Make sure you detour through Inverell on your next RV adventure.
On the western slopes of the New England Tablelands, where the Gwydir Highway meets the Macintyre River, lies the historic town of Inverell, near one of New South Wales’ biggest lakes. While every season has its charms in Inverell, it’s easy to see why autumn is one of the best times to visit as you stroll heritage streets lined with rich autumn colours and enjoy mild Macintyre Valley temperatures.
Motor On
One of the best places in Australia to see vintage and classic cars and motorbikes, the National Transport Museum is home to everything from a 1906 Dayton Motor Buggy (believed to be the only one left in the world), to futuristic solar-powered cars. More than 250 vehicles are on display including a 1912 Renault, a 1926 Diana and a 1929 Packard, along with a range of memory-lane moments with Holdens and Fords – including GT Falcons. There’s even an old monorail car from Sydney. The museum has large parking spaces for RVs and, with everything on one level, is wheelchair friendly and easy to see all the vehicles up close.
Time Travel
Step back in time at the Inverell Pioneer Village. Here, you can find heritage buildings that have been relocated and restored, including the Grove Homestead – set around the village pond. Originally found in the village of Tingha back in the tin mining days of the 1840s, the homestead is decorated with items from the time, including silver-topped toiletry bottles and personalised mourning paper printed in England. You can also step inside an old pub, bush school, church and more as you imagine what life was like for early settlers. Afterwards drive 23 kilometres to Tingha to visit the Wing Hing Long Museum where an old general store has become a time capsule to remember the contribution Chinese Australians made to rural life.
Cool Off
Last September Inverell officially opened the doors to its new $25 million Aquatic Centre, and now visitors and residents alike can make the most of this brand-spanking state-of-the-art space. The centre has an eight-lane 50 metre outdoor pool that transforms into a 25-metre indoor pool in winter, along with an indoor splash park and toddler pool. Accessible to the whole community, the new Aquatic Centre received the 2025 Royal Life Saving Excellence in Innovation Award.
Hike
Just six kilometres out of town, the Goonoowigal State Conservation Area is a chance to take in the beauty of granite country as you walk among huge boulders. Goonoowigal is a Jukumbal Aboriginal word meaning 'wallaby rocks', and wallabies are among the 120 species of native animals and birds that you can spot here. Download the Goonoowigall Soundtrails app to hear stories from local Aboriginal families who call this place home as you walk around the reserve. Further afield, the Kwiambal National Park – 88 kilometres from Inverell – offers the chance to camp out at the Lemon Tree Flat campground. Keep an eye out for kangaroos and emus, take a dip in one of the rock plunge pools, and see the Macintyre Falls as you gaze out over the river.
Stroll
Take in the heritage buildings, including a pretty pink courthouse that dates back to 1887, on a stroll around town. In autumn, Inverell’s streets are at their most beautiful as red and gold leaves add extra boosts of colour to the streetscapes. You can see more autumn colours and hear the leaves crunch under your feet on a walk through the town’s parks. Be sure to also allow time to browse in tempting shops including Eclectic House, Ellati, Magnolia and Cutting Edge Country, as well as trying you luck bargain hunting in the op shops, as you walk along Otho and Byron streets.
See Local Art
Visit New England Woodturning and Sculptures to see original artworks along with some unusual finds. Local artist Rob Day has created a sculpture walk in natural bushland 15 kilometres out of town where you can see wood carvings and metal sculptures, including some Steampunk-inspired pieces. Visit the Gallery of Curiosities to admire intricate scroll clocks and wooden models of heavy vehicles including graders and excavators. Back in town, walk along a 94-metre mosaic outside the art gallery. The Meandering Macintyre mosaic is believed to be the longest continuous mosaic footpath in Australia and features local flora and fauna. Don’t miss the Face of Inverell mural by Claire Foxton depicting local Aboriginal elder Aunty Elizabeth, before heading inside the art gallery to see the latest exhibition.
Eat and Drink
Book ahead for a wine tasting at Topper’s Mountain Wine where you can sip small-batch rare varietal wines while looking out over the Macintyre Valley. This cool-climate, family owned vineyard has a focus on aromatic, zingy wine and has the only Australian or New Zealand commercial planting of Tempranillo Blanco, a rare white mutation of the grape. For a good pub lunch, The Tatts is the place to be, while The Welders Dog is a top spot to try New England craft beers and local gins in a renovated 1885 hotel. Along with interesting displays and local products the Visitor Information Centre is home to the Riverside Restaurant where the menu ranges from toasties to grilled king prawns and black angus rump steak to enjoy inside or out in the fresh air.
Stay
Three times the size of Sydney Harbour, Copeton Dam is a popular spot for camping and is one of only two inland waterways in New South Wales where you can fish for Murray cod year round. Set up camp at Copeton Northern Foreshores just 17 kilometres from Inverell, where you will find powered and unpowered sites, a camp kitchen, covered barbecue areas, laundry facilities and free Wi-Fi. After a $5.7 million upgrade, the camping and recreation ground has a fenced children’s play area and splash park, along with the longest boat ramp in Australia.
