"Armidale - a centre for learning and gorges" Armidale by iandsmith

Armidale Travel Guide: 58 reviews and 135 photos

The gorge country - Armidale
The gorge country
Armidale and the gorge country

Situated in the middle of the New England Range Armidale has a lot to offer tourists though, until fairly recently, most people just breezed through, blissfully unaware of the attractions that lay both in the town and nearby.
Noted for its finishing schools and university that have kept the town vibrant while other rural towns have declined, it also offers some of Australia's best natural attractions, generally labelled "The Gorge Country". The Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, larger than some European countries, is a plateau that has been dramatically eroded over millions of years until today there are many places on the escarpment where you can gaze into the serene wilderness to the Macleay River catchment far below. Some of the waterfalls are among the longest drops in Australia, notably Wollomombi and Chandler.
It is an area that offers excellent bushwalking for the dedicated hiker but, for the more leisurely you can stay at one of the many farm stays in the area and perhaps go for a horse ride.
The town itself has generous plantings of deciduous trees so autumn is always a colourful time to visit.
My job allows me to spend some time in the area yet I feel I have hardly scratched the surface of what it has to offer - but I'm working on it!

The afterglow
Dieback - Armidale

Dieback

Oh, and did I mention, it's a nice place for sunsets as well......

Dangars Falls
Dangars Falls - Armidale

......Not to mention waterfalls

Pros and Cons
  • Pros:Heaps to see, great bushwalks, lots of accommodation
  • Cons:Can get cold in winter
  • In a nutshell:More than just a stop between Sydney and Brisbane
  • Last visit to Armidale: Dec 2010
  • Intro Updated Dec 2, 2010
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Reviews (44)

Panorama from the top - Armidale Reaching the top Off The Beaten Path (9)

continued - "We moved on up the climb though I sidetracked down to a streamlet that gurgled attractively enough to lure... more travel advice

End of the trail - Armidale Woolpack Rocks Off The Beaten Path (9)

To visit Woolpack Rocks you travel on the Ebor-Guyra Road before turning off onto the road to Native Dog Creek Rest... more travel advice

Details - Armidale Details Off The Beaten Path (9)

Total Height: 1392 feet 424 meters Tallest Single Drop: 852 feet 260 meters Number of Drops: 2 There's some... more travel advice

No passage here - Armidale The walk Off The Beaten Path (9)

I had lunch back at HQ and set out again, this time with a DEECS (NPWS) worker called Matt. He was going to see if the... more travel advice

Comments (5)

  • Reply
    Jim_Eliason's Profile Photo
    Dec 28, 2006 at 5:57 PM

    A great page, very detailed info!

  • Reply
    sim1's Profile Photo
    Dec 25, 2006 at 2:43 AM

    The landscape here is so fascinating!!! Every time I read one of these pages of yours, you make me want to jump on a plane to see it with my own eyes! For me this landscape looks so unreal and beautiful! Thanks Ian for sharing it here on VT :-)

  • Reply
    deecat's Profile Photo
    Dec 11, 2004 at 10:43 AM

    Captivating architecture of the home you photographed. I admire your insight into the "spirit" of each small place you visit. Such vibrant colors, even if they are from the 1980's!

  • Reply
    unravelau's Profile Photo
    Dec 5, 2004 at 12:58 PM

    Armidale colours are fantastic.....I can support the claim having stayed so many times at the University there....and yes.....snowed once too. From there to Tamworth gives a lovelier display in Autumn though I think. Great page Ian, thank you.

  • Reply
    matcrazy1's Profile Photo
    Aug 26, 2004 at 3:51 PM

    Wonderful colours ff autumn there!

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