Parkes, Tamworth, Bathurst, And Broken Hill: Can Australia’s Small Town Festivals Become Global Tourism Powerhouses? Here’s What You Really Need To Know

Sunday, July 20, 2025

It is January successful Parkes, a municipality astir 100 kilometers westbound of Orange successful New South Wales, and thing retired of nan mean is happening. Thousands of group — much than 25,000, successful truth — descend connected this typically sleepy municipality clad successful rhinestones, sequins and slicked-back hair. The streets are afloat of music, dancing, laughter and nan unique drawl of 1 name: Elvis.

This isn’t conscionable fandom. This is nan Parkes Elvis Festival, and now 1 of agrarian Australia’s astir celebrated taste festivals. But Parkes is not alone. Other mini towns including Tamworth, Bathurst and Broken Hill are besides thrusting their small-town festivals nether nan world spotlight pinch niche, homegrown events that pull world visitors. In combination, they request nan question: Could location events go nan linchpin upon which Australia’s world tourism personality rests?

The Festival That Won Over a Town — and nan Region

When nan inaugural Parkes Elvis Festival was held successful 1993, it was a one-night guidelines astatine a section nine that drew less than 200 people. Flash guardant to 2025 and nan five-day extravaganza has snowballed into a popular taste behemoth. According to section arena assessments provided by New South Wales tourism authorities, it pumps astir $11 to $13 cardinal into nan section system each January.

From Elvis karaoke to competitions for tribute performers, creation classes, thoroughfare parades and a gospel service, nan show features much than 200 scheduled events. One specified train, named nan Elvis Express, journeys from Sydney to Parkes, and is afloat of fans successful afloat costume, fresh to commence their visit to nostalgia and pleasure.

Government nickname has followed. In 2025, nan New South Wales Government, supported by its arena improvement agencies, formally designated nan Parkes Elvis Festival arsenic a Foundation Event—the state’s must-do, signature arena and a cardinal strategical arena successful nan state’s Regional Flagship Events Program, known for its wide entreaty and quality.

Tourism Economics successful Action

The numbers speak volumes. Parkes has a organization of little than 12,000. When conscionable complete doubly that galore group move successful complete 5 days, nan full section system — hotels, restaurants and unit shops; nan state stations; nan circuit guides — gets a piece. In nan Destination NSW Visitor Economy Strategy, it is reported that successful location towns specified arsenic Parkes, events of this quality tin lend to visitant spend, magnitude of enactment and besides world vulnerability for towns antecedently considered remote.

This economical boost isn’t isolated. It complements New South Wales’ wider strategy to summation overnight visitant expenditure and thrust visitation to nan regions. In 2024, location NSW welcomed much than 30 cardinal home visitors. Events for illustration Parkes and Tamworth’s Country Music Festival mixed pinch Bathurst’s celebrated races are portion of nan state’s ambitions to scope $25 cardinal successful yearly location tourism walk by 2030.

The characteristic drive: a Tamworth and beyond perspective

Tamworth has followed Parkes successful utilizing euphony to powerfulness its tourism reinvention. The Tamworth Country Music Festival each January is attended by much than 400000 group and brings much than 100 cardinal dollars to nan section economy. Its model, organization engagement, creator nickname and accessibility to all, is 1 that echoes Parkes and underlines nan blueprint for a successful location event.

In nan meantime, Bathurst is picking up velocity astatine a different speed. Australia’s astir revered touring car race, nan Bathurst 1000, typically attracts much than 200,000 fans complete title week and books up nan town’s hotels, campgrounds and Airbnb listings months successful advance.

And measurement retired west, nan mining municipality of Broken Hill, which is really connected nan separator successful much ways than 1 pinch its arid, isolated godforsaken existence, has played big to nan Broken Heel Festival, successful which each things drag, diverseness and disco are celebrated. Its one-of-a-kind civilization mashup draws thousands of pilgrims to a distant outback location, giving emergence to caller business, media coverage, and economical life rafts for nan likes of section creatives and retailers.

Regional Events, Global Eyes

What gives these festivals their power, is their specificity. It is not spinning experiences retired of full cloth, but section pride, imaginative expression, and a consciousness of nan section that creates this. Tourism promotion arms of authorities person now realized that visitors want meaning and characteristic and not conscionable convenience. These events supply that.

Indeed, taste and location tourism is 1 of nan fastest increasing sectors, according to nan Australian Trade and Investment Commission. Increasingly, world visitors want to get disconnected nan beaten way and immersive experiences specified arsenic those successful Parkes and Tamworth connection conscionable that.

And these festivals connection employment, particularly for young group and those pinch seasonal jobs. The economical ripple effect — stretching from arena coordinators and sound engineers to nutrient vendors and trade artisans — is wide and inclusive. This supports nan nationalist schedule to leverage tourism for location development, employment maturation and economical endurance.

Challenges and nan Path Forward

Local-win events look logistical challenges, contempt each their success. Infrastructure needs to beryllium ramped up, information assured and proscription coordinated. By comparison, these towns dangle connected section councils, volunteers and public-private practice conscionable to support things ticking over. The section besides invests successful infrastructure and assistance backing to thief to support these requirements.

Climate variability besides impacts planning. It’s been stinking basking astatine immoderate festivals astatine Parkes, and power information has had to beryllium addressed, including taking capable precautions for covered areas and h2o stations.

But nan upside remains massive. With amended proscription and integer promotion, and pinch finance specified arsenic that seen successful these festivals, specified events could beryllium turned into world magnets for recreation — conscionable arsenic Oktoberfest is for Munich and Mardi Gras is for New Orleans.

Final Reflection When a Town Turns Into a Theater

There is thing magical astir watching a mini municipality travel to life astatine night. When families successful Parkes unfastened their houses arsenic a B&B, erstwhile shopfronts alteration to look for illustration retro diners, erstwhile locals dress for illustration Elvis and toddlers activity flags successful parades — it is much than a festival. It becomes a communal story, that visitant and resident will show ever after.

And arsenic Parkes expands its show into a world-renowned arena and different towns, for illustration Tamworth, Bathurst and Broken Hill, travel suit, 1 point becomes clear: nan bosom of agrarian Australia pulses done its festivals.

At a clip erstwhile nan world often feels excessively digital, excessively fast, excessively crowded and excessively where-the-heck-is-that, these towns service arsenic a reminder that sometimes, nan champion journeys lead you to places that still consciousness for illustration location — particularly erstwhile you get successful bluish suede shoes.