Australian Country Music Hall of Fame to Reopen

Monday, 31 August 2020

Tamworth Regional Council is ready to reopen the doors of the Australian Country Music Hall of Fame tomorrow.

Council officially takes up management of the significant museum collection on 1 September 2020 after the Australian Country Music Foundation ‘gifted’ it to the local community

Council’s Director Art Gallery and Museum’s Bridget Guthrie said it’s an exciting milestone for Hall of Fame.

“Council is honoured to be the new custodians of this collection which details the history of country music in Australia and New Zealand and we look forward to preserving it and building on it in the future,” Ms Guthrie said.

The Australian Country Music Hall of Fame will open from tomorrow by appointment for small group tours.

“The museum hasn’t been open during the COVID-19 pandemic due to health risks to its volunteers who are in the older, at-risk age group,” Ms Guthrie said. “Volunteers will continue their support in their much valued roles to share their knowledge of the collection with museum visitors.”

In the meantime, group tours will be led by Council’s Cultural Collections Officer, Naomi Blakey.

Tours can be arranged by phoning 02 6766 9696.

To coincide with tomorrow’s reopening of the Hall of Fame, a refresh to its website will go live. Still accessible at www.countrymusichalloffame.com.au, the revamped website has information about the museum and its collections of country music memorabilia, information and history.  It also allows a searchable database of collection exhibits to be added in the future.

“With Tamworth being the Country Music Capital, updating the website is essential to promoting the museum and its collections to not only country music lovers but to all visitors and tourists to the Tamworth region. The museum is one of Country Music Trail attractions here in Tamworth that tourists can visit,” Ms Guthrie said.

“The updated website will be an important part of Destination Tamworth’s future plans to promote this tourism gem so even more people know about it and can access the wonderful collection.”

While Council takes up the operation and management of the Hall of Fame museum from tomorrow, 1 September 2020, the Deed of Gift will formally transfer the collection’s ownership into Council’s hands from 30 November, 2020.

MEDIA CONTACT:  Phoebe Kerin, Communications Officer