Wolfmother will not be performing at the Tamworth Country Music Festival, according to Tourism Tamworth director Rebel Thomson.

Ms Thomson was guest speaker at the Tamworth and District Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s Melbourne Cup day breakfast meeting, giving the early risers a rundown on the organisation’s new online ticketing system.

However, the only question from the floor was in regard to whether the Country Music Capital’s annual festival had been hijacked by non-country music interests – a reference to the appointment of event organisers who are more well known for their involvement with the Big Day Out and similar youth events.

Ms Thomson said the exciting news was that within two weeks a “fantastic free concert” was about to be announced for the first weekend of January’s festival.

She said Tourism Tamworth and the city’s festival organisers were well aware that during the first weekend of the annual festival, occupancy rates were generally at 40 per cent, while the following weekend, it was full houses all around with 99 per cent occupancy.

The aim was to focus more on providing a significant event or attraction in the first weekend of the festival to round out the event, Ms Thomson said.

Meanwhile, Tourism Tamworth’s new ticketing system hit the ground with the beginning of November and the first week of sales for festival tickets for next January.

The 2010 Tamworth Country Music Festival, to be held from January 15 to January 24, is fast approaching and the first days of over-the-phone and across-the-counter ticket sales have sparked much interest.

Tickets for 48 concerts are currently on sale at Tourism Tamworth and many more acts are coming on board as the countdown starts to the largest celebration of Australian country music.

Concerts on sale include popular industry artists like Troy Cassar-Daley, Felicity Urquhart, Joy McKean, John Williamson, Sara Storer, Carter and Carter and Melinda Schneider.

Toyota Star Maker, Tamworth Country Music Festival Ball, Golden Fiddle Show and the ABCRA National Finals Rodeo are also included in the massive line-up.