Places to visit in and around Armidale NSW

Come and explore Armidale’s Bicentennial Arboretum, a spectacular heritage-listed space that has filled people with wonder since the 1880s. You’ll enjoy thousands of native and imported shrubs and trees, walking tracks, a sheltered playground, aquatic gardens and a waterfall.

You can follow a dedicated walking tour that weaves through 13 distinct sections of this sprawling park, each thoughtfully designed to help everyone feel a sense of inclusion and wonder.

Some of the highlights include the aromatic Senses Garden, which was originally designed as a garden for the disabled; the Aquatic Garden with push-button activated waterfall and boardwalk; the New England Flora Bed, where you’ll see plants native to the local area; and an abundance of native and imported trees throughout the space.

The Arboretum is a free public space for everyone of all ages and abilities. It is a perfect place for you to bring the family, and it’s dog-friendly too. It features picnic facilities and accessible amenities, multiple accessible entrances and lots of free parking nearby.

The beautiful, heritage-listed Armidale Central Park is located right in the heart of Armidale’s CBD, just a short walk from shops and cafes, with stunning views of the nearby St Peter’s Cathedral and Saints Mary & Joseph Cathedral.

This is a place to immerse yourself in the unique heritage buildings and stunning landscaped gardens. It’s an outstanding example of a High Victorian formal park, where people enjoy getting together with friends and family or attending events or performances.

You can visit the Boer War Memorial Band rotunda, which opened in 1902, or discover how the park was redesigned in 1922 to include the World War I Memorial. This is a special place for the community to gather every year for Rememberance and Dawn services.

Spanning 2 hectares, the park also features one of the finest collections of conifers in regional NSW and an unusual collection of nationally rare trees. With lots of shade throughout, you’ll always find respite from the hot Armidale sun in the warmer months.

Central Park is a free public space that locals and visitors can easily access all year round. It includes picnic benches, shelters and public bathrooms.

Take a stroll along Beardy Street Mall through the centre of Armidale CBD to take in all that Armidale has to offer. Since it opened in the early 1970s – as the first pedestrian mall in Australia – Beardy Street Mall has evolved into a cultural strip at the heart of the city.

Easily accessible for all, the mall features various shops and cafes where you can dine outdoors and admire Armidale’s historic architecture. This includes Tattersalls Hotel, the former Armidale Courthouse, Armidale Post Office, the former Commonwealth Bank Building as well as the New England and Imperial hotels.

And just a short walk away, you can see the magnificent cathedrals and other heritage buildings dating from the 1860s.

You’ll enjoy taking a break at one of the many places to stop and rest along the mall, and car parking is available nearby.

Curtis Park is a popular spot for the whole community and visitors to Armidale.

You’ll enjoy the variety of this fantastic open space, from the regular Farmers’ Markets and multiple play areas with equipment for all abilities, to a creekside track for a wander or a cycle, or BBQs and undercover seating and tables where you can get together with family and friends.

The opening of a new super playground and picnic area in 2020 has drawn many young kids who love the trampolines, a sky tower and multi-sensory equipment.

The park is in a prime position, a short easy walk from Armidale’s shops and cafes with lots of free parking available for both cars and caravans.

Come and enjoy this family and dog-friendly park – and with picnic facilities and accessible amenities, you can stay a while.

Visit the New England Regional Art Museum to view a diverse collection of more than 5,000 works of historical, modern and contemporary art.

The museum opened in the early 1980s as a gallery for the Howard Hinton Collection, which included close to 1,400 donated art works. Since then, the museum has expanded to 6 gallery spaces, the Museum of Printing, an artists’ studio, conference facilities, a shop and café.

You’ll be able to take in the beauty of 3 important collections of Australian art – a comprehensive overview of Australian art history that is unmatched in regional Australia. The collections include significant works by Australian and international artists such as Streeton, Roberts, Gruner, Preston, Whitely, Gleeson, Tuckson and Christo, among many others.

Car parking is available at the museum, and you can also get there easily by bus. Entry is by donation and the museum is open Tuesday to Sunday 10am to 4pm.

When you walk along the scenic Armidale Biodiversity Walk along Dumaresq Creek, you’ll get to experience some of New England’s wonderful local plants.

