🎼🍉2025 Music and Melons

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Going to the Tamworth Country Music Festival & Chinchilla Melon Festival

This Tagalong now has two vacancies 

15 January  – 17 February 2025

Trip Information Booklet

Latest information 19/12/2024

 The following update covers the current situation for this tagalong.

ITINERARY CHANGES:

  • The two nights at St George Riverfront Tourist Park have been replaced with one night at Nindigully Hotel and one night at Fishermans Park Surat (Surat Fishing & Restocking Club Park). More interesting and much cheaper.
  • The four nights at Chinchilla will be at Rubern Lagoons Koala Tourist Park on powered sites at $45/night. These sites have been booked, payment by 1/01/25. Chinchilla Country Camping cannot supply enough powered sites and want $70/night for powered sites, hence the change to Rubern Lagoons.

TAMWORTH MUSIC FESTIVAL CAMPING

The original plan to camp at Piallamore is still current.

As a result of feedback from members, Dianne Pugh is looking at powered options in Tamworth. Information on hand suggests that the earliest that a powered site can be booked is 1/05/24 at a likely cost of $75.00/night for a minimum stay of 14 nights. Locations which become available later are slightly cheaper with shorter minimum stays. It is expected that a sizeable deposit will be required at the time of booking.

There are no guarantees that enough powered sites will be secured to satisfy everyone who has indicated that a powered site would be their preference.

Austin Caravan Park is taking bookings at the moment. A deposit is not required until June. But it’s not cheap. For the nights from Jan 15-20 (depart Jan 21) it’s $90 per night. From 21-26 (exit Jan 27) it’s $95 per night. This option has been deemed to be too expensive.

REGISTRATION FEE:

Registration fees are payable by 20 APRIL 2024. There are two options available:

  • OPTION 1 – NON-POWERED CAMPING @ PIALLAMORE RECREATION RESERVE

Registration fee: $112.00 (covers Rig Fee $33, Nundle CP deposit $37 & Coonamble CP deposit $42).

  • OPTION 2 – POWERED CAMPING in TAMWORTH

Registration fee: $612 (covers items in Option 1 plus $500 deposit for a powered site).

When making payment, make your reference Surname Tamworth.

FUTURE PAYMENTS

A payment of $180.00 will be required before 30 November 2024, being full payment for our Rubern Lagoons @ Chinchilla camp site. It is possible that other deposits are required when final booking numbers are known.

The website details will be updated in the near future. Any relevant updates will be forwarded to those who have expressed interest in this tagalong as a priority.

The program for the 2025 Chinchilla Melon Festival has not been released as yet.

Cheers

Trevor

2025 Music and Melons

WARNING! Our designated camping location for the duration of the Tamworth Country Music Festival is the Piallamore Recreation Reserve. POWER IS NOT AVAILABLE. You will be without power for 11 nights. This site is only available for camping during the festival. There is a fully equipped camp kitchen, appliance charging facilities and undercover alfresco area. A new amenities block will be completed before next year’s festival. Potable water is available from onsite rainwater tanks. A dump point is located on your way into Tamworth. Generators are allowed.

Maximum: 12 Rigs

Suitable for “All Rigs”, pets allowed at all site locations.

Climate

It is the middle of summer, expect hot and, potentially, stormy conditions. Mostly fine. Pack plenty of sunscreen and drink plenty of water.

Expression of Interest Cut-off: 31 December 2023

Expressions of interest are being called prior to making site bookings to gauge the level of interest in this tagalong. The first draft itinerary highlights the planned site locations which may be subject to change depending on members’ feedback.

Piallamore Recreation Reserve Committee and the proprietors of Chinchilla Country Camping are aware of our intentions to use their facilities during this tagalong.

Registrations Cut Off: 30 June 2024

Please note: Tagalong spaces will be allocated upon receipt of the Jotform Expression of Interest Form, then Registration Form AND registration fee. Once the maximum 12 rigs is reached, the “waiting list” will operate.

Expressions of Interest, Registration & Payment Protocol

  • Expressions of Interest will not require payment of fees.

  • Registrations will be called when the rig limit is reached during the EOI stage, if prior to 31 December 2023.

  • Registration fees will include site deposits where required and non-refundable rig fees, payable with registration.

  • Members attending will need to pay site fees and balance of caravan park fees on arrival.

  • Members will need to pay for tours and other fees as the tagalong progresses.

  • Updates and amended itineraries will be distributed and posted as necessary.

Tagalong Overview

  • Total distance of about 2,400kms.

  • Approximately 20kms of dirt road (ignoring roadworks) and stretches of single lane bitumen.

  • Itinerary gives the facilities available at each site. Check Camps Australia Wide for more details, except for Piallamore Recreation Reserve.

  • Members need to do their own research on activities and sight-seeing opportunities and exchange information at happy hours.

Map of Tagalong

Tagalong Itinerary Highlights

Piallamore Recreation Reserve is located 16kms from Tamworth CBD (15min drive). Festival buses can be caught at Nemingha, 8kms from Piallamore.

Your Drover camped here for the 2020 Festival. It was a very enjoyable experience. The locals are very friendly and enjoy happy hours as well. It has been selected for this tagalong as it provides a great social environmental and facilities for our preferred activities. However, if you must have air-conditioning, this location is not for you.

It is proposed to camp at Chinchilla Country Camping for the duration of the Chinchilla Melon Festival (5 nights). This site was the first stop-over on the 2023 Gorges, Farms, Pubs & Dams Tagalong. There was no

hesitation selecting it for this event.

Caravan parks are included on this tagalong, mainly to allow for access to all of their facilities: Fossickers Tourist Park @ Nundle (G’day Parks), Coonamble Riverside Caravan Park @ Coonamble and St George Riverfront Tourist Park @ St George.

The Pilliga Pottery Creative Farm Stay (aka Barkala Farm Stay) has been included. Again, this is an unpowered camp site.

Dining Events

No dining events have been organised. Communal meals will be organised as the tagalong progresses considering members’ ideas and their catering skills. Some pub/club meals will be available.

Tours & Events

No tours have been organised. Members will need to arrange their own tickets for the Tamworth Country Music Festival for any events/shows that they are interested in.

Research Information

Caravan Park Reward Cards

Members holding G’day Rewards Card need to provide the details on the registration form.

Fee & Registration

Depending on the level of interest, registrations may be open before all details on

fees and payment arrangements have been finalised. The Registration Fee payable will be the rig fee (not refundable) plus one night’s site fees estimated at each location. Most site fees are expected to be payable on arrival. If required, registered members will be advised if further advance payments are required.

Registration Fee: Budget $300.00 (Rig Fee $33, Site fees $267) – to be confirmed.

Support Crew

Drover is Trevor Fiedler (0402 849 148) and Supporting Stockwoman is Dianne Pugh (0409 270 513).

Itinerary

Registration Form

Event Protocol & Certification