Must do
Fast facts
- Rolling hills on high tablelands of the Great Dividing Range
- Famous as a university city and gateway to World Heritage national parks
- Seven hours’ drive north-west of Sydney
Why go there
Armidale is a city of culture and learning, with a wonderful heritage precinct, two impressive cathedrals and great shopping. The two closest national parks are excellent for bushwalking and other outdoor pursuits, and New England National Park is World Heritage-listed.
Guyra, the highest town in the New England Tablelands, has a freshwater wetland inside a volcanic crater, a breeding ground for waterbirds.
Things to do
- Go birdwatching at the high-country wetland, the Mother of Ducks Lagoon.
- Visit the grave of bushranger Frederick Ward, also known as Captain Thunderbolt, at Uralla.
- Walk to Wollomombi Falls, the second highest vertical drop in Australia.
- Explore New England National Park, which is World Heritage-listed.
- Join the free, daily heritage tours of Armidale, departing from Armidale Visitors Centre.
- Discover the wild beauty of Oxley Wild Rivers, Cathedral Rocks and Werrikimbe national parks.
Don’t miss
- New England Regional Art Museum, which has arguably the best collection of any regional gallery in Australia.
- A guided tour of Saumarez Homestead, a grazing property with 20 buildings dating from the 1860s.
Events
- New England Bach Festival, Armidale, in May.
- Wool Expo, Armidale, in May.
- Armidale Women’s Comedy Festival, Armidale, in October.
- Walcha Bushmans Carnival and Campdraft, Walcha, in January.
