Tamworth Regional Heritage Festival
Friday 17 - Monday 18 May 2026
Explore the Tamworth region’s rich heritage this Festival!
Events will be held throughout the region across three big weeks!
Week 1: Friday 17 – Sunday 26 May
Week 2: Monday 27 April – Sunday 3 May
Week 3: Monday 4 May – Sunday 10 May
Week 4: Monday 11 May – Sunday 17 May
In alignment with the NSW Heritage Festival, this year’s theme is Change. It’s about bringing those lesser known stories to light, and encouraging tradition.
During the Festival there will be an ongoing exhibition held at the Tamworth Regional Art Gallery, as well as tours every day held at the Nundle Woollen Mill.
Change Exhibition at the Gallery
Open from Friday 24 April
Cost: Free
Location: Tamworth Regional Gallery, 466 Peel Street, Tamworth
Time: Tue-Fri 10am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am-4pm (Closed Public Holidays)
Nundle Woollen Mill Tours
From Saturday 26 April – Sunday 18 May
11am daily
Cost: $5 per person
Location: 35 Oakenville Street, Nundle
Week 1: Friday 17 April - Sunday 26 April 2026
Gem Exploration
Friday 17 April
10:30am – 2pm
Nundle Court House Museum Open Weekend
Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 April
12:30pm – 3:30pm
Moonbi Museum Open Day
Saturday 18, Sunday 19, and Sunday 26 April
10am – 3pm
Moonbi Museum next to Moonbi shops on the highway is a great local Museum. Tribute is paid to early settlers and framing activities of the area as well as local sporting and cultural activities. Moonbi has a significant history in the poultry industry of NSW. Enjoy a beautiful drive from Tamworth to see our museum, with its village well, the beautifully restored Buggy and a great selection of hand tools, household paraphernalia. Of interest are the complied family history books of local families.
The Jewish Community in Australia
Saturday 18 April
11am – 12pm
Noted historian and writer Gillian Polack will present a talk on the history of the Jewish community in Australia.
She asks why Jews in 19th century regional Australia (including Tamworth) are so very important and why don’t we know much about them?”
Livestreamed from Canberra and hosted by Tamworth Library, the presentation will also touch on researching Jewish Australian family stories, followed by a live Q&A session with Gillian.
Stories from Bridge Street
Heritage Walk
Sunday 19 April
9am-12pm
Come learn about the early days of Tamworth. The walk will cover areas from Bicentennial Park, No. 1 Oval and interesting points along Bridge Street to Ebsworth Street. Morning tea break along the way. If you missed the walk last time due to wet weather, this walk has returned for a second time.
Trace your Ancestors
Monday 20 April
10:30am – 2pm
Ever wanted to find out about your ancestor and didn’t know where to start. Wanting some guidance as to how to search local and online resources. Nundle Local Studies corner has resources that can help you find information about Nundle and the pioneers of the area. Tamworth Historian, Melinda Gill will be on hand to help anyone navigate the world of family history research.
Cost: Entry free – resource pack $10
Location: Nundle Library, 18 Innes Street, Nundle
Tamworth Regional Film and Sound Archive
Tuesday 21 April
9:30am – 3pm
Discover more about the history of photography in Tamworth with the Tamworth Regional Film and Sound Archive’s new display.
The Archive has over 20,000 items on the database and will open its doors and visitors will have the opportunity to handle old still cameras like the ones on display.
Bush Medicine with Ted Fields
Tuesday 21 April
11am – 1pm
Explore the native plants right here in Tamworth’s Bicentennial Park. Learn what native flora can be used as traditional medicine with local Aboriginal guide Ted Fields.
Outdoor Gallery
Friday 24 – Sunday 26 April
6pm – 10pm
During World War 1, two Tamworth theatres, Ison’s open-air theatre and the Royal Theatre projected portraits of local soldiers. Over 400 soldiers slides were displayed – each identified the solider with his name written on the emulsion on the quart-plate slide. Some have information on dates of battles and whether the soldier was injured or killed in action.
These slides are held on behalf of the Tamworth Historical Society by Tamworth Regional Film and Sound archive.
The collection of slides are of historical significance and have been included on the register of UNESCO’s Australian Memory of the World register #62
ANZAC DAY
Saturday 26 April
For more information on ANZAC Day services, please contact the local RSL Sub Branch
Tamworth Powerstation Museum
Saturday 25 April
9am – 1pm
See our mighty John Fowler Steam Engine’s in action.
Bring family or friends along and celebrate Tamworth as the First City of Light at the Tamworth Powerstation Museum!
Gold coin donation to receive a guided tour by one of our brilliant Volunteers and to see the Steam Engines in action.