This beautiful public space was created by the community for the community. Many passionate volunteers and sponsors came together to plant native species along the creek – now, you get to see a lovely urban creekside area where the plantings have increased the health, biodiversity and beauty of area.

You can explore 13 unique showcase sites along the track, each of which features a variety of native trees, grasslands and plants. You might even spy a Glossy Black Cockatoo flying among the She-Oaks.

The Armidale Biodiversity Walk is free for everyone of all ages and abilities to enjoy, whether you’re walking or cycling. The Armidale Visitor Information Centre is a good place to start. It is a family and dog-friendly space with picnic facilities and accessible amenities along the route.

Take the self-guided Heritage Walk through Armidale to enjoy an historical journey past many of the city’s stunning architectural landmarks.

You’ll be amazed by the striking St Peter’s Anglican and Saints Mary & Joseph Catholic cathedrals, some of the earliest buildings constructed by European settlers in the 19th century.

Other notable structures dotted along the walk include the post office, state bank, the former courthouse and the Armidale Folk Museum.

In Hannas Arcade you will find a magnificent stained-glass window depicting life in Armidale. The walk also allows you to explore historic Central Park and discover local boutiques and coffee shops along the way.

You’ll need around 2 hours to complete the Heritage Walk – or you may want to take your time, given the walk passes picnic facilities and accessible amenities.

Collect your copy of the self-guided walk from Armidale Visitor Information Centre, open every day.

Just 21 km south east of Armidale, venture off the Dangarsleigh Road to discover Dangars Gorge, home to the beautiful 120 m Dangars Falls.

While Dangars Gorge is a relatively small gorge, it is spectacular. The cliffs drop away steeply on all sides to reveal breathtaking views that include the Pinnacles (rock formations) on a ridge, viewed to the left of Dangars Falls.

You can use this as a starting point for 3 short, easy walks that begin from the car park. You’ll need around an hour to complete all 3 walks.

While walking, keep your eye out for the many rare and threatened plants and animals that seek refuge in this habitat, including the endangered Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby, echidnas, Eastern Grey Kangaroos and several species of possums and gliders.

Look skyward, where Forest Raven and Wedge-tailed Eagles commonly soar in the gorge thermals, or to the trap-rock sides of the gorge, where Peregrine Falcons are known to build their nests.

You might also see the male lyrebird mounds beside the track to McDirty’s Lookout.

Dangars Gorge is an ideal place for short or long walks, and for picnicking and camping. Entry is free, with accessible amenities available on site.

Visit the Armidale and Region Aboriginal Cultural Centre and Keeping Place to view a diverse range of Aboriginal arts and culture.

The centre is operated by an all-Aboriginal Board of Custodians and management team. Their mission is to develop, promote and preserve Aboriginal arts, culture and heritage, and represents the diversity of Armidale’s Aboriginal population and that of the broader Northern Tablelands.

The centre opened in 1988 as a place of cultural awareness and cross-cultural learning, that preserves cultural history and advances cultural excellence. A second gallery opened in 2019.

You’ll be able to view articles of interest from across the New England region and exhibits from regional NSW. You might also see a variety of touring exhibitions from major galleries and museums.

You can also enter the musical section, take the kids to the interactive corner, view the local heroes display, or take a wander along a bush tucker walk. The centre also features a cinema and archaeological section.

Visit the centre 6 days a week between 9am to 4pm Mondays to Fridays and 10am to 2pm on Saturdays (excluding public holidays). Entry is free.

Just 9 km from Armidale, Saumarez Heritage Gardens are located on the grounds that surround a magnificent Edwardian mansion.

Over 2 ha, these heritage-listed gardens were created at the turn of the 19th century. You can wander through 9 distinct areas.

You’ll be able to take in the Heritage Rose Garden which, when complete, will include more than 600 roses representing each of the major rose cultivar groups, mostly bred before 1930. You might also enjoy the Saumarez Garden, an extension of the mansion that provided spaces for leisure and entertainment for the families living in the home.

Get an idea of how people worked in the past by visiting the outbuildings, complete with 19th century tools and equipment.

You’ll need at least half a day to visit this extensive property. Saumarez is a family and pet-friendly space with picnic facilities and public amenities. It’s open every day from 10am – 4pm.

Entry is $8 for adults, $6 concession and $20 for a family $20. Children under 5 and National Trust members enjoy free entry.