Even towns have birthdays - like Bathurst turning 200 in 2015, Wellington 200 in 2017.  And this year is the turn of Tamworth, Walcha, Wauchope, Port Macquarie, etc turning 200, based on European John Oxley's exploratory expedition.

But birthdays aren't just about history, in Tamworth's case since Europeans entered the ancient lands of the Gomeroi, but they're also about celebrating the present.  It's with this in mind that a Tamworth Bicentenary Celebration has been planned, to take place at Bicentennial Park on Sunday, September 2, to bring together our whole community to celebrate all the positive things that Tamworth has to offer.  What a great place to live and share in this progressive inland centre, as we wake up each day and hopefully count our blessings that we are Australians, compared to so much disadvantage around the world.

The September 2 event will embrace three main aspects - recognition, entertainment and community .  An interesting program of entertainment activities is planned, and it is hoped that a wide variety of community organisations will choose to be involved.

A range of other Bicentenary activities are planned, in addition to Celebration Day, including a "Tamworth Past and Present" exhibition at Ray  Walsh House (August 3 to September 7), a Tamworth theme Years 3 to 12 Poetry Competition and an 8km Re-enactment Walk (September 2).

As small as Tamworth was in 1918, compared to today, there was a significant community celebration of the town's centenary.

Well done Tamworth !  Much has happened since its earliest origins and a very positive future appears to be in the offing. Let's celebrate !

Mike Cashman

Co-ordinator

Tamworth Bicentenary Committee

New England farmers should be afraid - very afraid. To see new Nationals leader Michael McCormack declare from the lectern at the Queensland convention that the Nats are "the party of coal" should send shivers up the spine of any fair dinkum farmer who shares Australia's concern, not only for climate change with its increase in extreme weather events, cyclones, floods and drought, but also for mining moguls from around the world laying claim to prime agricultural land.

Remember the disgraceful situation with the Chinese coal mine on the Liverpool Plains when the local farmers wanted compensation for the environmental impacts caused by the mine?

The then Premier, "Mining Mike" Baird held a “secret meeting” with the Chinese representatives of the mine and next thing legislation was passed excluding any claims for compensation.

Where were the Nationals politicians then? And what could you expect when the champion for coal was their leader, Mr Barnaby Joyce?

Joyce continues his full support of coal along with his manic mate, Tony Abbott, simply to kill two birds with one stone - Malcolm Turnbull and climate scientists (Letters, July 7).

It's no secret that the Federal Nationals are fractured and dysfunctional at the moment and perhaps McCormack was trying to put a bandaid on things with his support for coal; but all he has done is sell out his farming constituency.

Now can we wait for the Federal Nats to endorse CSG mining by Santos in Narrabri where cheap land will become gold?

Honestly, New England, you deserve better than this and so does Australia.

Bert Candy 

Glenvale 

Queensland