A NSW Top Tourism Town Finalist
Welcome to Willow Tree
Category: population under 5,000 residents.
Voting open from 09:00 Friday 7 May 2021 till 17:00 Friday 14 May 2021 AEST.
Members of the public may only lodge one vote for one town in each category.
See full Terms & Conditions
VOTING NOW CLOSED
The little hamlet of Willow Tree is buzzing with new visitors most days
The gateway to the Liverpool Plains, the Northwest and the New England to the north and the Hunter Valley to the South, the little hamlet of Willow Tree on the New England Highway, 75 km south of Tamworth is buzzing with visitors most days. Some are having a break in their travels, others have reached their destination and check into the Willow Tree Inn, full of anticipation to devour one of their famous steaks.
The luxurious rooms at the inn are one of the many hidden gems in the area. A mere 308 people call Willow Tree home, but the small town is bursting with big ideas. Fine dining spills over from Graze to the Plains Pantry, a gourmet grocer offering local produce and treats.
But when only a bacon and egg roll will do, the Gate Café adjoined to the Visitor Information Centre is the place to go. While waiting for your order, stroll through the Centre and browse an amazing array of free maps and brochures, read up on the local history and learn about agriculture, the main industry in the area. There is also a stunning and very informative display about the Kamilaroi People, the traditional custodians of this area outside.
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Why not join the Random Yarners on Sundays at the Rural Arts Gallery for a knit and a natter? Or just enjoy the local and regional art exhibited at the gallery or the Northern Workshop Markets that are on once a month.
An RV-friendly town, Willow Tree welcomes travellers with their own sleeping quarters at the Freedom Camping area, where you will also find the brand-new Bowling Club offering meals, cool drinks and local advice as well as a game of bowls of course!
Willow Tree is the Gateway to the fertile Liverpool Plains – take a drive through the stunning farmland and enjoy the seasonal colours of the crops: September is yellow with Canola, October gold with Wheat, January is yellow with stunning sunflowers, March is red with Sorghum and April white with cotton.
The Plains are surrounded by undulating hills dotted with sheep and cattle. Visit the towns and villages of the Liverpool Plains, where the quirky locals will teach you how to pronounce the name of their respective town: Quirindi (Coo-rin-dai), Wallabadah (Wo-la-ba-dah) , Currabubula (Car-ra-ba-biula).
The area celebrates its rich heritage in a number of museums and attractions; the Rural Heritage Village and the Historic Cottage in Quirindi tell its farming history, the Australian Rail Journeys Museum and Railway Monument in Werris Creek pay homage to its railway heydays, and the First and Second Fleet Memorial Gardens in Wallabadah tell the story of early colonization of Australia.
Who’d A Thought it! This is also the name of the lookout that gives you a great overview of the area.
Only a 3 or 4.5-hour drive from Newcastle and Sydney respectively takes you to the beautiful wonders and country events of the Liverpool Plains. See you soon!
Voting open from 9:00 AEST, Friday 7 May 2021
to 17:00, Friday 14 May 2021.
Members of the public may only lodge one vote for one town in each category. Subsequent votes by the same voter will be excluded from consideration. See full Terms & Conditions
.
Four days in Willow Tree!
Get a group of friends together for three days of discovering the hidden gems of the Liverpool Plains in this three day self-drive itinerary, learning about the local history and farming practices, tasting produce and admiring art, all whilst enjoying the breath-taking backdrop of the undulating hills and never-ending plains.
A 4.5 hour drive from Sydney and a leasurely 3 hours from Newcastle or just under an hour south of Tamworth on the New England Highway will take you to Willow Tree, your home for the next three nights. All the drives start and end in Willow Tree, the gateway to the Liverpool Plains. Stay at the Willow Tree Inn, famous for its steak and luxurious accommodation.
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