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Less than two hours drive
from Armidale along sealed roads is the spectacular
gorge country of the
New England National Park. Included in the
World Heritage List it offers views of magnificent
unspoilt wilderness as far as the eye can see.
The
Oxley Wild Rivers National Park (only 20
minutes drive), with its breathtaking panoramas,
is home to rare and endangered plant species,
as well as an extensive variety of other plant,
bird and animal life. Both cater for easy walks
to spectacular lookouts as well as providing
more testing treks. At Dangars Lagoon, a wetland
reserve close to
Uralla, water birds can be viewed from a
hide. The vast, secluded
Guy Fawkes National Park offers the sights and sounds of the Ebor Falls, grey kangaroos, wallaroos, wallabies and potoroos.
Cathedral Rock National Park and the
Dorrigo National Park are located in rugged but romantic country and offer a range of walks from 15 minute strolls to endurance expeditions
that can take 2 or 3 days. A 200 kilometre drive along Waterfall Way from Armidale to the sunlit beaches at the coast provides a unique opportunity
for viewing scenery ranging from mountain rainforests to coastal dunes in all their natural splendour.
More information on
National Parks
Aboriginal Sites
Armidale has been home
to the Anaiwan aboriginal people for some 10,000
years. It was also a meeting place for the Dangaddi
(Thungutti), Gumbainggari and Baanbai
tribes and an aboriginal painting site can be
viewed on the slopes of Mount Yarrowyck 30 kilometres
west of Armidale. The Aboriginal Cultural Centre
and Keeping Place houses a collection of artefacts
that are the envy of other country regions as
well as archival photographs and displays which
open the visitor's eyes to the lifestyles, history,
art and lore of the original Australians.
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