Family road trip Brissy-Tamworth

[MistyFying]

OK we're going to visit my husband's parents who live in a small town outside of Tamworth. We've decided to drive there (from Brisbane)... any ideas about things to see and/do or cost-effective places to stay on the way there?

It will take us about 8 hours to drive there, so we're thinking we may need a few sanity savers along the way

[Olive]

portable DVD player!

[kitten2b]

funny, I am making the Sydney - Tamworth trip tomorrow

Sanity tricks - parks on the way - get the pent up energy out of the kids, cds play until you crack. Not sure where to stay going that way unfortunately

[BrightSparkles]

i'm going there in 2 weeks! LOL
dvds....
Misty... depends on which way your coming down from brissy...

[Phteven]

Yep, parks. Get off the highway into the small towns and find parks with playgrounds and let the kids burn off some energy as often as possible.
Play traveling games - I Spy, treasure hunt (write a list of things to spot 1st spotter gets credit, black cow, red car, a statue, a bridge etc), snacks keep the busy. I give them packaged snacks because fighting the wrappers takes up some of their time.
The DVD player is great when you need a bit of peace and quiet but I try to limit it because I don't like my children wasting the experience of a journey staring at the back of the seat.

[MistyFying]

Thanks for the ideas girls.

Jenni we're coming down the inland route - DH has a conference he has to speak at in Toowoomba on the Saturday, then we're coming down after that.

[BrightSparkles]

theres heaps of awesome parks along that route that we always stopped at when we
were going away.

but i agree with all the others, games, snacks and stops

[Pretty Butterfly]

I live in Tamworth, and have done the trip many times!!!

There isn't any major towns, but a lot of little nice ones. Warrick and Tenterfeild are the two bigger ones, and we stop in those 2. Lots of parks etc.

I find the two stops usually does us ok.

[Bathsheba]

Guyra (I think that's the one) has a nice big park right on the highway... lots of big trees... and I think even an old steam roller and park for the kids to play on... and importantly a good clean toilet facility!

I have family that live in small towns around Tamworth... Also Armidale is a good place to stop. Take it easy down those Moonbi ranges

[~Raven~]

Glen Innes is nice too!

[MistyFying]

Hmmm I have been to Glen Innes and thought it was lovely. The kids are very excited about the whole thing.

[Pretty Butterfly]

The big park at Guyra, you drive right by it, and it is nice and big for a run ... about 2.5 hrs from Tamworth....

Armidale is only 50 min out, so prob wouldn't stop there unless you had to...

Gelnn Innes is about the middle between Guyra and Armidale, so if you miss one, stop in the other one!!!

[MistyFying]

Thanks Jodie. Our final destination is just outside Tamworth - a little town called Quirindi (but I didn't think anyone would have heard of that)

[BrightSparkles]

i know exactly where your talking about

[Bathsheba]

I've been there many a time I have family in: Somerton, Kootingal, Daruka and Moonbi And used to have family at Duri, Attunga, Currabubbula (sp?) so I know the area well!

[Michelle71]

Goodness Bath - I know all of them (and people in most of them ) And Mystifying - I know Quirindi too It really is a very small little world.

[Pretty Butterfly]

I've lived here 25 years!!!! Sad, I know.....

To get to Armidale, you'll need to get off the highway to go there, the other towns are ON the highway, and Quirindi is another 40 min outta Tamworth, so if you dont wanna get off at Armidale, stop at Guyra....

You'll come in one end of Tamworth, drive through the main part, and out another side to go to Quirindi....