Got some questions?
Below are answers to most of the common questions we've had over the years. If you cant find the answer below, feel free to send us an email here and we'll get back to you as soon as we can.
Tara is situated 2 hrs west of Toowoomba, in Queensland, Australia. Tara is accessible from the north, south, east and west by car. Directions are as follows:
- From Brisbane: Take the Warrego Highway exit off of the Ipswich Motorway, following to Toowoomba. Pass through Toowoomba continuing on the Warrego Highway to Dalby. Turn left at the lights, taking the Moonie Highway for approx 44km's, cross over a grid, immediately turn right to Tara (Surat Developmental Rd) for 44km's.
- From Moonie: head approx 45km's north up the Leichhardt Hwy, turning right at The Gums intersection. Travel along the Surat Developmental Rd for approx 28km's into Tara.
- From Surat: travel into Glenmorgan, continue straight along the Surat Developmental Rd for approx 87km's leading into Tara.
- From Chinchilla: head south out of Chinchilla on the Tara Chinchilla Rd for approx 70km's, leading into Tara.
Tara Festival of Culture & Camel Races has camping sites at the event for tents, caravans or motorhomes. A $100 apply per site, which covers camping whether you stay 1 night or up to 5 nights (Wednesday to Sunday camping available). One vehicle per camping site and maximum 4 adults. More about camping.
Glamping Tents will not be available in 2024.
Other accommodation in Tara, listed below, always books out quickly and well before the festival.
- Commercial Hotel - 45 Day Street Tara Ph: (07) 4665 3214
- Tara Spa Apartments - 18 Milne Street Tara Ph: (07) 4669 4001 Mob: 0429 496 257
- Tara Lagoon Parklands: Camping, Caravans welcome. Unpowered sites, showers, toilets, BBQs, walkways. Adjacent to the Tara Lagoon and next door to the festival grounds. No bookings are possible and site fees are collected by a visiting caretaker daily.
Day parking is available inside the gates, all within easy walking distance to the festival grounds.
There will be an ATM facility available on-site at the festival and EFTPOS at the festival gate.
The withdrawal of funds in Tara is limited to the following facilities:
- Commercial Hotel, 35 Day Street Tara (ATM, EFTPOS)
- Tara Foodworks (EFTPOS withdrawal)
- Tara Post Office, Fry Street Tara (Commonwealth Bank Agent)
The majority of businesses operate EFTPOS in Tara.
The festival grounds will officially open from 5:00pm Friday 2 August 2024.
Access to the festival grounds before this is STRICTLY RESTRICTED to those persons involved in the setting up of the festival to ensure your health and safety.
Festival Ground opening hours:
Friday 2 August: 5 - 10pm.
Saturday 3 August: 8am-midnight.
Sunday 4 August: 8am - 3pm.
The Tara Festival of Culture & Camel Races has a multitude of various Aussie, country and cultural cuisine for you to experience.
All food vendors inside the festival grounds will operate during festival hours, from 5pm Friday night and throughout the weekend.
Alternatively, Tara Foodworks is well stocked and offers a wide variety of groceries.
Other Venues:
- Tara Cafe, 25 Day Street Tara Ph: (07) 4665 3152
- Woolshed Bakery 38 Day Street Tara Ph: (07) 4669 4400
- Commercial Hotel Tara, 35 Day Street Tara Ph: (07) 4665 3214
- Tara Bowls Club, Bilton Street Tara Ph: (07) 4665 3329
There are water taps located around the campgrounds, with potable water available for festival campers to refill from. No hooking up is possible at the campgrounds.
Generators are permitted from 8am to 7pm within the festival camping grounds.
Dogs are not permitted inside the festival or near the racetrack.
We welcome dogs into the campgrounds, but they must be polite and restrained at all times. All pets must be left at your campsite whilst you attend the festival.
Unless your pet happens to be a camel, it's really important you keep them well away from the racetrack - it's for the safety of our camels, jockeys and your pets too.
We will ask people who bring dogs into the Festival Area to return to the Campgrounds immediately. Certified Assistance Dogs are of course exempt.
Campers are permitted to have a campfire in a suitable above-ground fire pit or bucket (self-contained fire container) on their campsites ONLY. No fires are to be lit on the ground. ALL campers are to ensure that all coals, remaining wood, ash and debris are taken to the ash collection point at the campground entrance as you are leaving. Fire debris is to be clear of glass and tins.
Firewood and fire lighting kits will be available for purchase at the front entrance from Wednesday 31 July 2024.
Please note we do not have dump points inside the festival camping site.
There is one RV dump point at the Tara Lagoon Parklands, adjacent to the festival entry gate.
Due to the large number of people utilising this dump point during the festival, we suggest campers make use of a dump point before arriving in Tara.
You will find our pre-festival merchandise shop at the Tara Football Club House, located at the football oval, a short walk by the lagoon from the campgrounds.
Merchandise will be available from Wednesday morning here before relocating to the festival grounds on Friday afternoon.
Please note our merchandise shop is no longer located on the Main Street.
Please be aware of the importance of not operating drones or lasers at the festival, which would would be a risk to safe operation of our helicopter rides.
