Tamworth to Tenterfield road trip: Distance, drive time & stops
The Tamworth to Tenterfield drive covers a 299km distance in a driving time of around three hours and 30 minutes. The best stops to add to a Tamworth to Tenterfield road trip itinerary are Uralla, Armidale and Glen Innes.
A road trip from Tamworth to Tenterfield takes in some of the best of the New England region. This journey through northern New South Wales pulls together rural charm, gorgeous scenery and plenty of history. It can also be part of a longer road trip through inland Australia.
Tamworth is Australia’s country music capital. You can look at the Tamworth accommodation options here.
Tenterfield is surrounded by national parks, near the Queensland border. For Tenterfield accommodation deals, hunt here.
This guide is designed to help travellers plan their perfect Tamworth to Tenterfield road trip itinerary.
Tamworth to Tenterfield distance and driving time
By car, the distance from Tamworth to Tenterfield is 299km. That makes for a driving time of around three hours and 30 minutes.
The best places to stay in Tamworth
There are several Tamworth accommodation options. These, however, are the best picks…
- For excellent value and a pool: Roydons Motor Inn.
- For design flair: CH Boutique Hotel.
- For central location: City Sider Motor Inn.
- For spacious apartments: Cadman Motor Inn and Apartments.
- For heritage and charm: Quality Inn Ashby House.
The first leg of the Tamworth to Tenterfield drive is from Tamworth to Bendemeer. You pass close to the Botanical Gardens and Oxley Scenic Lookout before joining the New England Highway in Tintinhull.
The Moonbi Lookout, a big granite outcrop, offers fabulous views of the New England countryside further north.
Bendemeer is where the Oxley Highway joins the New England Highway, and it feels rather frozen in time. The Bendemeer Hotel is a nice spot for a beer, mind.
Tamworth to Tenterfield road trip: Bendemeer to Armidale
There are more granite outcrops just south of Uralla. Captain Thunderbolt’s Rock, where a notorious bushranger was shot by police in 1863, is one of them. It’s now a photo stop and picnic site.
There’s more Captain Thunderbolt in Uralla, where he is buried in the Old Uralla Cemetery. The story is told at the McCrossin’s Mill Museum – a converted flour mill.
Elsewhere in this former gold rush town, you cantry your luck panning for gold at the Wooldridge Recreation and Fossicking Area.
Armidale, the biggest town on the Tamworth to Glen Innes road trip, is next. Things to do in Armidale include helicopter flights over the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park.
Where to stay in Armidale
For the best Armidale accommodation, book one of these:
- For charm and character: Petersons Armidale Winery & Guesthouse.
- For a great value motel: Alluna Motel.
- For central location: Tattersalls Hotel.
Click through for the next section: Armidale to Guyra.