Liverpool Plains sunflowers: Visitor Information Centre runs competition to have sunflowers planted in every street

A new competition aimed to bring tourists to town with a burst of bright yellow sunflowers across the shire during the now cancelled Tamworth Country Music Festival 2021.

Festival or not, at least 300 bags filled with sunflower seeds will be handed out across the community, Liverpool Plains Visitor Information Centre manager Nikki Robertson said.

"We want the streets to be lined with sunflowers, we think everyone needs a bit of cheer at the moment," she said.

"It grew out of an idea I had in the back of my mind for a while, I was contacted by a local resident who said she wanted to do something with sunflowers in the area and it just grew from there."

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There has already been a trial run with sunflower seeds handed out in one street in Quirindi, a few months later at least five gardens and the local high school were blooming.

The seeds will be available for free from a number of outlets, and the hope is that by mid-January the streets will be lined with them.

The gardens will be judged and prizes will be awarded for the biggest sunflower, the most sunflowers in bloom, the best yellow garden with sunflowers and people's choice.

The flowers need to be planted where people can see them without entering their properties, so they can be enjoyed on a drive, Ms Robertson said.

"We want people to be creative," she said. Prizes will be awarded on Australia Day.