Friday night in Tamworth is a usually lively affair. But on a particular Friday in 1888, the town’s streets were full of a different kind of energy.

It was Friday 9th November 1888 – at 8pm sharp to be exact. Mayor Elizabeth Piper (one of Australia’s first female mayors) turned a little golden key that brought electric light to the streets of Tamworth.

This was the first town in the southern hemisphere to have electric streetlights – way ahead of the Australian capitals and only a couple of years behind the thronged cities of Europe.

The people of Tamworth had electric streetlights before they even had telephones!

For a quick history summary of Tamworth’s streetlights, check out this fun animated cartoon from the ABC.

Beyond the Big Guitar – our Essential Guide to Tamworth, NSW

These days, this pretty town in the New England countryside is a shining light for live bands, with its annual country music festival drawing huge crowds from across Australia and the world.

But apart from that, what else is there to do in Tamworth, and is there anything else worth seeing here?

Where to stay

Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth

There are quite a few places to stay in Tamworth, but this is the best of the bunch and the only five-star accommodation in the region. This is a Rydges managed hotel, but owned by a local family.

You can read our full review of the Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth here, but basically it’s on the site of the old generator house that lit the streets back in the 1880s – hence the name.

It used to be an upmarket motel and the layout of this multi-million dollar refurb still pays homage to that. But the quality here is way beyond any mere motel.

Where to eat

Workshop Kitchen and Bar

The restaurant to the Powerhouse Hotel is probably home to the best chefs in the area including Executive Chef Graham Manvell. The menu’s excellent but you’ve got to focus on the steak.

They cook local Jacks Creek Beef here (awarded the best beef in the world numerous times) on ironbark wood and the result is truly sublime.

Breakfasts at the Workshop are also definitely worth looking into. You don’t need to be a guest of the hotel to eat here.

Check out our full review of the Workshop Kitchen and Bar.

The Tamworth Hotel

A beautiful friendly old country pub. Its classic menu also features the Jacks Creek beef but is no comparison to the Workshop Kitchen.

However, the value of these steaks is amazing and are cooked well. At time of writing, we paid $36 for a scotch fillet with one sauce and one (massive) side.

They also do a pulled beef brisket burger – a taste sensation and excellent value too. And that’s coming from us who find it hard not to compare the brisket sandwiches from KCMO.

Great local atmosphere and local bands playing ticketed events in the courtyard after dark.

Pig & Tinder Box

This slick eatery does a kind of Asian-forward tapas style menu and pizzas, which also look excellent.

On Sundays, they have $12 spritzes and their Manly Spritz (Manly Distillery gin, triple sec, rose water and Prosecco) is excellent.

We ordered some tapas dishes – pâté first, which was almost fluffy it was so light, then Szechuan squid, some steamed bao (both karaagi chicken and pork belly) and steamed pork dumplings.

Hopscotch Bar & Restaurant

This is more of a cafe than a restaurant in truth and is next to the waterpark playground, so it’s perfect for the kids on a hot day.

The staff were a bit lacklustre but food was good. Jim said his sushi bowl was so filling and my plate of egg, bacon and corn beignets was amazing.

Camp Grounds for coffee

Sharing a space with the Welder’s Dog (see below), this coffee counter does the best coffee in town. It also has a small counter of vegan snacks and classic pastries that look pretty good too.

Where to drink

Coal Bunker Bar

This cosy, speakeasy-style bar doesn’t feel anything like a hotel lobby bar. In fact they’ve worked hard to make it feel separate from the Powerhouse Hotel.

They have excellent local beers on tap and a whisky cabinet to die for.

Commissioned by the owner and curated by the head barman, there are some superb drams in here, both international and Australian.

The Press

This basement cocktail bar is so hidden you buzz to be allowed in. The vibe is cool and reminiscent of Sydney’s Baxter Inn but without the finesse or charm.

Our drinks – an old fashioned with Woodford Reserve rye and an elderflower French 75 – were proficient and delicious. Just don’t break any rules – you get scolded like a child!

The Welder’s Dog

One of the best craft beer places we’ve been to. Really friendly staff, great atmosphere and the beers on tap, which are their own brews, are brilliantly crafted.

Meanwhile in the honesty fridge, the enormous range of domestic and international beers is as boggling as it is tempting.

These guys also have ticketed live music events, so keep your eye out for gigs here too.

