'Best coffee outside of Italy?': our small NSW town with the Goliath claim

Nathan Bastion, The Hub General Store's barista at 19 Coach Street, said the medium roast coffee imported from Guatemala is a hit with those travelling to and through the quaint town.

"That's a big attraction and that gets a lot of people in to try the coffee itself," Mr Bastion said of the famous signs.

"Barely any of them are disappointed and a lot of people walk out satisfied. So it certainly lives up to its name."

Eugene Mills and his good friend Dave Widdows are among many locals who meet up regularly at the Wallabadah Hotel for a drink and a hot pub meal.

"The Hub does very well. There's always people there, and the amount of people stopping there during the Tamworth Country Music Festival has been unreal," Mr Mills said.

Mr Mills said he remembers when The Hub was the town's General Store and items such as school shoes, shovels, darning needles "anything" could be bought there.

Disappointingly for the town, Mr Mills said, the Wallabadah Racecourse - which was built in 1852, was closed by Racing NSW in 2021 due to the track being deemed too dangerous.

"The Wallabadah Cup, held on New Year's Day... it's older than the Melbourne Cup," Mr Mills said of the town's annual tradition to attend.

"But I sort of agree, it took a special kind of jockey to ... put it this way, I wouldn't want to ride on it."

The most recent shop, Hugh Bloore Saddlery, opened only a few weeks ago but the town itself has a history that extends back to the 1830s when it was named after Wallabadah Station.

But it is the First Fleet Memorial Garden, opened in 2005, that sits on the Quirindi Creek, that attracts tourists pitching a tent or parking a caravan in the adjoining camp grounds.

Angela Dunn from Tasmania had stopped to rest for the night with her husband and two of their friends, before she spotted her ancestor's name engraved in the garden.

"He came in on the first fleet and his name is James Davy. I didn't realise until we went over and had a look and saw all the information. So, it's pretty special over there," Mrs Dunn said.

And Brisbane-based Ted McLean was also onsite with nine of his friends in four Recreational Vehicles (RVs) after visiting the Parkes' Elvis Festival in NSW Central West.

"We quite often stay here because it's nice and handy between Sydney and Brisbane for getting home as an overnight stop. And the pub's really good for meals," Mr McLean said.

Wallabadah is located about 55 kilometres south of Tamworth and about 350km north of Sydney, and has a population of about 350. Any day is a great day to stop by for a hearty pub meal in the Wallabadah hotel for a warm welcome among the locals.