Welcome to a place that's different - diverse - place endowed with an astonishing array of nature's gifts as well as attraction and experiences to suit all tastes, all ages. Glen Innes and Severn Shire, known as Celtic Country. The first settlers were predominantly Scots and the town is the site of Australia's only official monument to the nation's Celtic pioneers and venue for the annual Australian Celtic Festival.
Located 1062m in the beautiful New England Tablelands and, unlike much of the rest of Australia, has distinctive seasons: golden autumns, air-conditioned summers, breathtaking springs, log-fire winters – even, occasionally, snow.
Glen Innes is the key location to reach a magnificent and diverse network of national parks and nature reserves – including World Heritage listed Gibraltar Range and Washpool National Parks. It’s steeped in history: the first settlers arrived in 1838, the main street and its more than 30 heritage-listed buildings reflecting colonial charm.
That romance of the past is also recaptured in tranquil rural villages like Emmaville, Deepwater and Torrington. District history is lovingly preserved at the Land of the Beardies History House and the 19th century tin mining boom is recaptured in the Emmaville Mining Museum.
The culture and history of the Aboriginal people, too, are displayed in the Cooramah Aboriginal Cultural Centre. It’s the most prolific sapphire region in New South Wales with other treasures like emeralds, garnets, topaz and quartz crystals waiting to be unearthed.
It has some of the best Murray cod fishing in Australia as well as great trout waters with other species also abounding.
FESTIVALS: the Australian Celtic Festival, drawing clans, bands and dancers from a wide area; is on the first weekend in May; Land of the Beardies Festival, celebrating local history, first to second weekend in November; Minerama, the gem and mineral festival, second Friday in March; Pastoral and Agricultural Show, mirroring the district’s wealth in beef cattle, wool and other agriculture, in February.
EXPERIENCES: they range from discovering the “real” Australia through a Pub Crawl in horseback, touring with the ghosts of pioneers on the Glen Innes-Grafton World Heritage Way to being one with nature bushwalking, bird watching or strolling through one of the town’s immaculately groomed parks.
ARTS: Painting, plays, pottery, poetry – all flourish, with the Roxy Gallery displaying fine examples of talented local artists, stained glass works and wrought iron furniture.
SPORTS: the facilities are excellent, almost limitless – from golf, bowls to skating, swimming and indoor sports.
And, importantly, Glen Innes and district has a range of accommodation to suit every budget from luxury to economy: motels, caravan parks, farmstays, fishing lodges, B and B’s.