What to see and do

The Big Golden Guitar

If you don’t go and get a photo in front of the Big Guitar, you haven’t been to Tamworth!

It’s as iconic as it is handy, with the visitor’s centre right next door. The people in here are super friendly and so helpful.

There’s also a guitar and music museum here that’s well worth a look. They have a few guitars on the wall of the visitor’s centre donated by famous musicians, but the museum really takes it to the next step.

Powerhouse Motorbike Museum

If motorbikes are your thing, this is the place for you. Its rotating collection of 200+ bikes include some real rarities like the limited edition F4 MV Agusta Series ORO and a 1924 Harley Davidson postie bike.

Tamworth Regional Gallery

For a bit of culture (and superior air conditioning!), this gallery above the town’s library offers some great exhibitions that change regularly.

We caught a sombre reflection on WWII with a range of harrowing yet meaningful paintings of the conflicts.

Tamworth Powerstation Museum

Telling the tale of how Tamworth became the City of Lights back in 1888, this museum leads you through those historic moments and beyond with machinery, photos and stories that bring history to life.

Oxley Lookout

Named after explorer John Oxley (as is the main highway into town), this magnificent view out across the plains and over Tamworth is incredible.

It’s only a short drive south of town and gives you an amazing perspective of this part of the New England region.

Marsupial Park

Incredibly only costing a gold coin donation, this wildlife park has so much to see. Our friends told us we could see it all in a few minutes – I don’t know how fast they walk but we spent a couple of hours here!

The giant aviary is home to a good range of native parrots, ducks and other birds, there’s a short hike you can do through the bush and past wallabies and kangaroos, and there’s a pen for the emus that keeps their beaks away from your fingers.

Tamworth Regional Playground and Splashpad

This truly huge playground is what kids would dream of when I was growing up. In particular, the Splashpad is a big water park full of fountains and jets for the kids to play in a cool down.

This is right next to the Hopscotch cafe we mentioned above.

Tamworth Country Music Festival

It wouldn’t be right not to mention the music festival, but we weren’t here at the right time for it when we visited. Suffice to say, it’s a massive music shindig that – if you’re into live bands – is not to be missed.

However, there are great local gigs going on all year round.

Tamworth bar hop

To get a real taste of the town, why not do a bar hop? We started at the Coal Bunker, then walked to The Press (the longest leg of the crawl), then the Welder’s Dog, the Tamworth Hotel and then the Courthouse Hotel – a big, lively pub with great smelling food (we’d already eaten but our stomachs still had a voice).

We also tried to stop in for a cocktail at the Pig & Tinder Box, but it was closing. After all it was 9.45pm on a Saturday. A lesson learnt – always call ahead as ‘open 12pm till late’ can mean anything outside the city.

We did go back to the Pig & Tinder Box and really enjoyed the food and drinks there. Well worth persevering.

Nearby Tamworth

Beyond Tamworth’s borders, there are plenty of places to visit and things to see in the beautiful New England countryside.

I was very pleased to find they’ve finally named a creek after me.

Nundle

This little old gold-mining town is full of character and only about 40 minutes from Tamworth. On the short main street are homewares and clothes shops, and the fascinating dustball that is the antiques shop.

The Woollen Mill factory is quite interesting and does guided tours during the week.

For a feed, don’t miss the Peel Inn. This classic country pub has it all: well-kept beer, a bankable food menu, a good beer garden and quirky locals.

Glasshouse Restaurant at Goonoo Goonoo Station

It’s amazing that you can’t see this award-winning building from the road, but the curving lane that takes you to the door dips down and hides you in a dell.

Enjoy a superb breakfast here, and probably even better lunch and dinner, just remember to book first. There is also villa accommodation here.

Willow Tree

This little village is the home of the Jacks Beef Cattle Station, so it stands to reason that a steak restaurant here – at the source – is going to be good. We haven’t been, but a friend highly recommends Graze Restaurant for exactly that reason.

Best time of year to visit

If you’re not here for the music festival in January, Tamworth’s weather might influence your timing more than anything else. It does get hot here in summer. Really hot.

Between December to February, tops average at 31dC – it can get way hotter. We were there just before a baking heatwave of several days of 40dC+ weather. Phew!

In contrast, winter can be very cold, with lows down to zero and highs only at 15dC.

But the shoulder seasons – spring and autumn – are beautiful. March and April, October and November are warm in the day, cool at night and a good chance of dry skies.

