GROWING OUR REGION

TCTIB gives back to the community through numerous initiatives.

We host events to support local businesses and the community.
TCTIB note the importance of events that draw tourism into the shire that will increase trade and return visitors.
TCTIB have sponsored the Oracles of the Bush, The Autumn Festival & Granite & Gravel in the past and continue to look for opportunities to assist local events.
All of these events were hugely successful, and members reported terrific trade over these weekends.
We congratulate these events on their success and dedication to the enhancement of the Tenterfield experience.

Tenterfield Business Awards

The Business Awards unite Tenterfield’s business community for networking, celebration, and connection. It’s also a way to attract new businesses and welcome them into a supportive local network. Together, we foster growth and advocacy for our region.

Tenterfield True Spend Cards​

The Tenterfield True gift card makes supporting local businesses easy by being redeemable only at participating stores in Tenterfield. It’s fast becoming the go-to gift for any occasion, offering hassle-free shopping while boosting our local economy. Shop local, support our community!

TCTIB Christmas Carnival & Late Night Shopping

The annual Christmas Carnival, featuring the Tenterfield True Shire Spend Local Cards, brings the community together for local performances, music, and late-night shopping. Held during the warmer season, the event draws strong support and boosts business trade.

Christmas Window Display Competitions

The Christmas Shop-Window Display Competitions have become a popular attraction for businesses, locals, and visitors. Themed window displays captivate passersby and encourage them to explore shops further. Business owners can compete to win hundreds in Tenterfield True Spend Cards.

2026 Strategies and Plans​

As further funding provided by the TSC and alongside the continued efforts of the TCTIB to source grants, develop a tiered membership system and more as noted in the Tenterfield Tourism plan for 2026 the TCTIB will endeavour to roll out Events Program every second year), upgrades to the Tourism Website & TIC, Content Asset Development (every second year), TIC signage and pamphlets, NEHC (New England High Country annual subscription and affiliation, Granite Belt Magazine Quarterly 1 page ‘Experience Tenterfield’ advertisement, ADTW (Aust. Data Tourism Warehouse) annual updates, Sera Wright’s Social media annual campaign, as well as updates and promotion of the Soundtrails and highway signage with focus on our new branding.

Moving forward for 2026, apart from the the above mentioned main activities and depending on timeframe, resources and funding the Tourism Group would also like to do their best to chip away at the below initiatives:

  • TCTIB to lead advocacy with TSC for increased funding for local tourism support.
  • TCTIB to work with TSC to gain access to, and update all fixed signage in parks, at shire entry points, on maps at public facilities etc.
  • Develop key messages for locals to share with visitors about what to see and do in Tenterfield
  • Initiate an outbound media relationship program directly with media targets and partner agencies
  • Use existing social media channels to continue telling the story of existing tourism assets that highlight Tenterfield’s unique attractions with a focus on natural beauty, historical sites, unique assets and seasonal events
  • Establish new campaigns and event incentives to attract visitors to new events
  • Annually review and update ATDW (Australia Data Tourism Warehouse), liaising and working with experts to ensure PR opportunities are established and maximised
  • Bring key stakeholders together to develop an annual event calendar with cross selling, marketing and packaging of experiences, services and assets.
  • Create and promote new experience tourism products that showcase the region’s strengths including nature, seasons, adventure, heritage and indigenous knowledge
  • Organise events and festivals that work on the region’s seasonal appeal and natural beauty, that target specific or niche visitor market segments
  • Coordinate efforts and share resources with NEHC and GBWC (Granite Belt Wine Country) to maximise visitor numbers
  • Work with Villages for each to create a signature event
  • TCTIB in partnership with Business NSW and Tafe NSW to provide training and support for local tourism
    operators to enhance their skills and improve service quality

Access Tenterfield

As one of the Tenterfield Chamber’s initiatives the committee embarked on a project in 2025 to help make Tenterfield more accessible for people in need of wheelchair and/or stroller access and for those that may struggle to navigate comfortably in our beautiful town.
 
Our amazing Vice President, Nick DeGit had sourced a company that makes a combination of aluminium and rubber custom mats for our business district and had identified and measured 20 suitable sites to add a ramp access and has given us a substantial town discount!!
 
To raise the funds needed businesses and individuals donated funds directly or have goods and services that were auctioned at the ‘Access Tenterfield Auction’.
 
The Tenterfield Chamber thank everyone involved for their support and generosity.
 
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Late Night Shopping

Wow – the best late night shopping yet and the only way is up!!!!
Sponsored by the Tenterfield Chamber to make Christmas special for businesses and for the community!!!
 
