Country New South Wales

Tamworth Country Music Festival, Tamworth, NSW. Photo credit: Anna Warr; Destination NSW

Country New South Wales

To the east, the Great Dividing Range. To the west, the outback. But here, between the Queensland border and the Murray River, there’s a different world to explore.

This is country Australia, with the nation’s oldest towns, warmest welcomes and most laid-back residents. If you only visit the cities and surrounds, you’re missing a great part of Australia’s heart.

Country New South Wales attractions: Gunnedah

The self-styled ‘koala capital of the world’ boasts the largest koala colony west of the Great Dividing Range. You’ll find them meandering or dozing across town.

Moree

Moree’s Hot Mineral Baths, the town’s major attraction, were discovered by happy accident. When farmers drilled for water in the Great Artesian Basin, hot water bubbled to the surface. The high mineral content meant the water was useless for farming but fantastic for health purposes, as 300,000 visitors testify each year. There’s no more relaxing tourist attraction in all New South Wales.

Inverell

In the 19th Century blue sapphires were discovered here and visitors have been hoping to strike it rich ever since. Help yourself to a little treasure of your own at the public fossicking (prospecting) areas. You’ll find hire equipment and knowledgeable advice across town. Good luck!

Tamworth Country Music Festival

Tamworth boasts the largest equine centre in the southern hemisphere. It’s also known as the ‘First City of Lights’ as it was the first place in the country to use electric street lighting. But it’s the country music festival that really brings people here. The annual festival takes place over two weeks at the end of January and is one of the world’s biggest, with visitors almost doubling the town’s population.

Coonabarabran stargazing

Dark, clear skies make this the astronomy capital of Australia. The town is an ideal location for stargazing with two observatories close by. One of these – the Siding Spring Observatory – is Australia’s largest.

Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo

One of Australia’s best open-range zoos features over 1500 animals including lions, rhinos, and elephants. You can ride around the park on hired bicycles or electric carts, but walking’s fine too.

Food, drink & golf – Orange & Cowra

The town of Orange has fast become a New South Wales tourist attraction of choice for those with a love of gourmet food, rare and seasonal produce and good wine. Cowra too has emerged as a formidable wine producer. Its golf club hosts two of Country NSW’s major tournaments. You can play the course for a modest fee.

CSIRO Parkes Radio Telescope

If you know your 1969 moon landings or saw the movie ‘The Dish’ you’ll know the role Parkes, home of the CSIRO Parkes Radio Telescope, played in beaming the pictures to the world. The visitor centre and interactive exhibits are worth a visit.

National Art Glass Gallery, Wagga Wagga

World class exhibits in a building modelled on a shard of glass. Impressive building; impressive exhibition.

Cruise the Murray River

From Albury Wodonga and Echuca-Moama, cruise along the Murray River and experience the leisurely pace of life along one of Australia’s great waterways.

Also In The New South Wales Country

Bird-watching: At the edge of the Pilliga Scrub in New England’s north-west region you’ll find the Yarrie Lake: perfect twitching territory.

Canowindra: Take a breathtaking ‘Aussie Balloon Trek’ high above the NSW countryside.

Goulburn: The Wombeyan Caves are an hour’s drive from the city. The Wakefield Park racing circuit to the south of Goulburn offers the chance to race without a speed limit. There are some lovely walks and drives in the area too.

Guyra: Find breeding waterbirds and a freshwater wetland inside a volcanic crater.

National parks: Tempting walks and staggering views are in abundance within the region’s national parks. You’ll find details at the NSW website.

Wellington Caves and Phosphate Mine: Take a guided tour of these limestone caves.

Werris Creek: Don’t plan on spending too much time here, but this old railway town makes an interesting stopping point.

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Long Division

The Great Dividing Range is as appropriately named a mountain range as you’ll ever come across. Neatly separating the east coast of Australia from everywhere else meant that evolution progressed differently on the mountains and beyond.

As a result, the Great Dividing Range is home to plants and animals that live nowhere else on earth.

The range stretches from Cape York to Western Victoria. Tasmania is also a part of the range.