If you enjoyed this Essential Guide and found it useful, you might also like other Essential Guides we’ve published:

– 10 Things to See, Eat and Do in Bruges, Belgium
– Could Chicago Be the Best City in the States? Our Essential Guide to the Windy City
– Into the Wild – Our Essential Guide to Sabah, the Best of Borneo

If you have any tips onTamworth we’ve missed, feel free to tell us about them in the comments below!

The post Beyond the Big Guitar – our Essential Guide to Tamworth, NSW appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Far from the madding cities, but at the same time not that far from Sydney, Tamworth, NSW lures visitors to its broad streets with its famed country music scene.

But what the troubadours and touring fans may not realise is the incredible quality of food that’s within their reach.

Our recent visit to the First Town of Lights found us enjoying the sites like the Big Golden Guitar and the Tamworth Marsupial Park, but we also had a booking at the restaurant at our hotel – the Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth.

It proved to be a meal we won’t forget anytime soon.

The Workshop Kitchen at the Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth

We make our way to dinner from our suite at the Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth. The ivy-covered doorway to the hotel’s foyer hides not only the reception but also sight of the restaurant.

But we don’t need to see the Workshop Kitchen to know it’s here.

We breathe deeply as our noses glimpse the first will-o’-the-wisps of a wonderful aroma. It’s that umami smell of world-class steak sizzling on a wood-fire grill.

But we’re still early for our table, so we’re forced to wait.

Coal Bunker Bar

Thankfully, the restaurant isn’t the only hospitality feather in the Powerhouse Hotel’s culinary cap. Through its own double doors is the Coal Bunker Bar.

This little speak-easy style bar has a cosy vibe, sells local beers and serves an excellent selection of cocktails.

Jeremy the head barman mixes us up a couple of cocktails using Dobson gin – a little distillery a few Ks up the road – while we wait for our table.

The Powerhouse Hotel and its adjoining restaurant and bar have seen a fair few stars in its time. Being the only five-star hotel in a region known for its music will do that, I suppose.

Jeremy tells us he’s served the likes of the Beach Boys, Guy Sebastian and John Farnham have all stayed, eaten and drunk here.

He’s even had Angelina Jolie here when she was directing Unbroken a few years back.

As our drinks disappear along with the minutes till our table, we follow in Jolie’s footsteps and make our way to dinner, stomachs muttering with anticipation.

Workshop Kitchen

Tucked behind the impressive wall of wine – there are around 800 bottles here waiting for our attention – the expansive dining area of the Workshop Kitchen opens up to us.

Overlooked by the open kitchen, the comfortably spaced tables promise an intimate yet honest meal.

Our server Liz looks after us perfectly, with her friendly yet professional manner. Her first job of the evening: getting us to choose a wine. It’s not an easy mission – the wine list is amazing.

There’s everything here from Grange ($2,400 a bottle) to local and regional wine by the glass.

The other option is the Coravin selection. Corivan is a system that injects inert gas through the cork into the bottle as you pour, preserving the rest of the wine for several months.

It means you can have things like the beautiful Burgundy Christina chooses for just $22.

Next, Liz offers us one of the Executive Chef’s freshly baked mini loaves of olive, truffle and caraway. It’s the perfect entree with butter and fresh honey.

And then our table is set for main course.

The steaks at Workshop Kitchen

The Workshop Kitchen sources its meat from Jack’s Creek Beef – multiple winner of the World’s Best Steak award. And best of all, Jack’s Creek is just round the corner, so we’re eating as local as you can get.

Of course, the restaurant’s menu has many other dishes, but from the moment we arrived, we’ve only been thinking about the dry-aged steak the kitchen cooks.

The chefs cook all the steaks in the two wood-fire ovens and grills fuelled and lit every day with local ironbark, which imparts the most amazing smoky character to the meat.

Christina orders the scotch eye fillet – a surprisingly large steak for the cut – topped with a generous amount of rich, garlicky cafe de Paris butter. The steak is perfectly cooked and rested to medium-rare.

As she cuts into her steak, Christina lets out a sigh. The meat is so tender, she doesn’t even really need a steak knife. The flavours are as rich and tender as the texture, and the aromas of the woodsmoke are instilled into the cut.

I order the wagyu rump cap – a thick, oblong slab of dark-char crusted beef that has really taken on the ironbark as well. Although I ask for mine rare, there’s not a touch of blood on my plate and the meat maintains its firm, full-flavoured dense cut.

