 or ☎02 6766 7255), Hertz (☎02 6762 3545), and Thrifty (☎02 6765 3699) have branches in town. Call Tamworth Radio Cabs (☎13 10 08) for a taxi.

Orientation And Practical Information. Tamworth is 412km north of Sydney on the New England Hwy. (which, from Armidale, enters town from the east and departs south) and is a convenient rest stop for those journeying to Brisbane (578km). The town’s CBD lies along Peel Street. The main intersection is with Brisbane Street (New England Highway), which crosses the Peel River, becoming Bridge Street in West Tamworth. The visitors center is at the corner of Peel and Murray St. (☎02 6767 5300; www.visittamworth.com. Open daily 9am-5pm.) The library, 466 Peel St., has free Internet access. (☎02 6755 4460. Open M-Th 10am-7pm, F 10am-6pm, Sa 9am-2pm.) ATMs are all along Peel St. Police (☎02 6768 2999) are located at 40 Fitzroy St. The post office, 406 Peel St. (☎13 13 18), is on the corner with Fitzroy St. Postal Code: 2340.

Accommodations And Food. Beds are generally plentiful, except during January’s Country Music Festival (book a year ahead). Several hotels offer pubstays for $35-60 per night. The Tamworth YHA , 169 Marius St., offers cheap beds and spotless bathrooms just across the street from the train station. This hostel generally serves as the gateway to the Jackaroo and Jillaroo schools. Breakfast is available for $3.50. (☎02 6761 2600. Laundry $6. Internet $1 per 15min. Dorms $23-28; doubles $55-124. MC/V.) Paradise Tourist Park   , next to the visitors center along the creek on Peel St., has electric grills, a pool, and a playground. (☎02 6766 3120; www.paradisetouristpark.com.au. Linen $5 for singles, $8 for doubles. Laundry $6. Key deposit $10. Reception daily 7am-7pm. Sites for 2 $21-30, powered $27-36; bunk rooms $46-90; cabins $55-124. Extra person $9-12. MC/V. 7th night free in the low season.) For a true Aussie farm experience, stay at friendly Castle Mountain Farmstay in Quirindi, about 45min. south of Armidale. This 2000-acre homestead has comfortable rooms—in dorms, doubles, or cottages—and homecooked meals. (☎02 6746 2102; www.castlemountain.com.au. 3 meals and accommodations $45.)

The Vault , 429 Peel St., serves gourmet pizzas cooked in a wood-fire oven ($14-19). Live music fills the high ceilings of this refurbished 1892 former bank, on Th and Sa nights in the summer, F and Su afternoons in the winter. (☎02 6766 6975. Open M and Su 8am-4pm, Tu-Sa 8am-late. AmEx/D/MC/V.) The Old Vic Cafe , 261 Peel St., is frequented by a laid-back clientele and fixes gourmet main courses ($10-18) as well as Turkish bread sandwiches ($10-11), freshly squeezed juices ($4), and homemade sauces and vinaigrettes. All-day breakfast is available. (☎02 6766 3435. Open M-F 8am-5pm, Sa 8:30am-3pm. MC/V.)

Sights And Activities. You don’t have to be a country music fan to enjoy Tamworth; you just need a high tolerance for kitsch. The Big Golden Guitar Complex is worth the 10min. trip south on the New England Hwy., as much for the gift shop as for the 12m guitar itself. A realistic “Gallery of Stars” wax museum dresses 27 replicas in clothes donated by the stars themselves, including Slim Dusty, “The Man Who is Australia.” In odd juxtaposition, an impressive gem and mineral display shares the complex. (☎02 6765 2688; www.biggoldenguitar.com.au. Open daily 9am-5pm. Wax museum $8, children $4, families $18.) The popular Hands of Fame Cornerstone, on Brisbane St. at Kable Ave., bears the handprints of Australian country music celebrities. The Walk a Country Mile Interpretive Centre at the visitors center takes you through an interactive history of country music in Australia. ($6, children $2, families $15.) Bring out your inner cowboy or cowgirl at one of the Jackaroo and Jillaroo schools in the Tamworth area, with crash courses in horse-riding, dog-training, cow-milking, lassoing, and mustering cattle from the saddle. Certificates and job placement assistance are given upon completion.   Leconfield runs an excellent school 1hr. out of Tamworth. (☎02 6769 4328; www.leconfield.com. Free pickup at Tamworth YHA. 5-day course begins every M. Book a month ahead $550 includes food and accommodation. Cash only, $200 advance deposit required.)

Entertainment And Nightlife. Tamworth is definitely a country town, and its nightlife has a tangible local flavor. Most establishments close well after 2am, but the standard Australian 1 or 1:30am curfew means you must be in the establishment door by that hour. The West Diggers Club (☎02 6766 4661), on Kable Ave., off Brisbane St., has live music on most weekends. The Imperial Hotel, on the corner of Marius and Brisbane St., draws a younger crowd that’s generally uninterested in its country music heritage. (☎02 6766 2613. Live music Th-Sa. Curfew 1:30am.) The Central Hotel, on the corner of Brisbane and Peel St., features live rock and country live music Thursday-Saturday. (☎02 6766 2160) Check out a free copy of Tamworth City News from the tourist office, for details and other venues.