About

The Tamworth Regional Skywalk is an exciting project which is expected to become an iconic tourist attraction for the Tamworth region, as well as protect the safety of local recreational walkers.

An elevated walking platform will be constructed from the top of Brisbane Street within Victoria Park up to the top of the Oxley Scenic Lookout, giving people the chance to enjoy the natural bushland of Victoria Park and its commanding views toward the Liverpool Ranges.

This project aligns with the Tamworth Regional Active Transport Strategy which aims to improve our participation in unstructured recreational activity and the associated benefits for the individual and the community. A core strategy of Council’s Blueprint 100 is also to make our region more liveable by providing improved social, cultural and physical amenities.

Why is this project important?

Scenic Road is currently used frequently by pedestrians wanting to access Oxley Lookout but poses a serious safety issue due to pedestrians sharing the narrow road with cars, and the sharp corners mean vehicles have poor lines of sight.

The skywalk will provide a safer alternate option and greatly increase usage by families, keen exercisers and those visiting the region.

This project was first earmarked during the community consultation in May 2021 for the development of the Victoria Park Master Plan. Residents felt that a safer pedestrian link to the lookout was an important consideration.

Accessibility wins

It has been a priority for the delivery of the Tamworth Regional Skywalk to maximise its accessibility for use for people of all ages and a wide range of abilities.

The preliminary design includes more than 40 per cent of the structure to be accessibility compliant under Australian Standards and 85 per cent of the structure providing ramped access.

This has been achieved by concentrating the stairs in the middle of the structure.

What this means for future users is that from the Endeavour Drive carpark up to the bottom viewing area and then from the Oxley Scenic Lookout down to the top viewing area the Skywalk will be accessible compliant for use by people with prams, or those who are less mobile or use a wheelchair.

To be a little technical, the design uses grades no steeper than 1:14 plus there are landings every nine metres and tactile markers. Further on from these viewing areas, prams, or those who are less mobile or use a wheelchair will be able to access larger lengths of the Skywalk with assistance.

While the concept for the Skywalk grew from the need for a safer pedestrian link to Oxley Lookout, it’s a real win to know the design we have means it will be able to used by people of all ages with a wide range of abilities.

We expect it will be one of the most accessible elevated walking platforms in Australia.

Funding success

On 3 March 2023, the NSW Government announced that the skywalk had been the recipient of $14.3 million in funding from the NSW Government’s Regional Tourism Activation Fund.

Tamworth Region Mayor Russell Webb joined Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson alongside several Council staff at the Oxley Scenic Lookout to make the announcement.