Armidale

Australia

Wollomombi Falls and Chandler Falls Armidale is a small city (population 21,300) in the New England region of the Australian state of New South Wales. The picturesque city is noted for its colonial-era architecture, centres of education and culture and the nearby wilderness and gorge country.

Armidale is a place of four seasons. The winters are very cold, with snow sometimes falling in the winter months and overnight temperatures below freezing. The old English-style gardens in the area blossom in Spring, as the firs, willows and oaks in town and in the University of New England grounds sprout new leaves. In Autumn, the town celebrates the changing colours of the trees with an Autumn Festival, which includes a street parade down the main boulevards. But it is summer that is arguably the best time to visit Armidale. Due to its altitude, the town is rarely humid, and even days where the temperature reaches 35°C are tolerable.

Armidale Visitor Information Centre, 82 Marsh Street Armidale (next to Hungry Jacks Restaurant, +61 2 6772 3888. 7 days from 9AM to 5PM.

New England Regional Art Museum, 106 - 114 Kentucky St, +61 2 6772 5255. Home to the Howard Hinton collection.

Saumarez Homestead. fully furnished 30-room 1906 house

  • Stroll in Armidale's many parks and gardens.
  • Swim at the heated outdoor pool on Dumaresq Street from October to March.
  • Work out at the excellent sporting facilities at the University of New England .
  • Join the free daily heritage bus tour at 10AM from the Visitors Centre
  • Catch a movie at the Belgrave twin cinemas .
  • Feed the deer and kangaroos at the enclosure at the University.

  • The Armidale Ex-Services, 137 Dumaresq Street, +61 2 6772 1366. Monday to Thursday 10AM - 11PM; Friday & Saturday 10AM - 12 midnight; Sunday 10AM - 10PM. This club has a reasonably-priced range of meals and drinks.

The Armidale Ex-Services, 137 Dumaresq Street, +61 2 6772 1366. Monday to Thursday 10AM - 11PM; Friday & Saturday 10AM - 12 midnight; Sunday 10AM - 10PM. This club has a reasonably-priced range of meals and drinks.

Armidale perhaps enjoys a livelier nightlife than many towns of its size, due to the university student population. It has a selection of nearly 10 pubs to choose from. Each one has a nickname with the locals and students, and knowing the name on the door of the pub won't help you in conversation. Moving between two or three pubs in a night is not uncommon, and running into the same people at another pub later on happens.

New England Hotel. Blow the froth off a couple of coldies

  • Free computer and internet usage is available at the Armidale Library, Faulkner St, during opening hours. phone: (02) 6770 3636.
  • There are places in the surrounding district where mobile (cell) phones (including Next G country models) will not operate.

  • Take a spectacular Fleet Helicopters flight over the wild rivers of the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and the New England National Park with their rugged surrounds.
  • Take a drive east along the top NSW tourist drive: Waterfall Way to the old gold mining towns of Hillgrove and Metz.
  • See Wollomombi Falls (the highest in NSW) in the World Heritage-listed Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and the also World Heritage-listed New England National Park, both along Waterfall Way.
  • West Kunderang Recreational Retreat, Biston Park, Jeogla, NSW, +61 2 6778 1264. A private working cattle property on the banks of the Macleay River that is completely surrounded by the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. Offers bushwalking, canoeing, fishing, horse riding and four wheel driving within the property.
  • Barraba is 146 km west of Armidale via Thunderbolt's Way and Bundarra Road, in the heart of the Fossickers Way.

Take a spectacular Fleet Helicopters flight over the wild rivers of the [[Oxley Wild Rivers National Park]] and the New England National Park with their rugged surrounds.

Take a drive east along the top NSW tourist drive: Waterfall Way to the old gold mining towns of Hillgrove and Metz.

See Wollomombi Falls (the highest in NSW) in the World Heritage-listed Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and the also World Heritage-listed New England National Park, both along Waterfall Way.

West Kunderang Recreational Retreat, Biston Park, Jeogla, NSW, +61 2 6778 1264. A private working cattle property on the banks of the Macleay River that is completely surrounded by the [[Oxley Wild Rivers National Park]]. Offers bushwalking, canoeing, fishing, horse riding and four wheel driving within the property.