Armidale

Coordinates: 30°30′S 151°39′E / 30.500°S 151.650°E / -30.500; 151.650
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Armidale
Federal division(s)
New England
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall
19.3 °C
67 °F
7.3 °C
45 °F
811.4 mm
31.9 in

Armidale is a city in the

Northern Tablelands region. It is approximately halfway between Sydney and Brisbane at the junction of the New England Highway and Waterfall Way
.

History

City of Armidale subdivision plan, 1895

Before the British colonial settlement of New South Wales, the

Anaiwan
tribe occupied the area that encompasses current day Armidale.

British pastoralists first entered the region in the early 1830s, following the earlier exploration of the area by John Oxley. Oxley recommended the region for grazing, and soon squatters established large leaseholds in the locality. Armidale was initially founded in 1839 by George James MacDonald who was the Commissioner of Crown Lands and head of the local Border Police detachment in the New England district. MacDonald established his barracks on the site and named it after Armadale on the Isle of Skye in Scotland which was the ancestral home of the MacDonald clan.[4]

The

larrikin
hero and make the most of him as a tourist attraction.

Armidale became a municipality in 1863[7] and was proclaimed a city in 1885.

Although it does not lie between the two major cities of Sydney and Melbourne, a site just to the south of Armidale was, in the early 1900s, considered as a potential site for Australia's federal capital. Some saw its northerly location as better suited to all three eastern mainland states, including Queensland.[8][9][10] Later, particularly in the 1920s and 1930s, Armidale was one of the centres of separatist agitation by the New England New State Movement. Local politician, David Drummond, a strong supporter of the movement, successfully lobbied for Armidale to have the second teachers' college in New South Wales,[11] and later a university,[12] positioning the town as a potential state capital.

Geography

Armidale is on the banks of Dumaresq Creek, in the Northern Tablelands in the

plutons which decompose to form sandy soil, slightly deficient in nutrients. There are also basalt flows which are more fertile for the soil substrates. Those areas away from the deep gorge country tend to display gently undulating terrain mainly used for pastures
and where granites occur the areas are usually covered in bushland.

The area contains a number of places of outstanding natural beauty and scientific interest as well as several

World Heritage national parks including the New England National Park and the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. To the west is Mount Yarrowyck Nature Reserve. The critically endangered New England Peppermint Grassy Woodland is the main vegetation community in the region.[14]

The coastal plain can be reached directly at Coffs Harbour via Waterfall Way to Dorrigo and Bellingen on the Bellinger River, a two-hour drive.

Woodsmoke pollution, Armidale, 27 May 2011

During winter there is a problem with some air quality reduction caused by the use of solid fuel domestic wood heaters.[15] A peer-reviewed study carried out by the University of New England in 2007 found winter woodsmoke causes 8.8 additional visits per day to GPs in Armidale for respiratory complaints, i.e., about 750 additional visits per year.[16] Another peer-reviewed study estimated the use of wood heaters in Armidale was responsible for about 11.5 premature deaths per year with estimated annual health cost of $14.95 million – about $4720 per year for every woodheater in the city.[17]

Climate

Armidale has a

Snowfall
is rare, on average only one day in every three years.

Rologas Fields during autumn

In Armidale, the presence of four distinct seasons makes it climatically unlike much of inland Australia; hence, the "New England" moniker and the

autumn colours are notable features of the city. Summers are characterised by warm to very warm days followed almost always by cool, sometimes cold, nights. Thunderstorms often produce heavy falls of rain and occasionally hail in the afternoons and early evenings, also bringing a sudden drop in temperature. Unlike nearby coastal areas, Armidale does not usually experience high humidity levels making most of the summer days quite comfortable. Temperatures exceed 30 °C or 86 °F on an average of 13 afternoons per year, but rarely reach higher than 35 °C or 95 °F.[19]
The highest temperature recorded at Armidale Airport was 37.1 °C (98.8 °F), recorded in February 2017. As the leaves turn yellow and fall, day temperatures are mostly still warm, particularly in March and April. Days are sunny, the thunderstorm season is over, and rain becomes more sporadic. Nights become colder, and residents often awake to a thick fog blanketing the Armidale valley, but by 9 am fogs have cleared to be followed by a bright sunny day. The year's first frosts usually occur in April, but they are not severe.

Winters are cold; overnight temperatures drop below −5 °C or 23 °F with frost on the ground; at the Tree Group Nursery station a reading as low as −11.2 °C or 11.8 °F was record on 30 June 2010, whilst the older station at Radio 2AD recorded −9.3 °C or 15.3 °F on 15 July 1970.[20] These cold frosty mornings are usually followed by sunny days. Day temperatures may make it as high as 16 °C or 60.8 °F, but sometimes may not climb beyond 10 °C or 50 °F.[19] These are typical Northern Tablelands winter days with westerly winds, bleak grey clouds, and showers of rain and very occasionally snow. Rainfall during the winter months is not infrequent but is usually light.

