Tamworth is known for a 12 metre Golden Guitar, yet it also suits travellers who want comfort as much as a good tune. Tamworth luxury holidays tend to centre on a restored heritage station, good local produce and wide views over rolling country.
Here you will find the stay we recommend looking at first, the scenery around the city, the experiences that make it special and the best time to visit.
A heritage station stay at Goonoo Goonoo
The most indulgent address we know of near Tamworth is Goonoo Goonoo Station. It is a heritage-listed, functioning cattle property and pastoral village from the 19th century outside the city, and it has been converted into luxury accommodation.
There are seven private cottages, renovated to reflect the station's heritage while giving guests the comforts they expect. Those include a heated swimming pool, a tennis court, a guest lounge, luxury linens and beds, Wi-Fi and even heated bathroom floors.
Dining on site
The station has a purpose-built restaurant built around locally grown produce. Floor to ceiling glass windows look out over rolling green hills toward the distant Liverpool Range. We would happily plan a long lunch around that view.
The area has a long pastoral history. In 1831 the Australian Agricultural Company was granted a lease of 127,000 hectares at Goonoo Goonoo, south of where Tamworth now stands, so staying here means sleeping in country with real depth to it.
For other places to sleep, from riverside camping to motels, country cottages and heritage pubs, see our Tamworth accommodation page.
Tours and getting around in comfort
For current tour options and costs, our Tamworth tours page is the place to look, and Tamworth specials may list offers. Please check prices and times with the operator before you book.
Getting around comfortably is part of an indulgent trip. If you would rather not drive, look at Tamworth transfers first.
Scenery around the city
Tamworth sits on the western side of the Great Dividing Range, on the banks of the Peel River. The city is at a narrow point on the river floodplain, at the base of the Wentworth Mounds, a spur of the Moonbi Range. Those mounds rise to about 800 metres and tower over the city, which sits at roughly 400 metres. This is where the Northwest Slopes rise to the Northern Tablelands.
Explorer John Oxley passed through the Peel Valley in 1818 and wrote that it would be impossible to find a finer or more luxuriant country. We think the green hills seen from the station restaurant make the same case today.
Country music and other highlights
Tamworth is the Country Music Capital of Australia, and is sometimes called Australia's answer to Nashville. The Tamworth Country Music Festival is held in late January and runs for 11 days. It is the second-biggest country music festival in the world after Nashville. The Golden Guitar was erected in 1988.
The city was also the first place in Australia to have electric street lighting powered by a municipally owned power station, switched on on 9 November 1888, which is why it is called the First Town of Light. It is also recognised as the National Equine Capital of Australia, home to the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre, the biggest of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.
For more to fill your days, see Tamworth activities and Tamworth events.
Best months to visit Tamworth
Tamworth has a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers and relatively cool winters. Temperatures exceed 35 °C on around 20 to 25 days a year, so mid-summer can be hot for outdoor pursuits, and shade may matter more than a heated pool.
If music is the draw, late January is the time, though it falls in the hot season. Book early, as we would expect a festival of this size to be busy. Outside the festival, the cooler months suit those who prefer to avoid the heat.
Getting there
Tamworth is about 420 km north of Sydney on the New England Highway, and 280 km inland from Port Macquarie on the Oxley Highway. It sits almost midway between Brisbane and Sydney. For wider state planning, see Visit NSW, the official state tourism site, and for background on the city read the Wikipedia entry for Tamworth. Our Tamworth travel guide covers the basics.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the most luxurious stay near Tamworth?
Goonoo Goonoo Station, a restored heritage cattle property outside the city, has seven private cottages, a heated pool, a tennis court and a restaurant using local produce.
When is the Tamworth Country Music Festival?
It is held in late January and runs for 11 days.
How far is Tamworth from Sydney?
About 420 km north of Sydney on the New England Highway.