Armidale Airport (ARM)
Armidale Airport is located 8 kilometres from the town centre on New England Highway, Armidale. Operated locally by Armidale Dumaresq Shire Council, the airport stands at 1084 metres above sea level making Armidale the highest licensed airport in New South Wales. The airport is an established modern terminal offering visitors free car parking and the convenience of a petrol station. Refreshments are available at the Runway café that has received positive peer reviews on Foursquare for their coffee as well as cinnamon toast.
A number of aviation businesses are also located there including Armidale Airways, Fleet Helicopters, Super-Ai and Edwards Aviation VIP Jet Charter.
Car Hire
Upon arrival, visitors can easily obtain their checked in luggage from the baggage carousels located in the Arrivals Hall. From there, there are many options to get into town. Plenty of taxis can be hailed costing approximately $15 for the 10-minute drive to the town centre. If you plan on staying closer to the airport, Armidale Airport Hotel shuttle services can be organized in conjunction with nearby Alluna Motel Armidale and Cedar Lodge Motel. Car rental from Avis, Budget, Thrifty and Hertz is available at the airport and for that extra taste of luxury; Armidale Limousine & Hire Car Service offers premium vehicles.
Regional airline Qantaslink services from Sydney to Armidale 4 times return daily on their 36 seat Dash 8 planes for the brief 1 hour 15 minute journey. Country Link Service offers 10 hour train rides between Armidale and Sydney connecting with Moree Service at Werris Creek.
Accommodation
Armidale has a variety of accommodation options, from kitsch cottages, B & B’s, caravan and camping, farm-stays, guesthouses and hotels and motels. The strategically planned city utilizes a grid format, with the main street delightfully named Beardy Street, after two of the founding settlers who had beards. Quite the “Foodie” town along Beardy Street a diverse variety of restaurants can be found from Mexican at The Coughing Gherkin to Slow Food at the Groovin’ Tongue. Beards are preferred but clean shaven people will not receive disparaging looks from locals.
Armidale Attractions
Armidale also offers a free guided heritage tour of the town's attractions. The two hour guided tour features the New England Regional Art Museum, the Railway Museum, Aboriginal Cultural Centre & Keeping Place and the University of New England. Located at 1000m above sea level, Armidale has plenty of natural wonders for visitors including a number of World Heritage national parks including the New England National Park and the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. Armidale’s national parks offer a range of outdoor activities from canyoning, trout fishing, mountain biking and bird watching for keen twitchers. Find out the latest happenings on Twitter with @experiencehighs.
Armidale weather conditions move from brisk winters between 0-16˚C and warm summers averaging between 12˚C and 27˚C with the majority of rainfall occurring in summer with mild humidity.