We’ve only ever really driven through Armidale on the way up the New England Highway – other that perhaps me having a couple of work meetings in days well and truly passed by. It had always looked an interesting and busy place, with the University bringing in a younger mix of people. We were looking forward to getting to know this interesting town.
Getting There
We were in Armidale on the 24 to 27 December 2021
Tamworth > Armidale (111kms)
Kerry’s snippets in fuchsia
History
I found it very difficult to get information on the history of First Nations people in the Armidale area. Here is what I got.
For thousands of years the Anaiwan First Nations people hunted and gathered on the tablelands around Armidale. But the Gumbaynggirr people and others also claim this area as part of their traditional lands, on which they lived as hunters and gatherers.
During summer to autumn, First Nations groups would camp around the tablelands, but they would travel to coastal regions or the western river systems for winter. Dangars Gorge was a meeting place and boundary between several First Nations ancestorial groups.
With British arrival and pastoral expansions, the Anaiwan people were dispossessed of their lands. The changing structural conditions later led to some Anaiwan people living at the local rubbish dump, in very squalid conditions. A place that they called “Dark Town”. Apparently this is the start of many awful stories. However, many other First Nations people learnt English and began working on New England pastoral stations, which led to the decline of the Anaiwan dialect.
In 1818, English explorer John Oxley ascended the ranges on horseback and camped for a while near Apsley Falls. He noted the ‘parkland’ he found on the plateau in his diary. The march of British pioneers that followed changed the region forever.
With the release of vast pastoral leases in the 1830s, squatters arrived and townships sprouted. Armidale was officially declared a town in 1846. A few years later, the arrival of the railway and discovery of gold at Rocky River and Hillgrove heralded a population and building boom.
It was a prosperous few decades and Armidale’s heritage architecture, in particular, reflects the grand ambitions of those late 19th-century settlers. The Anglican and Catholic cathedrals were among the earliest buildings to grace the centre of town, along with the stately post office, state bank and courthouse, all still in use today.
To read more on the British history of the area, click here.
Day 1 – Friday 24 December – To Armidale
It was a bright and sunny day and we got away by about 8.30 for the very short drive to Armidale. We were soon tackling Moombi Hills 1 & 2, which took us up to the plateau. No problems at all for the car and van, which seem to be very well balanced.
It was a really nice drive up the range and it did not take long to be close to Armidale. The lady from the van park rang us to say that, so as to keep Covid safe, there would be an envelope at the office door with all we needed to know. We had been allocated a drive through site but if we did not like that we could choose any other. It was good to get the call as we had been wondering about arriving so early.
When we got to the Highlander Van Village, we saw that the drive through sites are rather narrow. Despite my reservations that the site was the drainage line for all the areas above us, we took the site allocated. The site was so narrow that when we attached the side private screen it fell parallel to the side of the van and had to be attached at ground level. Made for a very gloomy sit-out area as there were vans on either side of us. Far from ideal. The facilities were ok but few and dated. The camp kitchen was very good as was the smaller version in the middle of the park.
That evening a man went around to all sites and encouraged us to go up to the kitchen for a BYO Christmas Eve drink. Lots of food provided. There were about 20 of us there and we had a really good and fun night. Some lovely people there we chatted to.
Day 2 – Saturday 25 December – town heritage walk
Christmas Day was fine but cool. We had not much planned as nothing would be open.
In the morning we went into town to do the heritage walk. It seemed a perfect day for it – no traffic, no people, no trucks blocking a perfect photo. It was a great walk showing the magnificent buildings that give Armidale such a great heritage reputation.
There are too many photos related to this to include in this post. So to look at these magnificent buildings, click here.
After the walk around, we drove out to see the St Patricks Orphanage – what a magnificent building – now a private home. The orphanage was run by the Sisters of Mercy from 1919 to 1983. By 1924 there were 120 children the home. It closed in 1984 with the remaining children transferred to 2 cottages in town. The building stood derelict for some years but is now an opulent apartment block.
We then went to see the fabulous Booloominbah – a late Victorian mansion situated at the University of New England. It is regarded as one of the most avant-garde designs of the 19th century. The first plans were completed in 1882 or early 1883 but the owners did not move in until 1888 due to the extensive nature of the interior decorations.
As well as being large, it is also extravagant in decoration, in particular, the use of stained glass. The building has several stained glass windows including the Gordon Window above the main staircase, installed about 1901, which commemorates the life and death of Charles George Gordon of Khartoum, who was beheaded in 1885 by the forces of Muhammad Ahmad.
Recent refurbishment has restored much of the original decoration. The building has National Trust classification, as well as being listed on the Register of the National Estate.
I tried to look through from the front door to see the stained glass but could only see a small corner of it. But I did get to look into a couple of rooms which looked fabulous. The staircase looks magnificent.
Photos from the heritage walk are here.
Back at the van park we had a very simple lunch – a couple of big handfuls of prawns and fresh bread – at least it was yesterday – and a good bottle of prosecco. It was an excellent way spend our Christmas day.
I was going to cook turkey and vegetables for dinner, but we were both still feeling so full after all the prawns, we just had toasted sandwiches instead.
Day 3 – Sunday 26 December – Dangers Falls, Gostwyck, Uralla
It was a good day weather wise, and we were doing Tourist Drive #19 – to Dangers Gorge in the Oxley Wild Rivers NP, Gostwyck and Uralla.
It was a brilliant day and we ended up with far too many photos to include in this post. So to look at how our day panned out, click here. Photos are here.
Day 4 – Monday 27 December – Gara, Wollomombi, Bakers Falls
Another good weather day although a tad cool, and rain threatening later.
Today we are going to do the very top section of The Waterfall Way – travelling east as far as Wollomombi. We have travelled the middle and lower sections before but never these top level waterfalls
It was a another brilliant day and we ended up with far too many photos to include in this post. If you would like to see the story of our day, click here. Photos are here.
The turkey dinner worked out really well – we had purchased pre-cooked turkey in a thick slab, so I wrapped it up in foil, shoved some potatoes in the electric frypan (we don’t have an oven), then added the turkey on a trivet and it all cooked beautifully. Steamed veggies to accompany finished it off nicely.
To look at general photos from this post, click here.
To look at our video of Dangars Falls, click here.
To look at our video of other gorges & falls of Armidale, click here