Kootingal and Moonbi are two satellite towns on the periphery of Tamworth (New South Wales) in the southern New England region of New South Wales.
Understand
[edit]Get in
[edit]By car
[edit]Both towns are along the New England Highway (A15). Kootingal is 17 km north (around 14 min) of Tamworth while Moonbi is 20 km north (around 17 min). The lookout (perhaps what Moonbi is known for) is 28 km north (around 22 min) of Tamworth and requires a car.
Kootingal is 24 km south of Bendemeer if you're headed southbound.
By train
[edit]1 Kootingal Station is served by trains between Sydney and Armidale once a day in each direction. You can then use the 444 bus route to connect to Moonbi or Tamworth along the New England Highway.
By coach
[edit]The Oxley Highway coach between Tamworth and Wauchope via Bendemeer makes a stop at Kootingal (but not Moonbi).
Get around
[edit]See
[edit]- 1 Moonbi Lookout, Moonbi Lookout Road. Extensive views from the Moonbi Hills from the top of a boulder, as well as some awesome views of New England Highway as it ascends its way up Moonbi Pass.
- 2 Moonbi Museum, Gill Street, Moonbi (between the park and the general store in Moonbi), ☏ +61 2 6760 3110. Phone for hours and fees. Showcasing a collection of photographs and implements from the European settlement of Moonbi up to the present day. May be closed due to Covid-19 restrictions - phone to enquire.
Do
[edit]Buy
[edit]Eat
[edit]- 1 Jade Phoenix (Kootingal Bowling Club), Limbri Road (Station Street) (25.5 km south from Bendemeer via New England Highway southbound, through Moonbi, in Kootingal turn left onto Chelmsford Street, turn left onto Denman Avenue, turn right onto Gate Street, turn left onto Station Street, the Kootingal Bowling Club is on the left), ☏ +61 2 6760 3936. W Th noon-2PM 5:30-8:30PM, F Sa noon-2PM, 5:30-9PM, Su noon-2PM, 5:30-8:30PM. Chinese cuisine. See the menu here.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]Accommodation here tends to be on the lower end except when there's a music festival at Tamworth.
- 1 Kootingal Hotel, 20 Gate St. Accommodation + dining, also next to the train station.
- 2 Kootingal Landview Motel, 1678 New England Hwy, Kootingal, ☏ +61 2 6760 3273. Check-in: 2PM, check-out: 10AM. A small and simple motel along the New England Highway. The front has good views of the Moonbi Ranges.
Connect
[edit]Go next
[edit]Newcastle ← Tamworth ← | S A15 N | → Bendemeer → Brisbane |
Coonabarabran ← Tamworth ← | W B56 N | → Bendemeer → Port Macquarie |
Armidale ← Walcha Road ← | NE North-Western Region (Armidale XPL) W | → Tamworth → Sydney |