![The TJM Tamworth team, Ben West, Craig Hartigan and Chris Leahy busy setting up for the expo on Friday, June 28. Picture by Gareth Gardner The TJM Tamworth team, Ben West, Craig Hartigan and Chris Leahy busy setting up for the expo on Friday, June 28. Picture by Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/217877264/96248c49-1336-465c-bdad-33ab5b86c2a9.jpg/r0_0_7874_5057_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Tamworth residents with a sense of adventure and love of the outdoors need travel no further than the AELEC this weekend to seek expert advice and see the latest gear.
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Tamworth is hosting its first New England Outdoor Adventure Expo, and, depending on the weather, organisers expect between 7000 and 8000 people through the gates.
Managing director of expo organiser Altitude Events, Susie Biffin, said Tamworth provided an ideal location for the event, being staged across Saturday and Sunday, June 29 and 30.
"Tamworth is a major hub for the North West Slopes and Plains region, servicing areas to the west, such as Moree and Narrabri," she said.
"Tamworth is also pretty much half way between Sydney and Brisbane which makes it easy to entice our exhibitors to come - it's a pretty good run for them being halfway so we have dealers coming from Queensland as well as from across NSW.
"This gives us good product variety."
Mrs Biffin said just over 70 exhibitors, carrying multiple brands, were booked in for the expo.
"As far as product is concerned, there will be quite a bit on display," she said.
"Caravan companies will be bringing a number of different caravan bands, and we'll have more than 80 vans on display during the weekend."
Mrs Biffin said the expo was designed for new and experienced caravanners.
"We cater for both: there will be plenty to see if you are looking to get into the sector, but for the more experienced there will be a wide range of accessories to tempt them as well," she said.
"We'll also have a 4WD track, ARB, TJM, and Eagle Power Sports, so it's not just caravanning - there is also a focus on 4WDs and e-bikes."
Mrs Biffin hopes this will be the first of many future expos in Tamworth.
"We're trying to cater for a wide variety of people, and will seek to build on this year's event," she said.
"There will be plenty of variety for all the family: from jumping castles for the kids and food to camp oven cooking demonstrations, along with 4WD demonstrations, fishing shows and freestyle action sports."
Altitude Events has run outdoor expos for the past seven years, with similar expos staged at Coffs Harbour, Orange and Queanbeyan.
"I've worked in this industry for a while now and we tailor our expos to what the public has been been asking for," she said.
"Ultimately we'd like to see the Tamworth expo expand to include more adventure stuff, including different water craft and hunting gear."
The New England Outdoor Adventure Expo will be staged in the sealed truck parking area at AELEC, open from 9am to 40pm both days.
Tickets are available at the gate. Sixteen years and over $15. Children under 16 are free.