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Voykit pocket guide · Australia
Tingha
Go for one night, or as a half-day stop off the Inverell–Glen Innes road: the tin-mining museum, the Stonewoman site and fossicking are the whole trip.
Tingha is a village of about 830 people in the New England tablelands, 27 km south-east of Inverell. It exists on the map because of tin: commercial mines opened in the 1870s, about 1,000 of the 5,000 arrivals were Chinese, and the boom was over by the early 1900s. What is left is one heritage emporium, a cultural walk, fossicking ground and a pub. One night covers it; two nights only if you are camping at Copeton Dam or fossicking seriously.
- Country
- Australia
- Best months
- Mar–May, Sep–Nov
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (summer heat and storms); the Tin Festival is in November, so book beds early that month
- Stay
- 1 night
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$90–150 excl. bed · Mid A$150–260 excl. bed · High A$260+ 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 a mobile 112 · Tingha Police Station (not 24 h) +61 2 6723 3444 · Tingha hospital +61 2 6723 3266
- 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 |
|---|---|
| Museum entry, Wing Hing Long | A$3 per person |
| Green Valley Park day entry | A$15 per person, A$8 seniors, free under 2 |
| Coffee or a counter meal at the Red Rose Cafe | A$5–25 |
| Beer at the Royal Hotel | A$7–10 |
| Fuel, per litre | A$1.80–2.10 |
| Camping at Copeton Dam, eastern shore | No fees |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- IVR · Inverell Airport
- Nearest airport, about 27 km north; Link Airways flies to Brisbane and Sydney on weekdays. No scheduled bus meets the flights.Nearest airport, about 17 mi north; Link Airways flies to Brisbane and Sydney on weekdays. No scheduled bus meets the flights.
- ARM · Armidale Airport
- Nearest airport with a wider schedule, about 101 km south-east; about 1 h 10 min by car.Nearest airport with a wider schedule, about 63 mi south-east; about 1 h 10 min by car.
Typical fares
- NSW TrainLink coach, Inverell → Tingha
- Route 338, Tuesdays only, departs Inverell 06:20, arrives Tingha 06:50; book aheadRoute 338, Tuesdays only, departs Inverell 6:20 AM, arrives Tingha 6:50 AM; book ahead
- NSW TrainLink coach, Armidale → Tingha
- Route 337, Tuesdays only, departs Armidale 17:50, arrives Tingha 18:48; book aheadRoute 337, Tuesdays only, departs Armidale 5:50 PM, arrives Tingha 6:48 PM; book ahead
- Coach stop
- Opal Street, outside the police station
- Taxi to or from Inverell
- Inverell Taxis; call well ahead and ask the fare before booking
Get around
You need a car. There is no local bus, no taxi based in the village and no rideshare. Rental cars are picked up in Inverell, Glen Innes or Armidale. Fuel is at Tingha Independent on the corner of Opal and Ruby Streets, with shorter weekend hours, so fill up before Sunday afternoon. Distances are short but the roads are rural: Inverell 27 km (about 22 min), Guyra 64 km, Glen Innes 75 km, Armidale 101 km.You need a car. There is no local bus, no taxi based in the village and no rideshare. Rental cars are picked up in Inverell, Glen Innes or Armidale. Fuel is at Tingha Independent on the corner of Opal and Ruby Streets, with shorter weekend hours, so fill up before Sunday afternoon. Distances are short but the roads are rural: Inverell 17 mi (about 22 min), Guyra 40 mi, Glen Innes 47 mi, Armidale 63 mi.
See and do
Known for
- Tin-mining history and the Chinese miner legacy
- Wing Hing Long Heritage Emporium
- Stonewoman Aboriginal Area
- Fossicking for tin and gemstones
- Copeton Dam camping and fishing
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Inverell | Drive Guyra Road then Bundarra Road, 27 kmDrive Guyra Road then Bundarra Road, 17 mi | About 25 min each way |
| Glen Innes | Drive Guyra Road, Stannifer and Dodds Lane to the Gwydir Highway, 75 kmDrive Guyra Road, Stannifer and Dodds Lane to the Gwydir Highway, 47 mi | About 1 h 5 min each way |
| Bingara | Drive via Inverell and the Girdir Highway, 95 kmDrive via Inverell and the Girdir Highway, 59 mi | About 1 h 10 min each way |
| Warialda | Drive via Inverell and the Gwydir Highway, about 120 kmDrive via Inverell and the Gwydir Highway, about 75 mi | About 1 h 30 min each way |
| Ashford | Drive via Inverell and Bonshaw, about 130 kmDrive via Inverell and Bonshaw, about 81 mi | About 1 h 45 min each way |
Sleep
- Ruby Street village centre
- The pub and the store are on this block; walk to everything, including the coach stop at the police station.
- Tingha Gems Caravan Park
- 91 Swimming Pool Road, about 1.4 km north of the village; the practical base for caravans, campers and fossickers.91 Swimming Pool Road, about 0.9 mi north of the village; the practical base for caravans, campers and fossickers.
- Green Valley Park
- 161 Jones Road, about 11 km south-east; holiday park with day entry and accommodation, so you trade walkability for facilities.161 Jones Road, about 6.8 mi south-east; holiday park with day entry and accommodation, so you trade walkability for facilities.
- Copeton Dam, eastern shore
- About 24 km west at the end of Howell Road; free camping with toilets and bins, no other facilities. Bring everything.About 15 mi west at the end of Howell Road; free camping with toilets and bins, no other facilities. Bring everything.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Where is the petrol station? | Where's the servo? |
| Can I pay by card? | Do you take card? |
| Is there an ATM here? | Is there an ATM in town? |
| How far is it to Inverell? | How far to Inverell? |
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
- There are no ATMs in the village. Bring cash for the museum, the pub and the store; cards may not work everywhere.
- The police station is not open 24 hours and the hospital is a small multipurpose service. For anything serious you are transferred to Inverell or Armidale.
- Mobile coverage is patchy on the back roads to Copeton Dam and Stonewoman; download offline maps before you leave town.
- Kangaroos and livestock on the road at dawn and dusk, and unsealed sections on the Copeton and Stonewoman routes.
- Summer days push past 30 °C with little shade at the fossicking and dam sites; carry more water than you think you need.
Low crime, high distance. The real risks are no ATMs, patchy phone signal, wildlife on rural roads at dusk and summer heat with no shade.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Tingha yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Tin-mining history and the Chinese miner legacy
- Wing Hing Long Heritage Emporium
- Stonewoman Aboriginal Area
- Fossicking for tin and gemstones
- Copeton Dam camping and fishing
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- NSW National Parks — Stonewoman Aboriginal Area: www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/visit-a-park/parks/stonewoman-aboriginal-area
- Transport for NSW — regional coach bookings: transportnsw.info/regional-bookings/
- NSW Police — Tingha Police Station: www.police.nsw.gov.au/about_us/regions_commands_districts/western_region/new_england/tingha_police_station
- Wikivoyage: Tingha, revision 5247435 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5247435
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Tingha
Can you take me to this address?
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance000
- From a mobile112
- Tingha Police Station (not 24 h)+61 2 6723 3444
- Tingha hospital+61 2 6723 3266
No embassies in Tingha. The nearest consular help is in Sydney; US, UK, Canadian and other missions are all in Canberra or Sydney.
No ATMs in the village: carry cash for the museum, the pub and the store.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/tingha). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.