In spring temperatures are warmer, although occasional morning frosts still can continue well into October. September is usually a pleasantly mild but windy month, and by late October with increasing heat and humidity the thunderstorm season is starting with increasing rainfalls. The spring months produce the most variable weather of the year. A week of very warm sunny weather can be followed by several milder days with temperatures right back at winter levels before gradually warming up again. This cycle often repeats itself many times until the start of summer.

Climate data for Armidale Airport AWS (1993–2023); 1,079 m AMSL; 30.53° S, 151.62° E
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 37.0
(98.6)
37.1
(98.8)
32.4
(90.3)
27.7
(81.9)
23.3
(73.9)
21.7
(71.1)
19.9
(67.8)
26.8
(80.2)
28.2
(82.8)
31.9
(89.4)
35.0
(95.0)
36.5
(97.7)
37.1
(98.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 26.2
(79.2)
25.0
(77.0)
23.1
(73.6)
19.8
(67.6)
15.8
(60.4)
12.7
(54.9)
12.2
(54.0)
14
(57)
17.6
(63.7)
20.5
(68.9)
22.8
(73.0)
25.0
(77.0)
19.6
(67.3)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 13.5
(56.3)
13.1
(55.6)
11.5
(52.7)
7.8
(46.0)
4.4
(39.9)
2.4
(36.3)
1.4
(34.5)
1.8
(35.2)
4.7
(40.5)
7.4
(45.3)
10.0
(50.0)
12.1
(53.8)
7.5
(45.5)
Record low °C (°F) 4.5
(40.1)
4.1
(39.4)
1.1
(34.0)
−3.3
(26.1)
−5.9
(21.4)
−6.0
(21.2)
−7.0
(19.4)
−6.6
(20.1)
−4.9
(23.2)
−3.1
(26.4)
−1.6
(29.1)
1.3
(34.3)
−7.0
(19.4)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 91.9
(3.62)
96.1
(3.78)
67.7
(2.67)
35.1
(1.38)
40.4
(1.59)
48.2
(1.90)
44.0
(1.73)
43.2
(1.70)
52.1
(2.05)
74.7
(2.94)
95.8
(3.77)
102.9
(4.05)
792.1
(31.18)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2mm) 12.1 13.0 12.7 11.2 12.1 14.9 13.4 9.9 10.1 11.5 12.5 13.2 146.6
Source:
Bureau of Meteorology[19]
Climate data for Armidale (Tree Group Nursery, 1997–2023); 987 m AMSL; 30.52° S, 151.67° E
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 37.4
(99.3)
37.6
(99.7)
33.8
(92.8)
28.0
(82.4)
24.8
(76.6)
22.3
(72.1)
21.2
(70.2)
27.4
(81.3)
28.7
(83.7)
32.4
(90.3)
35.6
(96.1)
37.8
(100.0)
37.8
(100.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 27.1
(80.8)
25.7
(78.3)
23.8
(74.8)
20.5
(68.9)
16.6
(61.9)
13.5
(56.3)
13.2
(55.8)
14.9
(58.8)
18.6
(65.5)
21.4
(70.5)
23.5
(74.3)
25.7
(78.3)
20.4
(68.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 13.0
(55.4)
12.7
(54.9)
10.8
(51.4)
6.8
(44.2)
2.3
(36.1)
0.8
(33.4)
−0.3
(31.5)
−0.2
(31.6)
2.8
(37.0)
6.0
(42.8)
9.2
(48.6)
11.5
(52.7)
6.3
(43.3)
Record low °C (°F) 2.6
(36.7)
2.5
(36.5)
−1.7
(28.9)
−5.8
(21.6)
−7.9
(17.8)
−11.2
(11.8)
−10.8
(12.6)
−8.7
(16.3)
−6.2
(20.8)
−3.5
(25.7)
−3.0
(26.6)
−0.5
(31.1)
−11.2
(11.8)
Average rainfall mm (inches) 89.4
(3.52)
96.6
(3.80)
73.9
(2.91)
37.2
(1.46)
31.8
(1.25)
40.6
(1.60)
40.1
(1.58)
45.4
(1.79)
46.3
(1.82)
70.6
(2.78)
92.7
(3.65)
90.6
(3.57)
755.2
(29.73)
Average rainy days (≥ 0.2mm) 11.1 11.6 10.9 8.3 7.8 10.5 9.5 8.3 8.1 10.4 11.3 11.8 119.6
Source:
Bureau of Meteorology[21]

Weather

21 December 2006 hailstorm

Armidale has been prone to severe hailstorms and experienced three such storms over the ten-year period from 1996 to 2006.

