Tamworth, New South Wales
Template:Austlocalgovtarea Tamworth is the largest town in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. It is the major regional centre for southern New England and the central city of the Tamworth Regional Council Local Government Area. The city is nationally famous as the "Country Music Capital" of Australia, and is home to the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival.
Geography
Tamworth is located on the western side of the Great Dividing Range, on the banks of the Peel River, about 420 km north of Sydney on the New England Highway, and 280 km inland from Port Macquarie on the Oxley Highway. The town is situated at a narrow point on the Peel River floodplain, nestled at the base of the Wentworth Mounds, a spur of the Moonbi Range, where the Northwest Slopes rise to the Northern Tablelands. The elevation is around 400 m. The Peel River runs southeast to northwest through Tamworth. The main town centre is on the northeast bank, between the river and the Wentworth Mounds which rise to heights of 800 m, towering over the city. The southwest bank is much flatter, and the city's suburbs sprawl to the south. Tamworth is located at the geographic coordinates 31°05′S 150°55′E / 31.083°S 150.917°E) and occupies an area of 486.5km² as of 2003. Surrounding towns include Gunnedah, Willowtree, Uralla, and Nundle.
Weather
The mean daily maximum temperature is 24.4°C and the mean annual rainfall is 673.2 mm. [1] The climate is generally warm to hot in summer and cool to mild in winter. Rainfall is experienced all year round, with summer storms providing occasional heavy downpours. Tamworth's rain season, in the early months of a new year (particularly January) can result in major flooding. Snow can occur in and around the Nundle region, occasionally during a winter cold snap. Occasional frosts are also experienced in winter.
History
The Kamilaroi people, from whose language comes the word "budgerigar", inhabited the area before European contact. John Oxley passed through the Peel Valley in 1818. In 1831, the Australian Agricultural Company was granted 127,000 ha of land at Goonoo Goonoo, south of the present location of Tamworth. [2]
In the 1830s a company town began to develop on the Peel's southwest bank, the present site of West Tamworth. In 1850 A public town was gazetted on the opposite side of the river from the existing settlement. This town became the main town, called Tamworth after Tamworth, Staffordshire, represented at the time in parliament by Robert Peel. The town prospered, and was reached by the railway in 1878. [3]
Tamworth was the first city in the Southern Hemisphere to have municipally-operated electric street lighting, earning itself the title of "The City of Light".
Timeline
- 1818 - Explorer John Oxley passes through the area on his exploration mission. Names the river that now runs through the town: Peel River, after English Prime Minister Robert Peel, whose name is also that of the main street.
- 1888 - Power station opened and enables beginning of electric street lighting.
- 1918 - An anchor is unveiled as a memorial to the discovery of Tamworth district.
- 1947 - East-West Airlines established in Tamworth - flying Tamworth - Sydney.
- 1988 - A country music icon, the 12 m tall Golden Guitar is erected as a symbol of the city's country music roots.
- 1990s - The Local Council embarks on a successful campaign of urban and streetscape renewal, including the greening of Peel Street.
- 2004 - A new local government area, Tamworth Regional Council, is formed from Tamworth City, Manilla Shire and parts of Parry, Nundle and Barraba Shires.
Demographics
The estimated population of Tamworth City in June 2003 was 37,120. The City has now amalgamated with its neighbours, and the new Tamworth Regional Council had an estimated resident population of 54,522 in 2005 ABS. For statistical purposes, Tamworth is grouped with the part of Parry Shire containing the satellite town of Kootingal. The estimated total population of this combined Tamworth Statistical District at 2005 was 43,261 ABS.
Economy
Tamworth is primarily a service centre for the New England and North West regions, but its economy is diverse, supporting a number of industries, including primary and secondary food production, education, transport and aviation. The latter has been a significant part of the local economy, partly due to the city's exceptionally suitable flying weather, with the former East West Airlines and Eastern Airlines having service and maintenance bases at the Tamworth Airport. More recently the area has become an important centre for flying training activities for both airline and defence force graduates. The BAE Flight Training College provides basic training for the Royal Australian Air Force and the Singapore Air Force. The Australasian Pacific Aeronautical College and New England Institute of TAFE in the city also provide aeronautical training.
Tourism is an important industry, worth over A$110m annually [4], with by far the most significant draw being the annual Tamworth Country Music Festival, the biggest event of its type in Australia. During the week-long festival the town's population is said to more than double with revellers, who quickly fill up all the city's accomodations and spill over into tents set up on the flood plains.
Media
Tamworth serves as the regional centre for media in the New England District. The Northern Daily Leader is a long-running daily local paper with significant local and regional coverage. The Tamworth Times is a free weekly. Both are owned by the Rural Press. Prime Television has a studio in Tamworth that produces local news bulletins. Several radio stations are based in the city, including the country music-heavy 2TM, community station 2YOU-FM and the local ABC Local Radio station, ABC New England North West.
Sports
The local region has several strong sports competitions, including Football(soccer) Hockey, Rugby League, Rugby Union, AFL, Basketball and Cricket. Several national athletes can trace their sporting roots to the region such as Troy Hearfield, Michael York and Matthew Smith. The region has a number of excellent sporting facilities.
Country Music Festival
Tamworth is best known for hosting the Country Music Festival. Held over 10 days during January, the festival is often counted among the world's top ten music festivals. While the festival is based in Tamworth, events are also held in a number of areas outside (but within a short distance) of Tamworth, including Manilla, Moonbi and Kootingal
The festival culminates in the awarding of Golden Guitars - one of the highest awards that Australian Country Music artists can win for their music. In honor of its country music Tamworth is home to the World's Largest Guitar.
Suburbs
- Tamworth
- East Tamworth
- West Tamworth
- South Tamworth
- Hillvue
- Westdale
- Kingswood
- Oxley Vale
- Calala
- Nemingha
- Coledale
Schools
- Attunga Public School
- Bullimbal School For Special Purposes
- Calrossy Girls' School
- Carinya Christian School
- Currabubula Public School
- Dungowan Public School
- Duri Public School
- Farrer Memorial Agricultural High School
- Hillvue Public School
- Kootingal Public School
- Liberty College
- Limbri Public School
- McCarthy Catholic College
- Moonbi Public School
- Nemingha Public School
- Nundle Public School
- Oxley High School
- Oxley Vale Public School
- Parry School
- Peel Technology High School
- St Edward's Infants School
- St Edward's Primary School
- St Joseph's Primary School
- St Mary's Infants School
- St Nicholas' Primary School
- Tamworth Public School (usually referred to as East Tamworth Public School)
- Tamworth High School
- Tamworth South Public School
- Tamworth West Public School
- Timbumburi Public School
- Tintinhull Public School
- Westdale Public School
- William Cowper Anglican Primary School
- William Cowper Anglican Boys High School
- Woolomin Public School
Sister cities
Tamworth has the following sister cities: