Lights back on at museum for anniversary event

Visitors young and old are invited to the Tamworth Powerstation Museum on Tuesday, 9 November between 12pm and 7pm to celebrate the 133rd anniversary of Tamworth becoming the First City of Light.

For just a gold coin donation, visitors can discover the wonder of electricity, see the famous John Fowler steam engines in action, walk through the Museum or join a guided tour.

“We’re thrilled to be welcoming visitors back for one day only to celebrate this anniversary,” said Naomi Blakey, Cultural Collections Officer at Tamworth Regional Council.

“Unfortunately, the Museum has been closed for an extended period due to COVID-19 restrictions, so we’re excited to be throwing the doors open and sharing the magic of this place with some special visitors next Tuesday,” she said. “It’s also a great opportunity to see the John Fowler steam engines running, which are only lit a handful of times each year.”

The annual event’s hours have been extended in 2021 to cater for school-aged children and their families to attend after school.

Pre-registration to attend is essential to ensure that people don’t miss out due to capacity limits.

The anniversary celebrates Mayoress Elizabeth Piper switching on 13.5 miles (21.5km) of electric street lighting in Tamworth on 9 November, 1888.

The Tamworth Powerstation Museum was established in 1988, and celebrates Tamworth becoming the first city in Australia to be lit by municipal electric street lighting in 1888, and the important role that electricity plays in our everyday lives. It is staffed by a number of passionate volunteers, many of whom have a background in electricity-related industries.

To register to attend, visitors should visit the museum's website.

The Tamworth Powerstation Museum is due to reopen to the public on Wednesday 1 December, 2021.