Explore Tamworth

The Tamworth Country Music Festival (TCMF) is an annual music festival held in late January in Tamworth and is a celebration of Country Music including the iconic Country Music Awards of Australia and is the biggest celebration of Australian country music talent.

With numerous concerts and live performances at various venues, the festival lasts for ten days until Australia Day. During this period the city of Tamworth comes alive.

Oxley Scenic Lookout is a highlight of any visit to Tamworth. Follow Tamworth’s jacaranda-lined White St to the very top, where you’ll reach this viewpoint. It’s the best seat in the house as the sun goes down. The lookout, originally Oxley Park, is named in honour of John Oxley, Surveyor General and explorer, who passed through the Tamworth area in 1818.

The Lookout is located at the top of White Street and is easily accessible by vehicle or a moderate hike will bring you to this excellent vantage spot. The views are almost 180 degrees and stretch for kilometres into the distance providing incredible views of both the city and Peel River Valley.

The Lookout is surrounded by natural bushland and is the base camp for the Kamilaroi Walking Track, which winds its way through the bushland of Oxley Park linking the Botanic Garden, Marsupial Park, Oxley Lookout and Flagstaff Mountain over several kilometers. Some sections of the walking track are moderate, however other sections are quite challenging.

Facilities include public toilets and a picnic area with plenty of parking. Accessible from 7:00 am to 10:00 pm daily. Please note – gates are locked at night.

The Marsupial Park is a native animal experience unlike any other in NSW, the 14-hectare park has free entry. Children can get close to kangaroos, wallabies, cockatoos, and emus, spot the species in the free-flight aviary and hand-feed the Indian peacocks.

Within the Marsupial Park is the community-built Adventure Playground which has two distinct areas: one for under-5s and another for over-5s. It encourages children to use their fine and gross motor skills – and of course, their imagination. There are barbecue facilities and bathrooms.

Winding its way through the Marsupial Park is the Kamilaroi Walking Track, which links the Marsupial Park, Botanic Garden, Oxley Lookout and Flagstaff Mountain over several kilometres.

The Adventure Playground combines two age-appropriate areas designed by Tamworth’s children. Free gas barbecues are also available.

The highlight of any visit to the museum are the two John Fowler steam driven engines, the only two of their type operating in the world.

There are also working replicas of the 1888 Crompton Pattern No 15 Dynamos, which represent the beginnings of electric street lighting in Tamworth.

During the Tamworth Country Music Festival and at intervals during the year, visitors can experience the excitement of the engines in operation.

Whether you live in Tamworth or are just visiting, the Gallery is a must-see attraction. Established in 1919, Tamworth Regional Gallery is one of the oldest regional galleries in New South Wales.

The Gallery is a large modern purpose-built facility constructed in 2004. The Gallery's collection started with a gift of 100 paintings and works on paper from artist John Salvana in 1919. The collection was added to in 1961 with the Burdekin Collection, a substantial gift of 19th and early 20th century Australian and European works.

The Gallery provides a wide and varied program of public events, exhibition openings, artist talks and workshops. Back of House and Collection tours can be made by appointment. The Gallery is fully accessible, with free carparking available at the rear of the Gallery.