Willow Tree is a village (population 308 in 2016) in the southernmost part of New England region of New South Wales in Australia.
Understand
[edit]Willow Tree is located in what was the substantial land allocation named Warrah which was granted to the Australian Agricultural Company in 1833. An inn was established on the site where the road from the Hunter Valley branched north to Quirindi and north-east to Wallabadah and Tamworth. The site of the settlement and the first blocks of land sold in 1908. The railway station was opened as Warrah in 1877, but renamed to Willow Tree two years later. Willow Tree is a popular break for highway travellers.
- 1 Liverpool Plains Visitor Information Centre, New England Highway, Willow Tree (next to King George V Memorial Park), ☏ +61 2 6747 1226. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa Su 9AM-2PM. Tourist and visitor information
Get in
[edit]
By car
[edit]Willow Tree is located on the New England Highway (A15), approximately 1 km south of the junction of the New England Highway and the Kamilaroi Highway (B51).
Willow Tree is 19 km north-west of Murrurundi via the New England Highway, and it is 74 km south-west of Tamworth also via the New England Highway.
Willow Tree is 18 km south-east of Quirindi via the Kamilaroi Highway/B51.
Driver rest areas
[edit]From Murrurundi
[edit]- 2 Liverpool Range Rest Area (5 km north-west of Murrurundi on the New England Highway, both side of the highway). Light vehicle access. Picnic tables. Wheelchair accessible. Shelter. Litter bins. No toilets.
From Quirindi
[edit]- 3 Braefield, Kamilaroi Highway (7.5 km south-east of Quirindi, left hand side). Light vehicle access. Picnic tables. Shelter. Litter bins. No toilets.
From Tamworth
[edit]- 4 First Fleet Memorial Garden, Coach Street, Wallabadah (55.5 km south of Tamworth via the New England Highway southbound, at Wallabadah turn right onto Coach Street, park just on the right). Light vehicle access. Picnic tables. Wheelchair accessible. Shelter. Litter bins. Toilets open daylight hours.
By train
[edit]Trains run from Sydney daily to Willow Tree, and on to Werris Creek, where lines branch off to Tamworth and Armidale and to Narrabri and Moree.
Trains depart Sydney at Central Station M-Su 9:30AM and arrive at Willow Tree 2:25PM. Trains depart Willow Tree M-Su 11:41AM and arrive at Central Station in Sydney 4:39PM.
A timetable and map can be downloaded here.
Bookings and railway stations
[edit]- NSW TrainLink - regular bookings, ☏ +61 13 22 32. Daily 7AM-10PM.
- NSW TrainLink - multi-trip and Discovery Pass, ☏ +61 13 22 32. Daily 7AM-10PM.
- 1 Central Station, Sydney, Eddy Avenue, Haymarket, ☏ +61 2 9379 1777. Long-distance trains depart from The Grand Concourse (Platforms 1-15)
- 2 Willow Tree Railway Station, Main North Road (head southbound on the New England Highway, turn right into Merriwa Road, turn right into Main North Road), ☏ +61 13 22 32. Bookings over the phone or online - there is no ticket office at the station nor is there a ticket agent in Willow Tree, and tickets are not available from the train itself.
Get around
[edit]Private transport is essential, as there is no taxi service or a local bus service in Willow Tree.
The nearest car rental agencies are in Quirindi, Werris Creek, and Tamworth.
See
[edit]- First Fleet Memorial Garden, Wallabadah (19.5 km north-east of Willow Tree via the New England Highway northbound, at Wallabadah turn left onto Coach Street, park just on the right). 11 circular gardens, representing the ships of the First Fleet approaching a large garden representing Australia. A storyboard lists the names of the convict settlers and their histories. The Second Fleet is commemorated in two other gardens. See Driver rest areas above for amenities.
- 1 Burning Mountain Nature Reserve (Burning Mountain Rest Area), New England Highway, Wingen (36 km south-east of Willow Tree via the New England Highway southbound, continue through Murrurundi, continue through Blandford, turn-off to rest area is on the left), ☏ +61 1300 072 757. Nature Reserve hours 7AM-7PM, rest area open 24 hours. A naturally burning coal seam which has been burning for an estimated 5,500 years. Wear sturdy footwear - no worn-out shoes, no thongs/flip-flops, no sandals, and definitely no bare feet! Public toilets at rest area, Open 24 hours.
