About Tamworth
Last updated April 5, 2023
Our City
Situated on the banks of the Peel River, Tamworth city is nestled at the western base of the Great Dividing Range. This position offers the unique experience of being able to access a diverse set of landscapes, ranging from high altitude mountainous country in the North East, to the sweeping golden plains of Dorothea Mackellar’s ‘My Country’ in the West.
Placed at the southernmost edge of the New England Batholith, the Moonbi Mountains feature spectacular granite outcrops, with the region also home to some of the last remaining stands of the very beautiful and critically endangered Box-Gum Grassy Woodlands.
The Peel, Namoi, McDonald and Horton Rivers are some of the most substantial natural waterways in the region, with Chaffey, Keepit, Split Rock and Sheba Dams all accessible to the public.
The clear distinction of the four seasons is a notable feature of Tamworth’s climate; living in the New England you’ll experience hot summers, cold winters, lush springs and crisp cool autumns, with clear days and low humidity for the best part of the year.
Tamworth is the hub for dining in the region, with a wide array of options to keep even the fussiest food critic happy. You can enjoy top-quality pub food in beautifully restored historic hotels and vine covered beer gardens, kickback for brunch, a caffeine hit so good it will make your metro cousins jealous in one of our many uniquely excellent cafes.
For a flavour hit, you will be spoilt for choice including authentic South East Asian, Italian, Indian, Nepalese, Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, a la carte dining featuring our wonderful locally sourced produce and delicious burgers and wood fired pizza’s galore!
The city features a central CBD and this comprises of three parallel streets – Peel St, Kable Ave and Marius St. Tamworth has 13 main suburbs, these are East, North, West and South Tamworth, Calala, Daruka, Hillvue, Kingswood, Moore Creek, Oxley Vale, Taminda (industrial area), Warral and Westdale.
The Tamworth Regional Council area is home to an estimated 64,500 residents and includes the towns of Manilla, Kootingal, Barraba and Nundle as well as many villages in between. The median age of our population is 40 years, with 85% of residents born in Australia and the majority claiming Australian, English, Irish, Scottish or German ancestry.
Our History
The Kamilaroi people are the traditional custodians of the Tamworth area and one of the largest Indigenous nations in Australia.
In 1818 John Oxley led an exploration party into the Peel Valley - he declared “No place in this world can afford more advantages to the industrious settler than this extensive vale.” Consequently, the area was steadily populated, with the 1850 discovery of gold in Nundle drawing more people in with the lure of striking it rich.
On 9 November 1888, Tamworth became the first place in Australia to have municipally funded electric street lighting, earning it the title ‘City of Light’, an occasion which is still celebrated.
Driven largely by agricultural industries, Tamworth continued its progression into the vibrant regional city it is today. The establishment of the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival in 1973 created a significant tourism event for the city; it is now recognised as the pre-eminent celebration of country music in Australia and is one of the largest music festivals in the nation.
Image courtesy of VisitNSW.com