Instead of cafe de Paris, I have peppercorn sauce with my steak. It comes in a surprisingly deep miniature milk churn pot, and is rich and buttery.

All steaks come with a little rocket salad and a well-balanced dressing made with local honey.

We’re impressed that you also have the choice of two ‘small’ sides as part of your steak order – something you’d have to pay for in high-quality steakhouses in Sydney. As for ‘small’, I’d be interested to see what a ‘large’ side would be.

Country hospitality and generosity right there.

Christina gets the basket of chunky chips and the green beans with fetta and almond slivers. I can’t go past the creamy spicy jalapeño mash, which gets the approval of Liz, and buttered seasonal veg.

Dessert anyone?

We’re so full after all this that we struggle to even think about dessert.

However, cheered on by Liz, we share a Filipino custard flan, which is a kind of rich crustless pie of set condensed milk custard. Think sumptuous, decadent, self-supporting Portuguese tart filling.

It comes with half a caramelised banana, coconut ice cream, chocolate soil, caramel sauce and a puff pastry tuille.

Liz was right, we did need to try it.

Stumbling back to our mercifully close room, we sink into the awaiting food coma and the wonderfully comfortable bed at the Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth.

What a meal!

You can book accommodation at the Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth or reserve a table at the Workshop Kitchen here – or even better, do both. We highly recommend it.

You can also see our full review and video walkthrough of the property here.

We dined as guests of the Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth by Rydges

The post Could this be the best steak in Australia? Workshop Kitchen and Bar, Tamworth appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

Looming high in the deep blue summer sky, the shining fretboard of Tamworth’s Golden Guitar surveys its domain: the lauded home of country music in Australia.

But this 12-metre high icon isn’t Tamworth’s only landmark – or claim to fame.

On the other side of town – not so tall or golden but arguably more important – a monolith points to the same sapphire sky. It’s the demarkation of where the power station once sat that wrote Tamworth into the history books.

You see, back in 1888 Tamworth was the first city in the Southern Hemisphere to have electric lighting in its streets.

Melbourne and Brisbane were still six years away from having electric streetlights. And Sydney – less than a five-hour drive away – had to wait another 16 years to get hers.

But the power station no longer remains.

Instead, the monolith marks another first for Tamworth: the city’s first five-star hotel.

Aptly named, the Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth has stood here site since the 1980s. But this family-owned hotel’s recent multi-million dollar refurb has amped things up considerably… though the hotel’s past has not been forgotten.

Check out our video walkthrough of the Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth here:

Click here to watch this video on YouTube.

The result is an elegant melding of past and present combined with a level of luxury and refinement you don’t often find outside the capital cities.

The Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth

I suppose one of the most important things to remember when you arrive here is that you have to remember this was once an ‘80s motel.

Don’t expect an anonymous high-rise tower block. This hotel is only two storeys tall and still has that nostalgic feeling of rolling into a motel and pulling up to your front door.

But the closer you look, clever details come into focus that have turned the Powerhouse Tamworth from a ubiquitous roadside stop to a real class act.

The rooms

There’s a good range of king rooms and suites here, and also multi-bedroom serviced apartments ideal for families in the new southern wing.

Our king suite is in the main building on the upper floor, the wrap-around balcony joining the rooms and the carpark below still very much in keeping with the motel of old.

For a suite, it’s on the smaller end of the scale – a different league to the giants you find in Southeast Asia or the likes of Las Vegas. But there’s no denying the comfort or luxury afforded here.

Tech in the rooms of the Powerhouse Tamworth is very pleasing, with reverse-cycle a/c, elegant modern ceiling fans, USBs in every powerpoint (which I absolutely love) and massive smart TVs throughout.

From the front door, the lounge presents a comfortable sofa and armchair to one side and a dining table and minibar to the other.

The minibar also includes a coffee pod espresso machine, which is restocked each day, and a choice of local beer and wine.

The bathroom is quite cosy, and getting in and out of the shower requires a bit of door jenga, but the water pressure and space inside the shower unit is excellent.

A smart TV adorns the wall facing the luxuriant pillowtop king in the bedroom, while other walls have black and white photographs of Tamworth in the early 1900s.

Once again, we’re reminded of the town’s history with details like the photos and the art deco style cabinet that holds the bar fridge. And the vintage wood panelling on signature walls mirrors the decor of the reception and bar.

