New England (New South Wales) Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

New England is a region in the north-eastern area of New South Wales north of the Hunter Valley and inland from the north coast of New South Wales and the Northern Rivers. The New England region includes all of the high plateau area known as the Northern Tablelands. These tablelands have numerous national parks that are listed World Heritage Areas and form part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia.

The region also has historical buildings, fine museums, renowned art collections, superb fishing, fossicking, bushwalking, festivals, markets, pubs, clubs, fine restaurants and the breathtaking gold of autumn which is so much a part of the New England.

• -30.513916151.6589021 Armidale - New England's university city and Australia's highest city
• -29.869038150.5718692 Bingara - an old gold-mining town, with a touch of art-deco
• -30.40229152.349313 Ebor - take a picnic by the Ebor Falls
• -29.73679151.738414 Glen Innes - New England's "Highland Capital", and a base for exploring many national parks
• -29.77372151.111195 Inverell - the "Sapphire City", with Copeton Dam nearby

• -28.97682148.989586 Mungindi - a real frontier town. Being the only town in Australia to be in two states, you could be at your hotel in one side, and go back an hour to get some food during the summer months.
• -29.46541149.841637 Moree - sometimes referred to as the "capital" of the North West Slopes and Plains, hot water springs, cotton country
• -31.09198150.922948 Tamworth - Australia's country music capital
• -30.64232151.499079 Uralla - a sophisticated New England town known for the bushranger Captain Thunderbolt

• -28.848333152.0511111 Bald Rock National Park
• -28.8175152.1783332 Boonoo Boonoo National Park
• -30.624722152.2172223 Cunnawarra National Park
• -29.554444152.3238894 Gibraltar Range National Park
• -30.031667152.3011115 Guy Fawkes River National Park
• -30.498333152.5011116 New England National Park
• -30.290556150.1427787 Mount Kaputar National Park
• -30.996389152.018 Oxley Wild Rivers National Park

There is a wide variation in the climate of the region, especially if one includes the western slopes section, that is occasionally included. Guyra, Uralla and Walcha are noted for having very frosty nights that may cause diesel to solidify in vehicles causing the engine to stop or run abnormally. Usually the vehicle will run normally without intervention, when the morning warms, at about 9AM.

• Armidale Visitor Information Centre, 82 Marsh Street, Armidale (next to Hungry Jacks Restaurant), ☏ +61 2 6770 3888, [email protected]. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa 9AM-3PM, Su 9AM-1PM. 
• Bingara Tourist Information Centre, 74 Maitland Street, Bingara (Roxy Cinema complex), ☏ +61 2 6724 0066, [email protected]. M-F 9AM-4:30PM, Sa Su 9AM-1PM. apply 
• Glen Innes Visitor Information Centre, 152 Church Street, Glen Innes (next to Woolworths), ☏ +61 2 6730 2400, [email protected]. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa 9AM-3PM, Su public holidays 9AM-1PM. (updated Sep 2019)
• Gunnedah Visitor Information Centre, 83 Chandos Street, Gunnedah (next to Gunnedah Town Hall, near Coles), ☏ +61 2 6740 2230, [email protected]. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa Su 10AM-3PM. (updated Sep 2019)

