Gunnedah is not just a stopover, it is a destination. It is the land of the Red Chief, a Shire where creative small businesses thrive, a town young people come home to and then stay to raise a family, a place where farmers and miners meet. It is a hub for people who love the land, but also want great opportunities for their business and their families.
Gunnedah is located in north-west New South Wales, an hour from Tamworth and at the heart of many journeys. The Namoi River flows through the Shire, providing a beautiful setting for everything from Australia Day citizenship ceremonies to impromptu summer picnics.
The township of Gunnedah is at the junction of the Oxley and Kamilaroi Highways. It is the centre of a sprinkling of small villages offering country hospitality and magnificent scenery.
This is the perfect place to recharge, to spend time bushwalking, fishing and shopping. Bring the family! Want to know more? Ask our experts at the Gunnedah Visitor Information Centre.
A PLACE IN HISTORY
From the days when our First Nations people lived a traditional life here, the land has always been an integral part of Gunnedah. Our home has been the birthplace of champions, has seen fire and floods, and has grown to become a vibrant community.
Here is a timeline of some of our major events:
Estimated lifespan of Cumbo Gunnerah (Red Kangaroo) legendary chief of the Gunn-e-darr tribe.
1645 – 1745
Explorer John Oxley passed through the district.
1818
First Post Office established, called The Woolshed until 1859.
1856
Coal discovered in Black Jack Hill (now Blackjack Mountain).
1877
North West railway line extended to Gunnedah, official opening of station.
1879
First hospital opened with six beds.
1882
Cohen’s Bridge opened at a cost of £13,256.
1884
First agricultural show.
1888
Bacon and Co. sheep and cattle yards established on Curlewis Road.
1890
Beginnings of town water supply.
1893
Foundation stone laid for Town Hall.
1900
Town water and electricity supply established; My Country by Dorothea Mackellar first published.
1908
First shire sale yards established, known as the Shire Yards.
1915
Major fire in Conadilly Street.
1925
Official opening of Gunnedah Aerodrome.
1951
Gunnedah War Memorial Pool opened; Worst floods in living history.
1955
Official opening of Keepit Dam.
1960
Snow falls in Gunnedah.
1965
Gunnedah Water Tower Museum opened.
1980
Dorothea Mackellar Memorial in Anzac Park opened.
1983
The Red Chief Memorial unveiled in Abbott Street.
1984
Opening of Creative Arts Centre.
1987
Vickery Open Cut Mine opens.
1992
Local teenager Miranda Kerr wins the annual Dolly magazine/Impulse model competition.
1997
Vietnam War mural at the Gunnedah Water Tower Museum completed; Tambar Springs local, Tom Gleeson wins the Gold Logie Award for Most Popular Personality on Australian Television.
2019
$61m Gunnedah rail overpass opens; Gunnedah rugby player Harry Wilson made his debut for the Wallabies.
2020
Dorothea Mackellar mural at Gunnedah Maize Mills completed.
2021