Environmental impact mission

There’s a strong focus on the environment at the Powerhouse Tamworth.

The bathroom has an egg timer on the wall to help you time your showers, and the shower head itself has a digital screen that tells you not only your water temperature but also how many litres you’ve used.

It’s not a guilt thing, but a useful measurement to help us stay mindful of our actions. After all, the region is under serious water restrictions due to drought.

The Powerhouse Tamworth is also part of Soap Aid, which collects and recycles hotel soap bars to send to global communities facing hygiene challenges.

There’s also an offer for guests staying for more than one night to decline servicing of their rooms. If you do so, you’re credited with $10 for food and drinks in the hotel.

And if you drive a Tesla, you’ll be happy to learn that the Powerhouse Tamworth has Tesla charging stations on site too.

Reception

In keeping with the rest of the hotel, reception leans towards its fascinating past with shelves displaying a range of antique electrical equipment and industrial artefacts.

On the wall above the stone fireplace are black and white photos of the crews who manned the power station of old and staff from previous generations of the hotel too.

Concierge and check-in staff behind the vintage style desk are always there to greet you with a smile or to direct you through the discreet double doors to the Coal Bunker – the hotel’s beautiful speakeasy style bar.

The Coal Bunker bar

It’s interesting to see how in recent years hotels have moved away from the soulless hotel bar model serving lacklustre drinks at eye-widening prices.

Instead, bars like the Coal Bunker here at the Powerhouse Tamworth or Grain in Sydney’s Four Seasons are destinations in their own right. Sensitively decorated, professionally staffed and with drinks menus to challenge the best cocktail bars.

The Coal Bunker certainly wouldn’t feel out of place in any big city. Excellent (local) beers on tap and an immense selection of craft and mainstream gins adorn the bar.

But to one side sits a custom-built rum and whisky cabinet that the head barman Jeromy proudly told us he had curated himself.

From behind the glass doors peer some of Jim’s favourite scotches – Lagvulin, Talisker, Bladnoch… but also Aussie spirits too. Black Gate’s rum and whisky are here, as is Stone Pine’s excellent black spiced rum Dead Man’s Drop – both New South Wales distilleries.

But Jeromy’s crowning glory is the range of Sullivan’s Cove whiskies.

This Tasmanian distillery has won so many awards for world’s best whisky I can see why he’s excited. It shows that the hotel has a head barman with a real passion for his work.

The Coal Bunker is a comfortable spot to enjoy a sundowner and you can even eat in here. Jeromy can put together a mean cheese platter on request or you can order from the full restaurant menu.

Alternatively, why not have your cocktail brought through to the Workshop Kitchen restaurant and enjoy the excellent service there too?

The Workshop Kitchen restaurant

Similarly to how hotel bars have become their own entity, hotel restaurants are also attracting locals as much as the rooms do visitors.

Like Amber – part of the Rydges World Square and the Ternary of the Novotel Darling Harbour, the Workshop Kitchen here in Tamworth brings both guests and locals to its tables.

The dinner menu is extensive but if you like your steak, this is the only part you need to read.

Using Jacks Creek beef, which has been awarded best steak in the world a number of times – the Workshop Kitchen also cooks over an ironbark wood-fire grill, which imparts incredible flavour to already superb meat.

The meal we had here was quite possibly the best steak we’ve ever had. My scotch fillet was so rich and delicate while Jim’s wagyu rump cap was so dense and satisfying we could barely manage two spoonfuls of dessert afterwards.

The Workshop also has a two-glass rated wine list with some real rarities for that special occasion.

There are even a few excellent wines offered on Coravin, a special system that allows wine to be open for long periods without spoiling. It means the restaurant can serve wine by the glass that would normally be hundreds of dollars for the bottle.

Don’t skip breakfast

Everyone gets excited about the massive country music festivals and parties that go off in Tamworth once or twice a year. But I think they’re overlooking an event that happens daily in this town: the Workshop Kitchen’s breakfasts.

From house-made granola and poached egg avo smash to smoked salmon eggs benedict and the most amazing pulled smoked brisket open sandwich – this is a meal I would travel for.

Hotel facilities and the town

Back in the comfort of your room, it’s easy to kick back and relax in front of your 60-inch 4K smart TV with its acoustic wave wall while you digest your meal.

Alternatively, you can cool off in the lagoon pool and spa just outside, or hit the comprehensive gym and sauna nearby.

