Armidale flights and travel guide

Armidale is one the two principal towns in the New England region of New South Wales, the other is Tamworth. Where Tamworth is the centre of the country music industry in Australia, Armidale's charms are more historic. It's a cathedral and university city, home to the University of New England, with fine, heritage buildings (not least Booloominbah, the Victorian mansion around which the university is built), a bustling rural centre and some jaw-droppingly beautiful surrounds.

Armidale itself has a lively pedestrian mall, which stretches across three blocks of Beardy Street. Cafes, restaurants, pubs and shops cater to students and residents, and there are plenty of historic sights including the noted Art Deco building Tattersalls Hotel, Armidale Courthouse, the Post Office, the New England Hotel and the former Commonwealth Bank. The New England Regional Art Museum on Kentucky Street has the Hinton Collection, 1,200 pieces of art that has been described as the only complete collection of Australian art in the country.

This New England region, in the north-eastern corner of the state, takes in the Northern Tablelands. Near Armidale, there are several World-Heritage listed national parks such as New England National Park and Oxley Wild Rivers National Park (which includes Wollomombi Gorge, Gara Gorge, Dangars Gorge, Tia Falls, Apsley Gorge, Mount Yarrowyck and Budds Mare), reserves and conservation areas. It's just a two-hour drive to the coast - Coffs Harbour via Waterfall Way.

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Armidale climate

Armidale has a cool temperate climate with four distinct seasons. Humidity is not a problem, thanks to Armidale's latitude, and most of the rain falls in summer.Winters are cold, dry, and windy (the Westerlies blow at this time). There is some snowfall and temperatures are in the 0-16 degree range. Summers are hot (temperatures can hit 30 degrees, but rarely exceed 35 degrees). Heavy rain showers in the afternoon and evening help to cool things down.Spring and autumn are the best times to take cheap flights to Armidale. Between September and November the plants burst into life and temperatures are mild even though the weather is unpredictable. The autumn months (March and April in particular) are a popular time to visit to take in the colours of the foliage. Foggy mornings give way to dry, sunny days.

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When to fly to Armidale

Peak Season: 

May and October are busy months in Armidale due to the University of New England Graduation period. May is a busy month for festivals. The Wool Expo and New England Bach Festival (biennial) take place in May. New England Graze is part of the Wool Expo. The Armidale Women’s Comedy Festival takes place in October and, nearby, the Walcha Bushman's Carnival and Campdraft takes place in January. The Autumn Festival is a popular annual event in April. Autumn is a popular time to take cheap flights to Armidale to admire the foliage. Autumn and spring are best times to visit Armidale. The trout season starts on the Saturday before the Labour day holiday (October) and ends on the Monday of the Queens birthday weekend (June). 

Off Season: 

The winter months are, in general, the low season.

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Getting into town Armidale

Car hire is available at Armidale Airport. Taxis are also available.

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Getting around Armidale

The centre of Armidale is best enjoyed on foot. There are bicycle lanes - and lots of great biking trails - if you would like to power your own way. There is a bus service (Edwards) which travels between the town centre and the university, but by far the best way of seeing Armidale and the countryside is by car.

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Armidale insider information

• The Armidale Visitor Centre offers a free Heritage Bus Tour. It departs daily (except for Christmas Day) at 10am and returns at 12.30pm, in time for lunch.
• The outdoor pool on Dumaresq Street is heated between October and March. 
• Within an hour's drive of Armidale, there are some great fishing spots. Catches are Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Murray Cod, Golden Pearch, Catfish, Redfin and Black Bream. Fishing licences are available from any NSW Fisheries Inland Office or various stores around Armidale. 
• Gara Gorge is just 16km from Armidale and is a noted swimming hole and popular place to barbecue and picnic.

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Armidale airports

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