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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.
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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