There’s also the Powerhouse Motorbike Museum in an adjacent building, which houses a rotating collection of 200+ rare and vintage motorbikes.

A few minutes’ walk down the road and you’re in Tamworth’s entertainment quarter where a host of small bars, cafes, restaurants and pubs show off country hospitality at its best.

And always keen an eye (or perhaps an ear) out for live music. There are always bands doing their thing in this the Country Music Capital of Australia.

We were media guests of Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth by Rydges.

The post Where to stay in Tamworth, NSW – Powerhouse Hotel Tamworth by Rydges appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.

And like that, we’re in December.

Actually, it seems to have taken a century to get to the end of this horrendous year, but it looks like we’re finally getting there.

And with a vaccine-coloured light at the end of the tunnel, I wonder if next year won’t end with things being completely back to normal. That would be amazing, wouldn’t it?

In the meantime though, we’re cautiously getting back into the swing of things.

We’re talking about a dinner with the Royal Consul-General of the Kingdom of Thailand to tell you about, celebrating the fascinating festival of Loy Krathong. 

And coincidentally, we also took over the controls to the social media of Thailand’s tourism board Hug Thailand for the day over the weekend – and even had a story published on their website.

We also attended the annual Australian Society of Travel Writers’ awards (virtually of course) in which we were finalists.

Our Christmas gift guide Hint Magazine launched and we had a taste of travel with a trip up to Tamworth, NSW as well, so it’s been a busy time for us. But here are all the details!

Jim & Christina xx

Not a bad view, is it? But it’s what you’d expect of the home of one of the most important people in the country. 

This is where the Royal Consul-General of the Kingdom of Thailand resides and he’s invited us to have dinner with him.

Mr Chakkrid Krachaiwong – the Consulate – and his wife Mrs Pornrat Krachaiwong join us for a quick selfie. In fact, it’s Mr Krachaiwong’s idea!

We’re here with a group of very impressive travel writers – Marianne Rogerson, Liny Milan, Catherine Marshal, Deborah Dickinson Smith, Holly O’Sullivan, John Borthwick, Eleney DeWinter, Mark Harada and (not in picture) Elisa Elwin. 

We’re also graced with the presence of Tourism Authority of Thailand Director, Suladda Saratilavan (bottom left).

We can barely believe our eyes as the consul-general leads us onto the veranda. He’s organised a chef to come and make Christina’s favourite Thai snacks to come and cook for us.

These are kanom krok – a kind of egg and condensed milk… blini? I don’t know what you can compare them to. It’s the one thing we seek out as soon as we arrive in Bangkok and were pretty much the last thing we ate on our trip to Thailand in March.

They’re delicious and if you find them anywhere – in Thailand or out of it – eat them!

The reason we’re here today is to celebrate Loy Krathong, which is a 700-year-old Thai Buddhist festival.

It’s a time for people to pay their respects to Buddha and to the goddess of water and rivers. ‘Loy’ means ‘to float’ and ‘krathong’ refers to lotus-shaped vessels that are emblems of this beautiful ceremony. 

We watch as a troupe of Thai dancers teach us how to make our own krathong…

…and then we get to work.

Originally, krathong were made with banana leaves and stumps with coconut husks and colourful paper to create a lotus flower shape.

Today, we’re using paper plates and bowls, and glueing special paper lotus petals on – with the careful guidance of our dancers of course!

While we wait for the both the glue and the sun to set, we find the dinner table has already been so. 

It’s time to eat and we’re very excited about what we’ll be served. Mr Krachaiwong has invoked his personal chef to cook for us tonight, which is even more exciting.

We’re not disappointed.

Four elegant interpretations of classic Thai dishes adorn our beautiful plates. 

Coconut rice and papaya salad with succulent grilled beef to start, then a rich, sumptuous tom yum goong soup, then a trio of dishes – green chicken curry, mee krob (a sweet and sour crispy rice noodle dish) and jasmine rice with mini tomatoes and a radish artfully carved into a frangipani.

Finally, a lineup of fresh fruit with a coconut jelly that’s almost crunchy. 

If anything could make us miss Thailand more than usual, it’s been this meal.  

With dinner over, we move back to the pool where our dancers perform another Thai dance for us. The three dancers represent the major regions of the country: the south, the east and the north. 

With their krathongs ready, they lower them reverently into the water, showing us the process.