On 29 September 1996

A$200 million.[22]

On 1 January 2000 many homes were damaged by extreme weather conditions which brought large hail stones, strong

On 21 December 2006 hail stones, high winds and flash flooding damaged more than 1,000 homes and destroyed the Armidale Livestock Exhibition Centre which collapsed entirely under the weight of accumulated hail. The city was declared a state of emergency by New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma the following day.[24][25]

On the night of 14 October 2021 at 10pm, an intense storm produced a tornado causing extensive damage. It tore away roofs and turned vehicles upside down.[26][27]

City of Armidale

Armidale is a cathedral city, being the seat of the

University of New England
. St Peter's Cathedral opened for worship in 1875 and the tower was added in 1938. The Catholic Cathedral of St Mary and St Joseph was dedicated on 12 December 1919.

The city centre is laid out in a grid of streets. The main street is called Beardy Street, named for two of the founding settlers who had beards.[28] The court house was built in the 1850s and is still a prominent feature of the central district. Much of the rest of the city is residential.

The Australian Wool Fashion Awards, which showcases the use of Merino wool by fashion designers, are hosted by Armidale in March each year. The Autumn Festival is a popular annual event of April in Armidale. The festival features a street parade, stalls and celebrations throughout the city. It is a regular part of the city's attractions, often promoting Armidale's diverse culture (for instance, posters set up by council attempt to attract tourists with the motto "Foodies Thrive in Armidale") and autumn colours. During May the annual New England Wool Expo is staged to display wool fashions, handicrafts, demonstrations, shearing competitions, yard dog trials and demonstrations, a wool bale rolling competition and other activities.

  • The former Armidale Courthouse
    The former Armidale Courthouse
  • Armidale Town Hall
    Armidale Town Hall
  • St Peter's Cathedral
    St Peter's Cathedral
  • Armidale Post Office
    Armidale Post Office

Demographics

Historical population
YearPop.±%
19215,407—    
19336,794+25.7%
19477,809+14.9%
19548,661+10.9%
196112,875+48.7%
196615,360+19.3%
197118,156+18.2%
197619,711+8.6%
198118,922−4.0%
198619,525+3.2%
199121,605+10.7%
199621,330−1.3%
200120,068−5.9%
200621,660+7.9%
201122,468+3.7%
201623,352+3.9%
202123,967+2.6%
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics data.[29][30]
The Catholic Cathedral of St Mary and St Joseph, Armidale

According to the 2021 census, there were 23,967 people in the Armidale significant urban area.

  • Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 7.9% of the population.
  • 74.0% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were Iraq 2.4%, England 2.0%, India 1.1%, Nepal 1.1%, and New Zealand 1.0%.
  • 78.6% of people only spoke English at home. Other languages spoken at home included Kurdish 1.1%, Nepali 1.1% and Mandarin 0.7%.
  • The most common responses for religion were No Religion 36.1%, Catholic 16.7% and Anglican 16.1%.[31]

Armidale is home to a Êzidî community of approximately 650.[32]

Suburbs

  • Acacia Park
  • East Armidale
  • West Armidale
  • Ben Venue
  • Bona Vista
  • Commissioners Waters
  • Dumaresq
  • Duval
  • Madgwick
  • North Hill
  • Newling
  • Soudan Heights
  • South Hill
  • St. Patrick's
  • The Mission

Transport

Armidale railway station opened in 1883.

The Armidale railway station is on the Main North railway line and is served by daily passenger trains to and from Sydney. Armidale's airport has five daily scheduled flights to and from Sydney with Qantaslink. Regional airline Fly Corporate operates a scheduled air service with flights to and from Brisbane.[33] Armidale Airport, at 1,084 metres (3,556 ft), is the highest licensed airport in New South Wales.

The city is linked further north by daily

taxis
.

Although the hills to the north and the south can be a challenge, cycling is an option to get around Armidale. A

cycleway exists from the University of New England through the city to the residential areas on the eastern side of city. This cycleway snakes back towards Ben Venue School. The passage through the city provides easy access for cyclists to the shopping centres. Bicycle racks are in strategic locations around the city centre, including at The Armidale Food Emporium, The Armidale Plaza, and Centro Armidale. Places are also provided outside the Armidale Dumeresq War Memorial Library, and at either end of the Mall. A maze of marked cycleways on the shoulder of the roads in the city's southern residential areas allows cyclists to safely ride on the roads. There are also separate cycleways from the Armidale Arboretum along Kellys Plains Road to the south and from the north of the city along Rockvale Road to the Armidale State Forest
(known as the Pine Forest by locals).

Education

The Armidale School

The city is home to a large number of education facilities, including the

Catholic schools. Armidale High School (1911) and Duval High School (1972) were government-funded secondary schools until their closing at the end of 2018. In 2019, the two schools were combined into one in the form of Armidale Secondary College, which is located on what was the Armidale High School campus. It was previously located on the Duval High School campus as a placeholder while the Armidale High campus was partially demolished. Approximately 27% of Armidale's total population is in the 10–24-year age group, compared with an equivalent NSW figure of 18%.[35]

University of New England