University of New England grounds

Armidale Post Office

Hanna's Arcade

Lindsay House

Platypus Walk, New England National Park

Upper Ebor Falls

Old blacksmith's shop, Hillgrove

Armidale, with its unique blend of culture, state of the art technology, educational diversity and natural beauty, is situated on the New England Tablelands half way between Sydney and Brisbane and only two hours from the coast along the scenic touring route Waterfall Way. Resting high on the Northern Tablelands, it is the most cosmopolitan NSW city outside Sydney catering for 25,000 citizens from 53 different nationalities.

Where is it?: New South Wales: New England. 566 km north of Sydney, 464 km southy of Brisbane, on the New England Highway. Armidale has a daily XPT train service from Sydney via the Hunter Valley.

Things to see and do:

Armidale is very much a city of churches, and there are many fine examples in town. St Peters and St Marys are both Cathedrals.

Lookouts: The Apex Lookout on a ridge overlooking the city (3km north) has panoramic views, as does Big Hill lookout on Kempsey Road.

Events: The Australian Wool Fashion Awards, which showcases the use of Merino wool by fashion designers, are hosted by Armidale in March each year. The Autumn Festival is a popular annual event of April in Armidale. The festival features a street parade, stalls and celebrations throughout the city. It is a regular part of the city's attractions, often promoting Armidale's diverse culture (for instance, posters set up by council attempt to attract tourists with the motto "Foodies Thrive In Armidale") and autumn colours. During May the annual New England Wool Expo is staged to display wool fashions, handicrafts, demonstrations, shearing competitions, yard dog trials and demonstrations, a wool bale rolling competition and other activities.

Surrounding area:

Armidale is surrounded by national Parks, which are known for their walking trails and waterfalls. Running between Armidale and Coffs Harbour on the New South Wales, The Waterfall Way is a 200 kilometre drive which takes in many of the national parks and the waterfalls in them. This drive, and many others into the national parks, makes Armidale a good base from which to go exploring.

Hillgrove (26 km east) is an old mining settlement (gold and tungsten) with some early buildings still intact. At its peak in about 1898, the town's population was close to 3,000, similar to that of Armidale. The post office and school are the only substantial buildings which remain. The school buildings (1897) are now used to house the Hillgrove Rural Life and Industry Museum, giving the visitor a view into the rich heritage of the past. Hillgrove Goldmining Area and also the Antimony Mine on Stockton Rd, Hillgrove have been placed on the Register of the National Estate.

Oaky River Hydro Electric Scheme (16 kms east) was Australia's first Hydro-Electric scheme. Situated in Gara Gorge, the site around the relics is a great spot for picnics.

Cathedral Rock (80 kms east) has360 degree views from the top of the rock, and is definitely well worth the climb.

New England National Park (85kms east) is my favourite national park in the region. This heritage listed 29985 ha park is a haven for bushwalkers and siteseers that offers majestic views to the coast and good walking.  

About Armidale

Armidale prides itself on education with the University of New England, three private schools, two Catholic schools, two public high schools, six state primary schools, a Steiner school and several pre-schools and day care centres. 

Climate: The presence of four distinct seasons, unlike most of the rest of Australia, is the reason for the "New England" moniker and the autumn colours are a notable feature of the city. Armidale enjoys a warm summer, tones of amber during the autumn, a crisp winter and an exhilarating spring. At 980 metres above sea level, the air is clear and clean. Temperatures range from 0–10 in winter, 10-30 in the summer months. These conditions make it a pleasant climate for the most beautiful spring gardens; spectacular autumn colours line the city’s streets around March and April.

History: John Oxley was the first European to cross the area in 1818. Commissioner MacDonald named the town Armidale after the MacDonald family seat on the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Prior to white settlement, the Anaiwan Aboriginal people occupied the Armidale district. Enjoy the history of the Anaiwan tribe by visiting the Aboriginal Cultural Centre located next to the New England Regional Art Museum in Kentucky Street.
Armidale was gazetted a town in 1849. During the late 1800s the opening of the railway and the discovery of gold at nearby Hillgrove saw many of Armidale fine churches, cathedrals, hotels and private homes established. The New England Regional Art Museum houses some of Australia’s finest art collections, including those of Howard Hinton and Chandler Coventry.

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