Soon, the Consul’s pool is full of krathongs, giving it a joyful yet somewhat eerie appearance. It’s a beautiful ceremony and one of the most important in the Thai culture. 

I would love to be in Thailand to see what this looks like on the great Chao Phraya River of Bangkok. 

Loy Krathong follows the Thai lunar calendar and takes place on the full moon of the 12th month. 

Apart from Bangkok, other top spots to visit of Loy Krathong are Chiang Mai’s Ping River (they also have sky lanterns here), Tak, where they float decorated coconut shells also on the Ping River, and Sukhothai – where it’s thought that Loy Krathong started.

Tonight we’ve set ourselves up for an evening of entertainment and celebration for the ASTW (Australian Society of Travel Writers) Awards for Excellence. 

This usually happens at the society’s AGM in all manner of glorious locations, but this year, it’s all virtual (thank you, Covid) so we’re hosting our own dinner with friends and colleagues only a screen away.

If you want to know how to platter like this by the way, check out Christina’s tips on how to do it here.

We’re even more excited about this year’s ASTW Awards for Excellence as we’re finalists for Best Travel Blog! It’s a tough group this year, but we’re just happy to be in the running.

You can see the list of finalists – and the winners too – here.

We’re proud to reveal we were prized as runners up for the country’s best travel blog, which is a great honour. And we’re pleased that our friend Michael Turtle from Time Travel Turtle won best blog.

With Christmas well on its way (you know it’s on in under four weeks, right?) we thought everyone would need a bit of help with their Chrimbo shopping.

We’re released our gift guide e-mag Hint with some of our favourite ideas for under the tree or in the stocking.

You can leaf through our guide above or you can look through the various posts we’ve published featuring each category and item in more detail here.

We’re so excited this weekend – we finally get to escape and travel!

This is the Big Golden Guitar of Tamworth, about five hours north-west of Sydney. There’s also an excellent tourism information office right next door with a museum, maps and the most helpful people to show you what there is to do here.

Tamworth is the home of country music in Australia hence the giant guitar. But apart from this excellent Big Thing (and who doesn’t love Australia’s Big Things?), we’re not in Tamworth for the music.

Well, not just the music anyway…

We’re here to check out the newly refurbished Powerhouse Tamworth by Rydges – the region’s first and only five-star hotel.

It’s called the Powerhouse because of its links to the generator that used to be on this site over 210 years ago that gave Tamworth electric streetlights. 

It was the first town in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere to have this!

As such, the hotel has plenty of nods to industry and electrical power, and never forgets its roots.

One thing I love more than anything when we’re away in country Australia is exploring the local brews and spirits. 

The Powerhouse Tamworth really pays attention to this, which makes our stay here even more enjoyable.

From the taps in the beautifully decorated Coal Bunker Bar, which feels more like a little city speakeasy than a hotel bar, we’re enjoying a drop of New England Brewing Co’s finest before we head to dinner.

As we walked to the Powerhouse Tamworth’s lobby this evening, we thought we could smell delicious woodsmoke in the air and wondered if this could be part of dinner. 

We weren’t wrong. 

From Jack’s Creek Beef – awarded many times as the best steak in the world – the chefs at the Workshop Kitchen at the Powerhouse Tamworth cook us what we think is the best steak dinner we’ve had.

This is my wagyu rump cap with peppercorn sauce. Incredible.

And the aroma of woodsmoke we smelt on the way in? That’s the ironbark wood-fired grill all the steaks here are cooked on. 

We’ll be running a full review of the hotel and its restaurant quite soon, so keep your eyes open for that. 

Today, we go to one of the highest points in the area to gaze out over Tamworth. The views out from Oxley Lookout are excellent, though you’re reminded how flat the Liverpool Plains and this part of New England is.

While the sun’s still out, we head into town to check out the beautiful architecture of this town settled over 200 years ago.

Before Europeans came here though, this land was the home of the Gamilaraay People, who are also the owners of the word ‘budgerigar’.

It’s a warm day though, so we decide to pop into a few bars while we’re exploring Tamworth. 

This is the Welder’s Dog, which has its own (excellent) craft beer, but also an awesome range of craft beers from around the region, the country and the world. I even spot some Stone Brewing beers from San Diego.

If you’re after a friendly local spot for amazing beers and even live music events, you’ve got to check out the Welder’s Dog.

After hitting a few more great pubs (another reason I love visiting country towns), we decide it’s time for a bite to eat. 

