About 70 guests joined the Tamworth Historical Society at the original Killala homestead to commemorate the 175th anniversary of the arrival of the Australian Agricultural Company to Tamworth.

In July 1834, the company settled with 6000 sheep at the Peels River, which was later known as Tamworth.

A plaque was unveiled by Tamworth historian and author Warren Newman to commemorate the event.

Guests were invited to morning tea at Calala Cottage after the ceremony.

Tamworth Historical Society president Mike Cashman told The Leader the ceremony was held to acknowledge the birth of the city and help preserve the Killala homestead site.

“It went well, there were about 70 people there,” he said.

“We had guest speakers including elder Bob Faulkner, who gave the Aboriginal perspective of the anniversary, and Peter Draper who spoke of Tamworth today and for the future.

“Armidale historian John Atchison gave us the full story of how Tamworth came to pass.

“One of the main things we wanted to do was raise public awareness of the significance of the site and hopefully preserve it for the future.

“It was virtually the start of European Tamworth.”

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