Tamworth, Australia

TAMWORTH – on the New England Highway, 130km north of Scone – is also known as the "City of Lights" because it was the first in Australia to be fitted with electric street lighting, in 1888. To most Australians, however, Tamworth means country music – it's a sort of antipodean Nashville. In the second half of January each year, fans from all over Australia and beyond descend on the town for the ten-day Tamworth Country Music Festival. Every pub, club and hall in town hosts gigs, record launches and bush poetry, culminating in the presentation of "Golden Guitars", the Australian Country Music Awards. There's yet more musical memorabilia at the corner of Brisbane Street and Kable Avenue, where the Hands of Fame cornerstone bears the palm-prints of various country greats. Natural attractions include the Oxley Lookout and Nature Reserve at the end of White Street, with panoramic views of the city and the Peel River Valley.