Height
12 meters
Year Built
1988
Address
2 Ringers Road, South Tamworth, NSW 2340
The Lowdown
The Big Golden Guitar in Tamworth is Australia's most famous tribute to country music, standing 12 meters tall as a gleaming golden landmark at the entrance to the Golden Guitar Complex. This iconic structure has welcomed country music fans to Australia's Country Music Capital since 1988, becoming synonymous with the Tamworth Country Music Festival held every January. The guitar complex surrounding it includes a wax museum of country music legends, a gallery showcasing Australian music memorabilia, and shops selling everything from cowboy boots to guitars. For millions of Australians, the Big Golden Guitar represents not just a tourist attraction but a pilgrimage site for the country music community that gathers in Tamworth each year to celebrate Australian music heritage.
Did you know?
"The Big Golden Guitar is modeled on an acoustic Maton guitar"
History
The Big Golden Guitar was built in 1988 to capitalize on Tamworth's growing reputation as Australia's country music capital. The city had hosted the Australasian Country Music Awards since 1973, and the Big Golden Guitar gave the town a permanent landmark celebrating this heritage. Over the decades, the complex has expanded to include museums, galleries, and performance spaces. The Big Golden Guitar has welcomed millions of visitors and remains one of Australia's most recognized Big Things.
More Fun Facts
- •The Tamworth Country Music Festival is the second-largest music festival in the world after Nashville
- •Over 50,000 people attend the festival each January
- •The Big Golden Guitar is modeled on an acoustic Maton guitar
- •Tamworth has produced Australian country stars including Lee Kernaghan and Keith Urban performed here early in his career
- •The wax museum inside features over 60 country music figures
Visiting Tips
- 💡Book accommodation months ahead if visiting during the Country Music Festival
- 💡The wax museum is surprisingly detailed and worth the entry fee
- 💡Pick up your own country music souvenirs from the gift shop
- 💡Try line dancing lessons offered at various venues during festival time
- 💡Walk the Country Music Walk of Fame in central Tamworth to see star plaques
Opening Hours
Extended hours during the Tamworth Country Music Festival in January.
More Big Things Nearby
Big Golden Guitar
A 12-meter tall fibreglass guitar monument celebrating Tamworth's status as Australia's Country Music Capital, opened by Slim Dusty in 1988.
Big Potato
A 10-metre fibreglass potato built in 1977, modelled on a Sebago potato, sitting in a field in Robertson.
Big Trout
A 10-metre tall, 2.5-tonne fibreglass rainbow trout sculpture celebrating Adaminaby's fishing heritage.