Quirindi: Art, History and Racing

Quirindi offers several ways to shape your stay: silo art, collections on regional history, railway heritage, racing and an annual festival. If you’re looking for a hotel in Quirindi, you can plan your trip around the theme that interests you most. The following places and events offer practical guidance; check event dates and details of the evening show in advance.

Silo art by day and in the evening

At the Quirindi Silo Art, Light and Sound Show, visitors can see a depiction of Yurrandaali, the tree goanna, during the day. Every evening, the show also features an immersive light and sound presentation. This brings two different aspects of the artwork into focus: the animal’s depiction during the day and the light-and-sound production in the evening. The night-time presentation may change, so check the current show details before your visit.

Regional history at the cottage and heritage village

The Quirindi Cottage and Museum is housed in a historic cottage at 44 Station Street. The building was constructed in 1887 from locally made sandstock bricks. The year it was built and the locally made materials give the cottage a direct connection to Quirindi’s architectural history. The museum’s collections focus on agriculture, hospital care and communications, as well as family histories, sporting events, military memorabilia, local government and clothing from earlier times. The collection thus covers both work and public life, and personal and community memories.

The Quirindi Rural Heritage Village takes a different approach. It was conceived with the aim of collecting, preserving, restoring, interpreting and exhibiting artefacts relating to the region’s history, heritage and culture. These different activities outline a comprehensive approach to regional heritage: the project focuses not only on collecting, but also on preserving and sharing the artefacts. By contrast, the collection areas at the Cottage and Museum set out specific subject fields. Those interested in regional history can therefore choose between collections organised by named themes and the Heritage Village’s broader remit.

Art and railway heritage

Contemporary culture is also among Quirindi’s cultural offerings. The Quirindi Library is a contemporary hub for community, art and culture; the library building also houses a public art gallery. This focus complements the historically oriented collections. Another highlight is the Quirindi station group, which is highly significant within the state rail system. Quirindi’s cultural attractions therefore range from museum collections and public art to railway heritage.

Planning for races and events

The Quirindi Jockey Club holds seven race meetings each year. These include the Quirindi Cup, the Willow Tree Cup and the Murrurundi Cup. Quirindi’s racecourse was established in 1926. The number of meetings and the cups listed give a clear overview of racing, but don’t replace planning around a specific date: race calendars can change from year to year. So check the current event calendar before travelling to a race.

The Quirindi Heritage Festival is an annual celebration of tractors and engines, steam engines, cars and motorcycles. These machines and vehicles make for a different event focus from the Jockey Club’s cup races. If you’d like to plan your trip around the festival, check the specific event dates in advance.

For an overview of the wider region: Liverpool Plains Shire Council.