Since January 1, campers have slowly been making their homes at Riverside and getting the best positions, so Tamworth Regional Council decided to open a day earlier than planned, with about 50 caravans, motorhomes and tents there to welcome the occasion.

Tamworth Regional Council mayor Col Murray and general manager Paul Bennett met many of the campers and welcomed them to Tamworth and country music festival,  gaving them the good news that they could move in and set up.

“I can understand why they like the camping experience at our wonderful festival because I like heading off with my caravan too,” Cr Murray said. 

Caravanners Ray and Mary Dryden have been coming to the festival from Brisbane since 1993.

Fellow campers Colin and Lynn Whitfield are from Canberra but have been on the road full-time for five months and haven’t been to the festival for 10 years.

“Work commitments wouldn’t let us attend,” Mrs Whitfield said.

“Now that we are semi-retired, the Tamworth Country Music Festival was high on our list. I would like to see Troy Cassar-Daley, Felicity Urquhart, Beccy Cole, Adam Harvey and Ryan Sampson.”

Mrs Whitfield said they would head to the coast after the festival  then to Bingara where they will house sit for three months.

Camping fees at Riverside vary depending on the arrival date. 

The cost for a site for Festival Countdown and the 10-day festival from January 10 to January 26 (or part thereof) is $200. The cost is $130 for a site for the 10 days of festival only, from January 17 to January 26 (or part thereof). 

A site for the last weekend of festival only, from Friday, January 24 to Sunday, January 26 is $80.

Council has provided two shower blocks with 16 showers in each, 90 freshwater flushing  portable toilets, one accessible toilet with ramp access and two waste tanks for motorhomes and caravanners to pump out into.

There is an accessible shower in the sporting clubs’ facilities.