In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Gunnedah
Stop for one night on the Kamilaroi or Oxley Highway, or two if you want the lookouts and silo art: a car is needed, and the town is a six-block walk.
Gunnedah is a service town of about 9,700 people on the junction of the Kamilaroi (B51) and Oxley (B56) highways in New England, 77.5 km north-west of Tamworth. It has supermarkets, pubs, motels and parks, plus a handful of sights worth a half-day. It markets itself as the koala capital of Australia, but sightings are not guaranteed. Most travellers pass through; one night covers the town, two if you add Keepit Dam or Boonalla.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep–Oct
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (heat, often 35 °C+)Dec–Feb (heat, often 95 °F+)
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- AUD
- Money
- Currency is the Australian dollar (AUD, A$). Contactless cards and phones are accepted almost everywhere, including public transport in the big cities; some small cafes are card-only.
- Daily spend
- Budget A$90–140 excl. bed · Mid A$140–220 excl. bed · High A$220+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Telstra has the widest outback coverage; Optus and Vodafone (TPG) are cheaper and fine in cities and along highways.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 000 · From mobiles 112
- Plugs
- Types I · 230 V · 50 Hz · Angled two- or three-pin Type I, shared with NZ, Fiji and China; sockets have their own switch — turn it on.
- Tipping
- Cafés and casual meals: Nothing; a tip jar is optional.; Restaurants: Not expected; 10% for very good service in a nice restaurant if you wish.; Taxi / rideshare: Round up or nothing.; Tours and guides: Optional; A$10–20 for a great day guide.; Surcharges: Weekend and public-holiday surcharges of 10–15% are legal if shown on the menu.
- Water
- Tap water is safe in cities and towns; in remote places use signed drinking taps. Carry plenty on any outback drive or walk.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets in parks, beaches, shopping centres and petrol stations (servos); the National Public Toilet Map app lists them.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | A$4–6 |
| Pub counter meal | A$20–35 |
| Bakery pie or sandwich | A$6–12 |
| Rural museum entry | A$8 adults, A$5 concession, A$2 children |
| Water tower museum entry | A$5 adults, A$4 concession, A$1 children (ages 5–15) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | A$10–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- TMW · Tamworth Regional Airport
- Closest airport with scheduled commercial flights, about 77.5 km south-east; hire a car there. Gunnedah's own airport has no regular passenger service.Closest airport with scheduled commercial flights, about 48 mi south-east; hire a car there. Gunnedah's own airport has no regular passenger service.
Typical fares
- Taxi, booked by phone
- metered; ask the operator for an estimate (check)
- Local bus loop (Routes 451/452)
- ask the driver; exact change preferred (check)
- Train, Gunnedah to Sydney Central
- daily NSW TrainLink service; bookings essential (check)
Get around
The town is about six blocks and walkable in under an hour end to end, though summer heat makes that unpleasant. Two local bus loops (Routes 451 and 452) run Monday to Friday. Taxis must be booked, not hailed. Most visitors drive, and a car is needed for the lookouts and out-of-town sights.
See and do
Known for
- Koala spotting
- Dorothea Mackellar and "My Country"
- Silo art and lookouts
- Agricultural shows and AgQuip
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Keepit Dam | Drive: Oxley Highway east through Carroll, Rushes Creek Road, Keepit Dam Road | About 45 min each way |
| Boonalla Aboriginal Area | Drive: Chandos Street north over the Namoi bridge, Kelvin Road, Tydd Forest Road | About 40 min each way |
| Breeza Park and Ben Hall's Wall | Drive south-east on the Kamilaroi Highway | About 35 min each way |
| Tamworth | Drive north-west on the Oxley Highway | About 1 h each way |
Sleep
- Chandos Street and the town centre
- Motels, pubs and the visitor centre within a few blocks; walkable to shops and galleries.
- Oxley Highway approaches
- Highway-side motels with parking, easier if you are driving through with a trailer or van.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Where is the toilet? | Where is the toilet? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake or 'G'day' / 'How are you going?'; first names from the start; avoid: Formal titles; long answers to 'how are you'
- Rounds: Buy your round ('shout') when drinking in a group; avoid: Leaving before your shout
- Queues: Queue patiently; sitting in the front seat of a taxi when alone is common; avoid: Pushing in — it is noticed
- Country: Listen to Welcomes and Acknowledgements; use local place names when offered; avoid: Touching artefacts or photographing ceremonies without permission
- Beach: Swim between the flags; respect lifesavers' instructions; avoid: Swimming at unpatrolled beaches alone
- Humour: Expect teasing and understatement; laugh along; avoid: Taking dry sarcasm literally or boasting
- Walking and driving: Keep left on footpaths and escalators; wave thanks to drivers who let you in; avoid: Stopping on the road to photograph kangaroos
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer heat: plan walking and lookouts for early morning.
- Taxis must be booked by phone; there is no rank to hail one.
- Silo art is on private property: view from the bridge walkway and do not block the mill driveway.
- Some small museums run limited hours or by appointment: phone ahead.
A small, quiet country town; the real risks are summer heat, long drives on highways with wildlife at dusk, and unlit roads at night. Book taxis by phone rather than expecting a rank.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Gunnedah yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Koala spotting
- Dorothea Mackellar and "My Country"
- Silo art and lookouts
- Agricultural shows and AgQuip
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Gunnedah Visitor Information Centre: www.visitgunnedah.com.au/index.php/contact-us/gunnedah-visitor-information-centre
- Visit NSW — Gunnedah: www.visitnsw.com/destinations/country-nsw/tamworth-area/gunnedah
- Transport for NSW — regional bookings: transportnsw.info/regional-bookings/
- WaterNSW — Keepit Dam: www.waternsw.com.au/supply/visit/keepit-dam
- Wikivoyage: Gunnedah, revision 5237764 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5237764
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/gunnedah). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.