Tamworth Country Music Festival: Troy Cassar-Daley marks 20 years as green champion by urging water wisdom

That's according to country music icon and eco-warrior Troy Cassar-Daley.

The Golder Guitar winner will mark two decades as the Tamworth Country Music Festival's Sustainability Ambassador at the historic 50^th event next year.

"My next car's more than likely going to be an electric car," he said.

"We all should be looking at that."

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Mr Cassar-Daley said things have come a long way since he was an 11-year-old Peel Street busker, watching with horror the enormous mess country music fans left at the end of the 10-day festival.

But things can always be greener, or more sustainable, he said.

He particularly emphasised water conservation.

"Everyone's just had floods out there, so the last thing everyone's worried about is water sustainability," he said.

"But there will come a time when it does get dry again."

He said the message has sunk in so deeply that during an educational visit in 2018 Tamworth kids were teaching him how to conserve water in the shower.

"As long as the song Riverboy went, that was apparently as long as you were allowed to spend in the shower," he said.

"This is the kids educating me - local Tamworth kids!"

The front-man of festival sustainability said the campaign has helped divert more than 13 tonnes of recycling from landfill since it was founded in 2002.

Launching the campaign on Wednesday, he urged individuals to keep Tamworth beautiful.

"If you're coming along to Tamworth next month, please think about the environment when you're celebrating," he said.

"Remember reduce, reuse, recycle and keep our country music capital clean."

The country music star is nominated for eight Golden Guitars in 2021.

He revealed he is planning a "big old surprise" to make the 50^th festival special.

"Everyone who normally gets along to my show out there at the [Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre] on the Thursday, they always know that they don't know who's going to walk out. there's always a bucket load of surprises of artists and stuff," he said.

"I've gone out of my way to herd up some really incredible acts for my show."

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Tamworth Regional Council's Waste Sustainability Officer, Angela Dodson, said that hundreds of thousands of visitors are expected to travel to the city for the historic anniversary event.

"Over the 10 days of the festival around eight tonnes of recycling is generated, which is equivalent to more than half-a-million aluminium cans," she said.

"In January we will have general waste and recycling stations located right across the festival precinct and I urge all festival-goers to use them."

The city's water supply is healthy at the moment - but she still encouraged people to conserve both water and energy by setting air conditioning units to 25 degrees.

Tamworth Regional Council will be doing a number of giveaways throughout the festival as part of its 'Let's Celebrate Sustainability' campaign.

The festival runs from January 14 to 23.

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