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Major city · 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.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
AUD
Best months
Apr–May, Sep–Oct
avoid Dec–Feb (heat, often 35 °C+)
Airport
TMW
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7
  • Oceania ↗Oceania's island states guard their farms and reefs at the border: tick 'yes' on the arrival card for any food, plant, animal product, soil or used outdoor gear, and let the officer decide.
  • Oceania ↗Across the tropical South Pacific, cyclones are possible from November to April: choose insurance that covers weather delays and keep one spare night before a long-haul departure.
  • Australia and New Zealand ↗Both countries drive on the left, with long distances between fuel stops in the outback and on New Zealand's back roads; fatigue causes more visitor crashes than speed.
  • Australia ↗Almost every visitor needs a visa or an electronic authorisation (ETA or eVisitor, depending on passport) before boarding: apply only through the official Department of Home Affairs site or the official AustralianETA app, and check the rules for your passport.
  • Australia ↗Declare all food, plant material, seeds, wood and animal products on your arrival declaration; undeclared items can bring on-the-spot fines or visa cancellation. When unsure, declare it.
  • Australia ↗Drive on the left. An overseas licence in English (or with an official translation or International Driving Permit) is accepted for visitors; check the state rules and your rental contract.
  • Australia ↗Swim between the red and yellow flags on patrolled beaches; rip currents cause most beach drownings.

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.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Gunnedah, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeA$4–6 (≈ US$3–4)
  • Street or quick mealBakery pie or sandwichA$6–12 (≈ US$4–8)
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekA$10–30 (≈ US$7–20)
  • Museum or sight ticketRural museum entryA$8 (≈ US$6) adults, A$5 (≈ US$4) concession, A$2 (≈ US$2) children
  • Budget bedHostel or pub bed, a night, per personA$45 (≈ US$30)
  • Mid-range bedMotel double room, a night, per roomA$160 (≈ US$110)
  • High-end bedMotel double room, a night, per roomA$240 (≈ US$160)

A day, not counting the bed: Budget A$90 (≈ US$60) · Mid A$150 (≈ US$100) · High A$240 (≈ US$160)

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Koala spottingDorothea Mackellar and "My Country"Silo art and lookoutsAgricultural shows and AgQuip
Airports
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.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Gunnedah: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

34°C

19°C

7 rd

Feb

33°C

18°C

7 rd

Mar

30°C

15°C

6 rd

Apr

26°C

11°C

5 rd

May

21°C

7°C

5 rd

Jun

17°C

4°C

6 rd

Jul

16°C

3°C

6 rd

Aug

19°C

4°C

5 rd

Sep

23°C

7°C

5 rd

Oct

27°C

11°C

7 rd

Nov

30°C

14°C

7 rd

Dec

33°C

17°C

7 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting 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 & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Keepit Dam

go

Door to door: About 45 min each way

Drive: Oxley Highway east through Carroll, Rushes Creek Road, Keepit Dam Road

40 km north-east. Camping, picnic areas, fishing, boat ramps and a kiosk.

Boonalla Aboriginal Area

caution

Door to door: About 40 min each way

Drive: Chandos Street north over the Namoi bridge, Kelvin Road, Tydd Forest Road

27.5 km north-east. Walking and cycling trails and Boonalla Cave; the cave trail is a steep 1 h return, not advised when wet. No pets, no fires, bring water.

Breeza Park and Ben Hall's Wall

go

Door to door: About 35 min each way

Drive south-east on the Kamilaroi Highway

42.5 km. Mural, picnic tables, toilets and a playground; a good rest stop toward Quirindi.

Tamworth

go

Door to door: About 1 h each way

Drive north-west on the Oxley Highway

77.5 km. Bigger town for supplies, flights and onward rail.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

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.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
A$90–140 (≈ US$60–95) excl. bed
Mid
A$140–220 (≈ US$95–150) excl. bed
High
A$220 (≈ US$150)+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel double room1 × 1 night × A$160A$160
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × A$150A$300
Car hire, one day1 × A$90 · checkA$90
Rural museum entry2 × A$8 · Adults A$8; concession A$5, children A$2.A$16
Water tower museum entry2 × A$5 · Adults A$5; concession A$4, children A$1.A$10
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeA$58
Trip total≈ A$317 per person per day, bed includedA$634≈ US$450

2026 estimate in Australian dollars; fuel and long-distance travel excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

CoffeeA$4–6 (≈ US$3–4)
Pub counter mealA$20–35 (≈ US$14–25)
Bakery pie or sandwichA$6–12 (≈ US$4–8)
Rural museum entryA$8 (≈ US$6) adults, A$5 (≈ US$4) concession, A$2 (≈ US$2) children
Water tower museum entryA$5 (≈ US$4) adults, A$4 (≈ US$3) concession, A$1 (≈ under US$1) children (ages 5–15)
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekA$10–30 (≈ US$7–20)

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

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.
  • 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.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
000
From mobiles
112

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

GunnedahGunnedah

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance000
  • From mobiles112

Embassy

No embassies in Gunnedah; the nearest consulates and embassies are in Sydney (check).

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • 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)

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?

Taxis must be booked, not hailed.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Gunnedah. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Apr–May, Sep–Oct · avoid Dec–Feb (heat, often 35 °C+) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 2 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 4 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for TMW: hire-car pickup hours, last-drive timing and a Gunnedah motel fallback.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Chandos Street galleries and visitor centre, the Poets Precinct and water tower, the lookouts, the Namoi riverbank.
  3. Place pages with verified hours and prices (rural museum, water tower museum, silo art viewpoint) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Heat and highway fixtures so summer and winter arrivals both get a clear plan.

Meanwhile

Back to Australia

Sources