The best things to do in Tamworth after you’ve done the Country Music Festival

Tamworth in Northern NSW is renowned for country music, warm hospitality and its sunburnt, natural beauty. There are so many things do to in Tamworth with kids, including the boot-scooting Tamworth Country Music Festival

Home to around 60,000 people and the hub of the New England region, Tamworth is one of the largest regional cities in New South Wales.

You and the kids will love Tamworth’s wildlife, rocking rodeos, free outdoor adventure activities, incredible regional food and wine, museums, galleries and the glistening 12-metre-high Golden Guitar.

Tamworth is a vibrant and enticing family destination all year round. The region provides the best of both worlds for families: a relaxed country lifestyle with the convenience of city facilities right on your doorstep.

The Toyota Country Music Festival

The Toyota Tamworth Country Music Festival runs every year in January. In 2022 the festival is running from Friday, 14 January to Sunday, 23 January 2022. It is the largest music festival in Australia, the largest country music festival in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the top 10 festivals in the world.

The 10-day extravaganza is a cornerstone summer celebration. It brings together country music artists and fans of every age. Best of all, most events are free, making it a perfect – and affordable – family getaway. It is one of the best free things to do in Tamworth.

The festival offers a mix of traditional, Americana, blues, roots, alt-country, bluegrass, honky-tonk and more.

In 2022 the festival is celebrating its milestone 50th birthday. The festival has launched the careers of some of our greatest artists, such as Keith Urban, Troy Cassar-Daley and Lee Kernaghan. The 2022 event will celebrate the past, present and future of the industry. Some of country music’s biggest names, including Adam Brand and Travis Collins, will be joining the party.

Festival family fun

There is plenty of family-focused fun to keep everyone entertained.

A huge family zone has carnival rides, show bags and sideshow-alley games. There is a 20-metre ferris wheel, dodgem cars, bungy trampoline and jumping castle.

There are alcohol-free zones in the CBD and free outdoor family concerts each evening.

During the festival, head to Peel Street to see buskers, street performers, line dancers, street art and market stalls. One of the highlights is the much-loved Toyota Country Music Cavalcade Street parade, with colourful floats driven down Peel Street as a finale.

Camping at the festival

There are plenty of accommodation options for families at the Toyota Country Music Festival. Along with hotels, Tamworth caters for caravanners and campers because the city’s sports grounds are converted into fully equipped camp areas with access to toilets and hot showers. There’s also Wallaroo pre-pitched tents for those who want to camp without the fuss, as well as ample local caravan parks.

Year-round family activities in Tamworth

Get active

Bushwalking, boating and fishing are some of the great outdoor things to do in Tamworth.

Grab your bikes and tackle the extensive network of tracks at Tamworth Mountain Bike Park. The tracks cater to all mountain biking skill levels. The below trail maps includes the 3 Piggies track in orange and the pump track in red which are for kids. The 3 Piggies track is broken up into three levels with the first suitable for balance bikes on a slow and steady trajectory.

Soak up the panoramic views at Oxley Scenic Lookout. Take in almost 180-degree views of Tamworth and Peel River Valley from the lookout. You will find it at the top of jacaranda linked White Street. It is a beautiful spot to visit at sunset. By the lookout are public toilets and a picnic area with plenty of parking.

Tamworth Marsupial Park and Adventure Playground

Get up close to kangaroos, wallabies, cockatoos, emus and peacocks at Tamworth Marsupial Park. The park is a great free thing to do in Tamworth. You can hand-feed Indian peacocks, get close to kangaroos, wallabies, cockatoos and emus and spot colourful birds in the free-flight aviary.

Tamworth Adventure Playground is right next to Tamworth Marsupial Park. It is a fun and colourful free playground with a climbing wall, slides and picnic tables. Let the kids run wild in the playground while you cook lunch at the free barbecue facilities. Winding its way through the park is the Kamilaroi Walking Track, which links the park, Botanic Gardens, Oxley Lookout and Flagstaff Mountain.

