On our way home from Canberra last month we stopped overnight at Tamworth in NSW. It is a large country town located in a beautiful fertile valley north west of Sydney. It is a rich agricultural area for grazing and grain. It is a thriving city, very modern and clean.
Tamworth is famous for two reasons. It was the first place in Australia where all residents were supplied with electricity but more well known is its massive Country Music Festival held every January. It is considered one of the top ten music events held in the world. More than 600 musicians playing in 2,500 performances in a wide range of venues for 10 days.
The footpaths are nicely paved with many big trees providing plenty of greenery and shade. The streets become alive with non stop buskers during the festival. It is here where Kasey Chambers, Troy Cassar-Daley, Beccy Cole and Keith Urban began their careers. One of the nicest towns we visited on the way home.
Tamworth is famous for two reasons. It was the first place in Australia where all residents were supplied with electricity but more well known is its massive Country Music Festival held every January. It is considered one of the top ten music events held in the world. More than 600 musicians playing in 2,500 performances in a wide range of venues for 10 days.
We found a trendy cafe for lunch and a coffee.
Besides modern shops there were still gracious old buildings showing off their architecture.
There are theatres, cinemas, clubs and bars galore. A big choice of restaurants, cafes and farmer's markets.
Helle, long time no "see". Hope you are well! You do seem so:)
ReplyDeleteSo strenge to see the picutres from Oz, I almost moved there, so Very different from home.
Have a lovely Sunday!
Regards, Linnea
That looks like a very nice place, I like the last photo with the sunny street with trees.
ReplyDeleteI don't like country music, and not so keen on western either, but it looks to be a lovely town. I am surprised about the history of the electric.
ReplyDeleteDiane, it looks like a lovely town. A great place to check out the shops, restaurants and cafes. Country music is very popular lately. I am a fan of Keith Urban. Hope you had a great weekend, have a wonderful day!
ReplyDeleteWell as I've said many times. . . .I want to be there!!! I love towns like that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a peaceful and cool-looking town. Your country is SO clean and you describe everything so well as you travel through Oz. Have a great week. Greetings. Jo
ReplyDeletei would love it, I love country music, not the NEW country but the old classic country. i would like it even without the music, the buildings are wonderful and so is the man in the trendy cafe...great shot of TOH
ReplyDeleteVery interesting. I hope to make it to your part of the world one of these days.
ReplyDeleteTamworth, sure is a great clean town. I too liked the pavement, took some photos of plaques in them. Not a great fan of country music but that doesn't matter. It's a great place to visit.
ReplyDeleteInteresting place. Good to see that some of the old architecture is still being looked after. Take care Diane
ReplyDeleteAh! Glorious Tamworth - brings back heaps of memories. Just don't get stuck there in floods, the Peel River splits the city. The Central Hotel as shown has had my family and me, later in life, as unexpected residents - ha ha.
ReplyDeleteBesides the Country Music fame, it is also one of the biggest pilot training bases in the country - eg: the Singapore Air Force cadets are trained here. Also Tamworth has the biggest equestrian events held there making it also the sporting horse capital of Australia. The countryside south also boasts the top thoroughbred horse studs in Australia - top quality grass and terrain for young foals to be raised on.
Just don't go there when the Peel River is in flood.
Great post Diane.
Colin
HI Diane (and Bill), Tamworth looks like an interesting city. The architecture is beautiful... That Music Festival sounds great... It's hard to imagine 2500 country music performers there for 10 days. Bet that little city is a busy, busy place in January!!!!
ReplyDeleteHugs,
Betsy
Tamworth looks very attractive. I bet it is quite exciting and crowded during the music festival.
ReplyDeleteI love the art deco hotel. It looks like a great place to stop for a meal and look around.
ReplyDeleteTamworth looks like the ideal town to visit or to live in. Clean, green, small enough to not be huge and big enough to have plenty of opportunities.
ReplyDeleteHi Diane, these photos are fantastic...I love towns like this!
ReplyDeleteOh, come on! Where's the BIG Golden Guitar?!?!?!
ReplyDeleteDiane, wonderful photographic summary of Tamworth, we go through there most years.
ReplyDeleteLove your photos! Lovely town.
ReplyDeleteTamworth looks like Auburn my closest city. Amazing.
Thank you so much for letting me know about the word verification being switched on and making it difficult to leave comments. I turned it off... I hope.
Hope the storms you mentioned don't give you any trouble this year.
I have passed through this town reasonably often but have never photographed it so remember just about nothing about it other than the golden guitar. So I am glad you took me for a proper walk through the town.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever been to the festival ... I haven't.
No I am not a fan of country music its okay but I couldn't be bothered with the crowds. I believe it is a great atmosphere according to friends who go regularly.
ReplyDeleteOh musical festivals are my favourite. This is such a cute little town I am sure it was so much fun. Wish I had been there.
ReplyDeleteWe have a Tamworth Ontario here in Canada and they have a country music festival also. B
Looks like the perfect country town Dianne, as long as no one sings haha!
ReplyDeleteThat must be a beautiful town.
ReplyDeleteThis is a very pretty town. It definitely has a Nashville connection with Keith Urban. I would imagine that Tamworth is wall-to-wall people during the festival.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lovely old town !
ReplyDeleteTamworth does look like a pretty town with lovely architecture and beautiful, mature trees. I can see your weather is quite summery already -- enjoy!
ReplyDeleteWow, love that art deco building.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a great place to hang out for a while and probably to live in as well. I like the mix of old and trendy and the walking paths.. reminds me of places over here that people used to call yuppy villages. (We definitely don't fit that demographic, but always liked the places anyway.)
ReplyDeleteLike all good travel blog-posts you make me want to re-pack my suitcase and head to the other side of the world.
ReplyDeleteI like seeing the Australian beauty...and looks like yall have fun too
ReplyDeleteLoved pictures. Most old towns behind the range have these beautiful old buildings as they were established early as the pastoralists and settlers moved northward after the way was found over the Blue Mts in 1813.
ReplyDelete