200 km north of Armidale on the New England Highway. Tenterfield has a population of just under 3,000 and may look insignificant, but history was made here. In 1889 Sir. Henry Parkes, then prime minister of New South Wales, made his famous Federation speech in Tenterfield. This proposed the union of the Australian colonies, which duly took place 12 years later.

Nearby attractions include the 200-m Bald Rock, which resembles Ayer’s Rock and can be climbed; also the 200-m Boonoo Boonoo Falls, 30 km north of town.