We stop in at the highly-recommended Pig and Tinder Box for some delicious tapas-style dishes (and a really good spritz by the way). 

These chicken karaagi and crispy pork belly bao really hit the spot.

Time for a cheeky cocktail at The Press, a subterranean cocktail lounge with an impressive wall of spirits and vibe not dissimilar to Sydney’s Baxter Inn – though lacking a little of the finesse or charm. 

We’re surprised at the bar tender being a bit rude and teacherly, though the grown-up cocktails help us get over the feeling of being treated like children reasonably quickly. 

Christina’s elderflower French 75 is exquisite a is my rye old fashioned. 

This morning, we’re up as early as possible – not that early really – to head to Tamworth’s Marsupial Park just on the outskirts of town.

Unbelievably, it’s free to get in – just with a gold coin donation. 

The park is excellent, with a large walk-in aviary filled with budgerigars of course, but also a great range of free-flying Aussie birds of all shapes and sizes.

Outside the aviary, there are emu in a paddock and a kind of safari park of kangaroos and wallabies you can walk amongst.

From the park, we head towards the town of Nundle, about 45 minutes from Tamworth. But before we get to Nundle, we spot this sign.

Finally, some recognition. To be honest, I’m surprised I haven’t had something named after me sooner.

Nundle is a tiny town on the Peel River with a small run of shops on its main street including this crazy antiques shop.

There’s so much stuff in here it’s hard to move around. How they keep a stock check of everything here is beyond me.

Also in Nundle is the Woollen Mill. You can have a guided tour of the machines and workings of this place during the week, but at the weekend you get this birds-eye view from the balcony.

There is also a cute little shop selling woollen goods and yarn.

But this is the real reason we’re in Nundle. We’ve heard good things about the Peel Inn, so we stop in for lunch. It’s certainly a great example of a little country pub doing great pub food with plenty of character.

There are some interesting decorations in the public bar worth looking at – namely taxidermied two-headed calves mounted in the pokey room and a news clipping of the prize leatherjacket that broke Australian records.

All too soon our time in Tamworth comes to an end and we’re heading south back to the city.

But before we leave the beautiful countryside of New England, we have one more breakfast to enjoy. 

The Glasshouse Restaurant sits on the high ground of Goonoo Goonoo Station 20 minutes out of Tamworth. This multi-award winning restaurant is set in an incredible string of buildings – restored wool stores and shearing sheds – and the food is exceptional.

Christina’s corn and lemon myrtle fritters come with streaky bacon, poached egg, ricotta and red gum smoked tomato relish. It’s a wonderfully satisfying meal.

But my poached egg, wattle seed rosti, wild fennel, butter-fried crouton, hollandaise and salmon caviar is just outstanding… but it’s the house-smoked salmon, which is crumbly, tender and packed with smoky umami, makes for one of the best breakfasts I’ve had.

Thanks to our friend Jane Lawson for this tip.

From Tamworth and the North West, there’s a temptation for Sydneysiders to just bomb it back down to the city in one go, but seeing as we’re virtually passing through the Hunter Valley, it seems like a wasted opportunity not to stop by a winery on the way.

Our lovely friend Bel Stapleton, who used to run the beautiful Spicers Vineyards Estate is now working for a Hunter Valley icon – Bimbadgen Estate, so we pop in and manage to squeeze in a cheeky wine and a gab (and an excellent tasting) before we hit the road again.

If you’re looking for some outstanding Hunter Shiraz, Semillon and Chardonnay, you can’t go wrong with Bimbadgen.

And keep an eye out for some interesting developments there from a juniper perspective too.

Today we’re reliving some of our favourite memories of Thailand as we take over the social media accounts of Hug Thailand – the tourism board of the Land of Smiles. 

We’re so excited to be more involved with this excellent organisation who have been so generous with us in the past. 

Over on the Stories for @HugThailand Facebook and @HugThailand Instagram, we’re sharing some of our best tips on where to go, what to see and most importantly what to eat.

But we also have a live cross to the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Facebook page, which you can rewatch here. It’s full of our favourite things to do in Thailand.

We hope you’ve enjoyed this Edition. Thank you for reading our stories and being part of the romance!

Cheers

Jim & Christina xx

The post A Tamworth roadtrip, a Thailand takeover and an ambassadorial dinner appeared first on Mr and Mrs Romance.