What's On: Your guide to getting out and about in the Tamworth area

It's time to cool off. There are plenty of great spots to duck in for a dip, with Lake Keepit, near Gunnedah, and Chaffey Dam near Tamworth, keeping locals (and tourists) alike in the swim this summer. You can also dip in your toes (or throw in a line) at the Warrabah National Park and Split Rock Dam, near Manilla, Sheba Dams, near Nundle and the Wooldridge Recreation and Fossicking Reserve Swimming Hole, outside Uralla. If there has been some rain, check out the waterfalls at the Horton Falls National Park, near Barraba.

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Three exhibitions will keep you engaged (and fill in a few hours) these summer holidays. Seed Stitch Contemporary Textile Award 2020 features the contemporary textile work of 25 finalists in materials from waste to silk, touching on themes including AI, the environment and COVID-19. Continuing the textile theme, Ellen Howell's Never Ending Thread mixes age-old traditions with modern block-printing techniques to tell stories through weaving, drawing and dyeing. Artists Gabrielle Collins and Sandra McMahon's work is showcased in a joint exhibition called One Way or Another. The first two exhibitions are on until February 7, with the third until January 31. Tamworth Regional Gallery, 466 Peel Street, Tamworth

In the words of the songstress' media blurb this is a "don't miss out, a tiny bit up ourselves, Breakfast in the Garden to celebrate Fallow!". Get up early to check out the ARIA and Golden Guitar award winner, Fanny Lumsden, for breakfast (and a glass of bubbly if you're old enough) and a gig. It's being held on the morning of the Golden Guitars. Tickets include a hot buffet breakfast, acoustic show and Q & A in the garden. The Pavillion, Nemingha, NSW 2340, Australia. January 23. Breakfast 8am, gig from 9am. Book through https://www.ticketebo.com.au.

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The Tamworth Country Music Festival might be off this year (thanks, COVID-19) but you can still catch some great music during January. Kevin Bennett, Lyn Bowtell, Brad Butcher and Felicity Urquhart will hit town for a one-off gig. It's called Together, an apt title after a year of isolation and upheaval. January 21, 2pm Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre. Check with venue for tickets.

What began as a small project has blossomed into a national trail - and there are works to be seen on our doorstep. At Barraba you'll find a farmer divining for water on the silos on Manilla Road. At Tamworth the water tank at the Oxley Lookout (on Flagstaff hill) has been painted with a cockatoo - it will take a bit of a hike up a dirt track (uphill to boot) from the carpark so pack flat shoes. Gunnedah is home to the Military Water Tower Museum art which pays tribute to Vietnam vets from Australia and New Zealand. You'll find it at Anzac Park, South St. The latest addition, on Gunnedah Maize Mills, will feature the poet Dorothea Mackellar. The 29-metre tall mural, which is currently being painted, will also feature a stanza from My Country, a horse-drawn wagon, maize, a windmill and farming equipment on the northern side.

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Looking for some local goodies? Then put the monthly Gunnedah Country Markets in your calendar. The next one is January 16. On the third Saturday of the month Wolseley Park comes alive with all things handmade, home grown and lovingly crafted by locals. The event is run by the Two Rivers Arts Council, with profits going towards the annual art show. Stalls are set up from 6am and the fun winds down mid-afternoon. Wolseley Park, Conadilly Street, Gunnedah, third Saturday of the month.

This exhibition has already won fans after touring last year and it now stops in Gunnedah, with local artists Anne Bell and Maree Kelly featuring. What will you see? The exhibition looks at the interplay between text and images, with 18 writers creating short poems about their home landscapes and then artists creating works based on the words. Explore this unique journey at the Gunnedah Bicentennial Creative Arts Gallery at 81 Chandos St until January 31. Book tickets online.

There is plenty to keep you occupied for hours at the New England Regional Art Museum this summer. Kurt Sorenson's Things Must Have an End explores crimes, crimes and mysteries through photographs, 15 local artists showcase the elements of the New England landscape that inspire them and Summer School looks at the history of artists taking part in the University of New England summer school program. You'll find photographs, art, sculpture, embroidery, printmaking, drawing, ceramics and weaving on display. NERAM, 106 - 114 Kentucky Street, Armidale is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 4pm, with 10am to noon on Thursday reserved for high risk community members.

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