Week 2: Monday 27 April - Sunday 3 May
Tamworth Film & Sound Archive Open Day
Tuesday 28 April
9:30am – 3pm
Cost: Free
Location: Tamworth Community Centre
Little Steps, Big Stories – ‘Back In Time’ Launch
Wednesday 29 April
10:15am
Cost: Free
Location: Calala Cottage Museum, 142 Denison Street, West Tamworth
Manellae Collectables
Saturday 2 May
9am – 12pm
Manellae Collectables is a private museum owned by Harry & Robyn Fletcher.
Harry & Robyn have a passion for collecting and displaying articles and gear from the past as well as a desire to preserve our history.
There are 100’s of items on display including an Arnott’s collection, ANZAC tin display, huge collection of tools from yesteryear and war memorabilia to name just some of the things you will see when you browse through the collection. Also, on the day the Manilla CWA Night Group will be manning a trading table and light refreshments.
Manilla Heritage Museum
Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May
10am – 2pm
Manilla Heritage Museum in Royce Cottage is located at the Manilla Visitor Information Outlet at 197 Manilla Street. The museum is full of historical memorabilia and archives relating to the history of Manilla. Within the complex is Yarramanbully School, a one teacher school operating from the early 1920’s and a Chinese Memorial Garden, which commemorates the early Chinese market gardeners and shareholders of the district.
Manilla Heritage Museum – Machinery Shed
Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May
10am-2pm
The Manilla Rural Museum in Alexander Lane houses an impressive display of farming machinery and implements of days gone by, including a 1917 Jelbart Tractor and a 1914 Mogul Tractor.
Moonbi Museum Open Day
Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 May
10am – 3pm
Moonbi Museum next to Moonbi shops on the highway is a great local Museum. Tribute is paid to early settlers and framing activities of the area as well as local sporting and cultural activities. Moonbi has a significant history in the poultry industry of NSW. Enjoy a beautiful drive from Tamworth to see our museum, with its village well, the beautifully restored Buggy and a great selection of hand tools, household paraphernalia. Of interest are the complied family history books of local families.
Week 3: Monday 4 May - Sunday 17 May
Tamworth Film & Sound Archive Open Day
Tuesday 4 May
9:30am – 3pm
Cost: Free
Location: 218 Peel Street, Tamworth
Family History Group Open Day
Tuesday 5 May
10am – 2pm
Tamworth & District Family History Group has been helping people find their ancestors for more than thirty years. The Group has a variety of resources, both printed and in microfilm, and include a variety of indexes, shipping and convict records, cemetery records, church and funeral records, newspaper clippings, and books relating to most areas of the country. All of the records are free to access and many are not on the Internet.
Cost: Free
Location: 62-64 North Street, Tamworth
Contact: Val Leet 0438 142 392
“Change” exhibition Gallery Public Program Walk Through
Thursday 7 May
2pm – 3pm
Come on a walking tour of the exhibition as volunteers and staff from across all regional museums share unique insights into their “change” stories. This walk and talk will be followed by afternoon tea.
Outdoor Gallery
Thursday 7, Friday 8, and Saturday 9 May
6pm – 10pm
The Tamworth Outdoor Gallery invites our community to celebrate our local stories from volunteers and organisations and museums to mark Tamworth Heritage Festival. Screenings feature curated content from the Tamworth Historical Society and the Tamworth Regional Film and Sound Archive and their valuable volunteers. Audiences are invited to gather, reflect, and connect with the region’s local stories projected that illuminate Tamworth’s past and present. Content covers Victoria Park precinct, Astronomy Centre, Miniature Railway, Calala House and more.
Trivia Night at the Library
Friday 8 May
5:30pm for a 6pm start
Think you know your local history? Put your knowledge to the test at our Local History Trivia Night.
Gather your team of 4 (or we will put you into a team when you arrive).
Join us at the library for an evening of fun, friendly competition, and fascinating facts about our community’s past.
Prizes up for grabs!
Spots are limited so register now!
Moonbi Museum Open Day
Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 May and Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 May
10am – 3pm
Moonbi Museum next to Moonbi shops on the highway is a great local Museum. Tribute is paid to early settlers and framing activities of the area as well as local sporting and cultural activities. Moonbi has a significant history in the poultry industry of NSW. Enjoy a beautiful drive from Tamworth to see our museum, with its village well, the beautifully restored Buggy and a great selection of hand tools, household paraphernalia. Of interest are the complied family history books of local families.
Tamworth Film & Sound Archive Open Day
Tuesday 12 May
9:30am – 3pm
Cost: Free
Location: 218 Peel Street, Tamworth
Local Organisations
If any local organisation would like to be a part of 2025 Heritgae Festival and have their event listed on this page, please contact the Tamworth Regional Council trc@tamworth.nsw.gov.au