Buy
[edit]Locals do their essential shopping in Quirindi, and what they can't get there they go to Tamworth to shop.
Eat
[edit]- Graze Restaurant (Graze Willow Tree Inn), New England Highway (near the King George V Memorial Park), ☏ +61 2 6747 7711, [email protected]. M Tu 6-8PM, W Th noon-2PM 6-8:30PM, F noon-2PM, 6-9PM, Sa noon-3PM, 6-9PM, Su noon-3PM. Restaurant fare.
- 1 La Chikky Cottage, 16 New England Highway (opposite the Liverpool Plains Visitors Information Centre), ☏ +61 2 6747 1535. M-Su 8:30AM-5PM. Coffee shop.
- The Gate Cafe, New England Highway (northbound) (Liverpool Plains Visitor Information Centre), ☏ +61 2 6747 1398. M 6AM-3PM, Tu closed, W-F 6AM-3PM, Sa Su 8AM-3PM. Cafe fare.
- 2 The Plains Pantry, corner of New England Highway and Fairbairn Street (opposite the Graze Willow Tree Inn.), ☏ +61 2 6747 1348, [email protected]. Gourmet pantry. Fresh produce. Coffee shop.
- 3 DJ's Takeaway at Willow Tree, 33 New England Highway, ☏ +61 2 67471480. M-F 7AM-4PM. Fast food.
- 4 Willow Tree Bowling Club, 84 Recreation Rd, ☏ +61 427 293 406. Bowling and Tennis Club with Bar and Bistro Check the website for details. Close to the campground.
Drink
[edit]- Graze Willow Tree Inn, New England Highway (northbound) (near the King George V Memorial Park), ☏ +61 2 6747 7711.
Sleep
[edit]- 1 Graze Willow Tree Inn, New England Highway (northbound) (near the King George V Memorial Park), ☏ +61 2 6747 7711. Phone for rates and availability.
- 2 Willow Tree Recreation Ground (Willow Tree Freedom Camp), Recreation Rd. Donation based campgrounds with Power, Water, Toilets and Hot Showers. Maximum Stay is 72 Hours. Suitable for all sizes of Motorhomes and Caravans and camping. Close to the Willow Tree Bowling Club. Donation.
Cope
[edit]Emergency
[edit]- 5 Police Station, Cadell Street (next to Saint Oswald's Anglican Church), ☏ +61 2 6747 1246. Not open 24 hours.
Fuel
[edit]- 6 Caltex/Ampol, corner of New England Highway and Kamilaroi Highway, ☏ +61 2 6747 1239. M-Su 6AM-8PM.
Public telephones
[edit]- Public telephone (outside The Plains Pantry, opposite the Graze Willow Tree Inn).
Public toilets
[edit]- Public toilet, King George V Memorial Park (next to the Liverpool Plains Visitors Information Centre). Open 24 hours.
Banks and ATMs
[edit]There are no banks or ATMs in Willow Tree. It is advisable to do any necessary banking and to obtain cash before departing for Willow Tree, and to use EFTPOS whenever possible while there.
Go next
[edit]- Quirindi - north-west of Willow Tree: 18 km via Kamilaroi Highway/B51 northbound (13 min)
- Gunnedah - north-west of Willow Tree: 97.5 km via Kamilaroi Highway/B51 northbound, through Quirindi on the Kamilaroi Highway, pass the Quirindi Rural Heritage Village Museum on the left, through Breeza, through Curlewis, continue straight through both roundabouts ahead to Gunnedah (1 hr 4 min)
- Tamworth - north-east of Willow Tree: 74 km via New England Highway/A15 northbound, through Wallabadah (53 min)
- Armidale - north-east of Willow Tree: 180 km via New England Highway/A15 northbound, through Wallabadah, at Tamworth turn right/east onto the New England Highway/Oxley Highway, continue through Nemingha, through Kootingal, through Moonbi, continue straight through Bendemeer on the New England Highway/A15, through Uralla, continue ahead to Armidale (2 hr 10 min)
- Murrurundi - south-east of Willow Tree: 19 km via New England Highway/A15 southbound (14 min)
- Scone - south-east of Willow Tree: 58 km via New England Highway/A15 southbound, through Murrurundi, through Blandford, pass the Burning Mountain Nature Reserve on the left, through Wingen, through Parkville, take the exit on the left and continue ahead through the roundabout to Scone (44 min)