The Tamworth region is home to equestrian competitions, rodeos and outback trail riding aimed at those with all levels of experience. Join a scenic ride through the mountains at Kootingal Horse Riding Adventures. Enjoy regular events held at the Australian Equine and Livestock Events Centre. These events include dressage, show-jumping and ‘cutting’ by some of the best sport horses and riders in the country.

Tamworth Regional Playground

Kids will go nuts for the award-winning Tamworth Regional Playground. It has with its one-of-a-kind ‘Skywalk’, featuring three giant slides, four towers and ‘Octa Net’. Plus the playground has a bike track, splash pad, dual flying fox and more. An on site cafe and fitness circuit, as well as free Wi-Fi, barbecue and picnic facilities means parents will love it, too.

Len Waters Aboriginal Cultural Tours

Len Waters is a Kamilaroi man with a passion for sharing his culture. The Kamilaroi are the traditional Aboriginal custodians of an area that extends from Northern NSW through to Southern Queensland. On a tour, Len shares his deep sense of connection to Country and culture to all age groups. Meet a range of Kamilaroi arts and cultural practitioners to take you on a spiritual journey.

Tamworth Regional Astronomy and Science Centre

Science-buffs will also be over the moon to find Tamworth Regional Astronomy and Science Centre’s new observatory and planetarium.

The centre is free to visit and houses 3 observatories. The roll-off roof observatory has multiple large telescopes for public viewing nights. One of the telescopes is the largest privately-owned telescope in Australia.

Farm animals

Drive out to Sunhill Dairy Goats Farm in Uralla. The kids can meet the resident goats and learn about life on a working farm. Tours are $20 for adults and $10 for children and need to be booked in advance. You’ll get to sample goat cheese and goat milk skincare products crafted on site.

Other things to do in Tamworth

Thorny’s Putt-Putt is another family favourite with two 18-hole courses for beginners and mini-golf pros. You will find plenty of all-weather activities across Tamworth, too, including KidzZone, Jump Up Trampoline Zone and Tamworth Tenpin Bowling. Or Perhaps you’d rather let the family go wild at Tamworth Paintball (for kids over 13) and Laser Tag with more than a dozen fields for combat.

Further afield

Jump in the car for a 40-minute drive to Chaffey Dam. Or visit Lake Keepit to connect with nature, enjoy water sports and tackle Lake Keepit Water Park.

There’s more fun a little further afield at Sheba Dam, near Nundle and Hanging Rock.  Hanging Rock has 4WD tracks that weave through the state forest.

Nundle is a 40-minute drive from the Tamworth CBD. It is a pretty village known for its main street. Visit shops filled with antiques, homewares and craft. The own is surrounded by undulating green hills, beautiful trees and parks. Nundle Road also leads visitors on a picturesque journey through the Peel and Dungowan Valleys. The Nundle Woollen Mill has antique machinery that produces up to 100 kilograms of wool each day.

Where to stay in Tamworth

There are plenty of places to drop your swag and spend the night in Tamworth. Pitch a tent in splendid Warrabah National Park and enjoy bushwalking, birdwatching, swimming and canoeing. There are also picnic tables, toilets and barbecue facilities to add a few home comforts to your campsite adventures.

BIG4 Paradise Tourist Park, nestled on the banks of the Peel River, is ideal for families. It has a relaxed atmosphere and is walking distance to town. There’s a large undercover barbecue area, a playground and a pool. Accommodation options include luxury villas and cabins with one-, two- and three-bedroom options, budget cabins and bunkrooms, plus ensuite and powered caravan sites.

The Wooldridge Recreation and Fossicking Reserve is located just outside Tamworth in Uralla. It offers free camping and toilet facilities, picnic tables, barbecues and fresh drinking water. During your stay, the kids can try their luck at panning in search of gold, crystals then diamonds sapphires and topaz.

Camping by ‘the dam’ is a rural ritual. Chaffey Dam, Keepit Dam and Split Rock Dam all offer unpowered sites, plus bush camping, barbecues, showers and toilets. Hire a boat for an afternoon of water-skiing. Or see if you can hook a Murray cod, yellowbelly, silver perch or catfish to feed your crew.

Main image © Destination Tamworth