New England NSW - Armidale

About the New England Area Around Armidale

The New England Tableland starts to ascend approximately 25 km north east of Tamworth up the steep section of the New England Highway known as the Moonbi Hills. The Tableland has an elevation of between approximately 1000 m at the towns of Walcha and Armidale to 1400m just north of Guyra (the highest town in Australia). Other major towns as you drive north include Uralla, Glen Innes and Tenterfield, all close to the 1000 m elevation mark.

The elevation means summers are not too hot compared to the coast and further west, (rarely over 32°C) but winters are cold with occasional snowfalls and many frosty mornings. Winter minimums can go as low as -10°C.

Rainfall running off the Northern or New England Tablelands provides water to the catchments of many of the large north coast rivers such as the Macleay, Richmond and the mighty Clarence as well as feeder rivers to the Darling via the Gwyder and Namoi Rivers which run to the west.

The eastern edges of the Tableland provides spectacular gorges, high waterfalls and rainforests, protected not only in a string of National Parks but also with a World Heritage Listing under CERRA (Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves of Australia).

Armidale is the base of walks described in the New England NSW - Armidale section. A university (University of New England) town of approximately 20 000, it provides its community with a high standard education (It has 6 private schools, 3 of which are boarding), 2 public high schools, its own dedicated Aboriginal school (Minimbah) as well as a TAFE and the University of New England.

Its cultural heritage is diverse with an Aboriginal museum, a historical museum, NERAM, (the New England Regional Art Museum) as well as a town band, a symphony orchestra, a musical and a dramatic society and it is home to the Armidale Women's Comedy Festival. It has a cinema as well as 4 large auditoriums /theatres. Horses are not forgotten with a racetrack and a showground.

The area around Armidale is famous for its fine wool merino sheep and often wool from this area brings record prices from overseas buyers. CSIRO conducts high tech research in the wool arena, Lockheed Martin operates a satellite tracking dish about halfway between Uralla and Armidale, and it also has its own busy airport with daily services to Sydney and Brisbane as well as charter plane and helicopter businesses, so it is a 'go-ahead' country town.

Armidale is lucky to be surrounded by many national parks. Within a 2 hour drive, you have the choice of 12 different national parks, natures reserves and state forests, so it is a great base for walking.


Armidale is a 'City of the Arts'.	The Wool Expo is held in Armidale every year which includes 'sheep dog trials'.	The 'Wicklow' one of many great Armidale pubs.

Access

Armidale is approximately halfway between Armidale and Brisbane (555 km), about a 7 hour comfortable drive via the New England Highway from either Sydney or Brisbane. From Sydney, driving north through Gloucester and the scenic Thunderbolts Way, Walcha and Uralla provides another alternative route at about the same distance.

The walks described in the New England - Armidale section are between about 20 minutes and 1 hr 15 minutes drive from Armidale. More information on each individual walk can be found in the bushwalking section.

Accommodation

Accommodation in Armidale is multi-tiered with many hotels and motels, a youth hostel and 2 caravan and camping areas There are also a number of camping areas set up by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service in the parks themselves which cost approximately $3 a night per person. These are listed below. For more information on accommodation contact the Armidale Visitor and Information Centre.

Camping Areas in National Parks and State Forests

Mt Yarrowyck Nature Reserve

No accommodation available in the reserve

Oxley Wild Rivers National Park

Gara Gorge

No accommodation available in this section of the park.

Dangars Gorge

Take the Dangarsleigh Rd out of Armidale and pass through the village of Dangarsleigh. At about the 10 km mark you will come to the Dangarsleigh Memorial. Turn left here (gravel road) and you will pass through another 7 km or so of farmland until you enter the national park. The gorge is a few kilometres downhill. There is drinking water, toilets, picnic tables and BBQ's. There is a shelter shed adjacent to the gorge carpark. The camping area has 10 sites. This is a very popular spot on weekends for locals.

Long Point Section (Via Hillgrove)

Drive east along the Waterfall Way for 27 km, take the turn off to Hillgrove, and then left from the village of Hillgrove for another 22 km in a south-easterly direction. The road is unpaved from Hillgrove. Facilities include drinking water, toilets, picnic tables and BBQ's. There is also a small shelter shed here. This is a more remote area but is in a lovely, quiet forest.

Wollomombi Gorge Section

Just off the Waterfall Way, 40 km east of Armidale - the campground has 10 sites. Facilities include water, toilets, BBQ and picnic tables. There is a shelter shed in the day picnic use area. A busy spot as it is visited by many day tourists passing through on the main road, the Waterfall Way.

Cathedral Rock National Park

Barokee Campground is approximately 80 km east of Armidale along the Waterfall Way. The turnoff into the park is a few km to the left after the turnoff to New England National Park. You will drive through a cattle property and then it is about 3 km to the campground. Make sure you turn right at the sign or else you will come to a locked gate which goes up to Round Mountain

This is a beautiful campground amongst banksias and casuarinas. There are picnic tables, BBQ's and toilets. Water is available from the nearby creek, however it can run dry at times, so it is better to take in your own supply. Be careful to keep your food supply locked up as there are some very cheeky possums about.

New England National Park and the Styx River State Forest Area

There are 6 possible options for staying in this area.

You can access the Styx River via the Old Kempsey Rd which turns off the Waterfall Way approximately 45 km east of Armidale. Following a gravel road for about 25 km, you will actually cross over the Styx River until you reach a turn off to the left which follows the Forest Way all the way to the turnoff to New England National Park.

Along this road are 3 Forestry campsites:

Wattle Flat and Farewell Flat both have cleared areas, BBQ's tables and toilet, whilst Hyatts Flat has no facilities. Water is available at both places from the river.

There is a larger, flatter camping/caravanning area at the junction of Forest Way and Point Lookout Rd, on the Little Styx River. Toilets, tables and BBQ's are provided with water needing to be sourced from the river.(See alternate access below)

Travelling from Armidale to New England National Park via the Waterfall Way, the turnoff to the Park is approximately 85 km north-east of Armidale. A gravel road of approximately 9 km will put you at the junction of Forest Way and Point Lookout Rd where there is a camping spot described above. Travel another couple of km to just inside the Park boundary and the main camping area for New England National Park, Thungutti Rest Area will be reached. This is shaded and sheltered amongst beautiful trees with a shelter shed, toilet and tables. This protected area away from the exposed escarpment is very much appreciated when the weather closes in.

There are 3 basic cabins at Banksia Point within the National Park which can accommodate from 6 to 10 persons depending on the cabin. Prices vary from $40 a night to $90 a night. Phone the Dorrigo National Park Office on (02) 6657 2309 for more details and bookings. For cooler months these cabins are a real alternative and sit right on the escarpment.

For a description of the walks go to Bushwalking.