A huge thank you to the businesses that stayed open and to the many patrons that attended, to the Farmers and Producers markets, our Christmas lights in the Bruxner Park thanks to Inspired by You, Ten FM, The Tenterfield Pipe Band, Tenterfield Physie, Mitch Smith, the Tenterfield Rockettes, the numerous buskers throughout town and to the Tenterfield Chamber committee members that worked tirelessly with enough Christmas spirit and positive vibes for all!!

Working with Businesses and Not for profit Organisations

The TCTIB attempts to work with businesses and not for profit organisations within the Tenterfield community. In previous years the TCTIB has donated cash amounts, Tenterfield True Cards and promotional material as well as advertising and promotion on a variety of platforms for events such as the Autumn Festival, Oracles of the Bush, Eat Street and the Gravel and Granite. The TCTIB continues to improve and strengthen its involvement within the community.

Working with the local council

TCTIB works with Council to build economic development opportunities for new industry and tourism.

Tenterfield Business Awards

Celebrating the achievements of our business, industry and tourism community the Business Awards recognise the the business, events and individuals that make a significant contribution to the Tenterfield community. The Tenterfield Business Awards are held annually now hosted by the TCTIB with a variety of categories to enter into.

The TCTIB feel it was very important for Tenterfield to have the Business Awards to bring the business community together, to network, celebrate and connect with one another. It is also a great way to encourage new businesses to Tenterfield and to welcome them into the local business community for support and advocacy.

The TCTIB Business Awards Ceremony includes an appetising 3 course meal, entertainment and of course presentation of the Awards.

Categories for nominations include the following –

Business of the Year, Event of the Year, Apprentice/Trainee of the Year, Employee of the Year, Excellence in Micro Business, Excellence in Small Business, Excellence in Business, Excellence in Tourism, Excellence in Agriculture/Agribusiness, Excellence in Innovation, Excellence in Sustainability.

Local businesses are encouraged to sponsor individual categories and for their sponsorship and generosity the TCTIB promotes these businesses in print, digital, social and radio advertisements. If you would like to learn more about the various packages for sponsorship please contact us.

Tenterfield True Spend Cards​

TCTIB with the amazing support from the Tenterfield Bowling Club has continued the Tenterfield True Shire Spend Local Cards for a fourth year in a row.

Since the Tenterfield True Cards Program began in 2020, TCTIB has issued eftpos spend cards with a total value of $248,915!!!

This program has been structured to be cost neutral to TCTIB and now has over half of the TCTIB members actively supporting the program, by accepting these cards in their businesses. By being cost neutral, it ensures the long-term sustainability of the program and will keep even more dollars in our local economy.

This program is available free, but exclusive to TCTIB members only. 

These can only be spent in LOCAL participating ‘Member Businesses’.

  • Sullivan’s Newsagency
  • Tenterfield Bowling Club
  • Tenterfield Fuels

 

  • Amcal Pharmacy
  • Courtyard Café
  • CM Country Outfitters
  • Foodworks Tenterfield
  • Go Vita Tenterfield
  • Make It Tenterfield
  • Matilda Made Leather
  • Mitre 10 Hardware
  • Premier Meats
  • Ruben & Flax
  • Scott Fisher’s Restaurant (Bowling Club)
  • Simply Country
  • Sherelle Fashion
  • Sullivan’s Newsagency

TCTIB Christmas Carnival and Late Night Shopping

This jointly organised Christmas Carnival is rolled out annually, with the Tenterfield True Shire Spend Local Cards being the platform for the event. The evening(s) include many local performances, music and late night shopping. With the weather being more attractive at this time of year the two events are well supported and many businesses reported an increase in trade.

A $10,000 raffle is drawn in conjunction with the Rotary & Lions Christmas Carnival with tickets being given to anyone that shopped in a ‘Members Business’ in the lead up to Christmas. This raffle is sponsored by local businesses, to provide the prize money for the initiative which we are incredibly grateful for and shows the commitment local business have to the community and the success of the Tenterfield economy.

By using the Tenterfield True Shire Spend Local Cards it ensured these funds would be spent locally, injected directly back into local ‘Member Businesses’ through their various channels.

Christmas and Autumn Festival Shop Window Display Competitions

 Christmas and Autumn Festival Shop Window Display Competitions has been a massive hit over previous years for businesses, locals and visitors alike. The themed beautification of shop front windows during the Autumn and Christmas periods encourages passers by to stop and photograph these dazzling displays and stay a bit longer to look inside!
The TCTIB sponsors and runs these competitions annually for business owners with the best displays to be in the running to win hundreds of dollars in Tenterfield True Spend Cards.
 
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