One of the most romantic and colourful of Australia's frontier towns, Tenterfield is known as "The Birthplace of Our Nation" -Sir Henry Parkes delivering his famous Federation Speech in the Tenterfield School of Arts on 24th October 1889. This Speech ultimately led to the Federation of all Australian States on January 1st 1901.

Some of the well-known characters who helped to shape the town were:

* Captain Thunderbolt (alias Fred Ward), a bushranger in the area in the mid 1880s
* Local solicitor Major J.F. Thomas, noted for his defence of Harry "The Breaker" Morant
* A B "Banjo" Patterson, married local girl Alice Walker from Tenterfield Station at St Stephens Presbyterian Church in 1903
* Peter Allen, the International entertainer, was born here, grandson of "The Tenterfield Saddler", whom he immortalised in his hauntingly beautiful song

http://youtube.com/watch?v=B2-ruYYzfgY&feature=related