• Inverell Tourist Information Centre (Coach terminal), 11/31 Campbell Street, Inverell, ☏ +61 2 6728 8161, [email protected]. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa Su 9AM-2PM. (updated Nov 2019)
• Moree Visitor Information Centre, 67 Alice Street, Moree, ☏ +61 2 6757 3350, [email protected]. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa Su 9AM-1PM. 
• Narrabri Region Visitor Information Centre, 103 Tibbereena Street (Newell Highway), Narrabri (next to cricket ground), ☏ +61 2 6799 6760, toll-free: +61 1800 659 931, [email protected]. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa Su 9AM-2PM Closed Christmas Day and Good Friday. 
• Quirindi - Liverpool Plains Visitor Information Centre, New England Highway, Willow Tree (next to King George V Memorial Park), ☏ +61 2 6747 1226. M-F 9AM-5PM, Sa Su 9AM-2PM. 
• Tamworth Visitors Information Centre, 2 The Ringers Road, Hillvue (at The Big Golden Guitar), ☏ +61 2 6767 5300, [email protected]. M-Su 9AM-4PM, closed Good Friday and Christmas Day. (updated Sep 2019)
• Tenterfield Visitors Information Centre, 157 Rouse Street, Tenterfield (corner of Rouse Street (New England Highway) and Miles Street, opposite the Subaru dealership), ☏ +61 2 6736 1082, [email protected]. M-F 9AM-4:30PM, Sa 9AM-4PM, Su 10AM-2PM. (updated Sep 2019)
• Uralla Visitor Information Centre, 104 Bridge Street, Uralla (New England Highway), ☏ +61 2 6778 4496, fax: +61 2 6778 4654, [email protected]. 9.30AM to 4.30PM daily Closed Good Friday and Christmas Day. 
• Walcha Visitor Information Centre, 51W Fitzroy Street, Walcha (Oxley Highway), ☏ +61 2 6774 2460, fax: +61 2 6774 2462, [email protected]. M-F 9AM-4.30PM; weekends 9.30AM- 4PM. 
• Warialda Visitor Information Centre, 2/4 Geddes Street, Warialda (corner Geddes Street (Gwydir Highway) and Holden Street), ☏ +61 2 6729 0046. M-F 9AM-12:30PM, 1:30-4:30PM, Sa Su 9AM-1PM. 

Walcha, the south-east gateway to the New England, is 425 km north of Sydney via the scenic Thunderbolts Way (the shortest route from Sydney) and 184 km west of Port Macquarie. Uralla is 40 km further on along Thunderbolts Way, at the junction of the New England Highway.

Tamworth, Uralla, Armidale, Glen Innes and Tenterfield are the main centres located on the New England Highway, an inland route that links the Hunter Valley and Sydney to Brisbane. Armidale is also accessible from the coast via the scenic Waterfall Way via Raleigh, near Coffs Harbour.

Coach: Sydney to Brisbane and return via the New England Highway (includes Tamworth, Armidale, Uralla, Glen Innes and Tenterfield) daily on Greyhound; Greyhound on 13 20 30. Greyhound.

NSW TrainLink trains connect Sydney to Tamworth, Walcha Road (for Walcha), Uralla and then terminate in Armidale. Brisbane-Sydney return (includes Armidale, Tenterfield): Daily on NSW TrainLink coach service. NSW TrainLink trains are air-conditioned and equipped with comfortable seats. Food, including hot lunches and dinners, is available from a buffet car onboard. It is essential to book NSW TrainLink tickets in advance.

Qantas runs regular services between Sydney, Tamworth (TMW ^IATA) and Armidale (ARM ^IATA), and Rex operate services between Sydney and Armidale. Taxi and car hire is available on-site.

In the eastern side of the New England region, the A15 New England Highway runs from Singleton, to the Queensland border providing a good highway between the east. From the south west to north, there's the A39 Newell Highway, from Dubbo to Goondiwindi in the Queensland border.

The Oxley (B56), Gwydir (B76), Kamilaroi (B51), and Fossickers (B95) highways are minor secondary National routes that provide routes covering most of the New England region.

Tourist Drive 17 are just tourist routes, but are still the quickest way to get from point A to B in certain cases.

Each and every single one of the twenty seven national parks in the New England region is unique and different in its own way. Some of these are UNESCO world heritage listed as one of the last few remaining Gondwana rainforests in the world, which mostly can only be found in the New England, Northern NSW and Southern Queensland. View rare species of flora, native wildlife and go birdwatching around the many established walking trails, 4WD tracks and camping areas. The environment of the New England region is also very diverse, with the western side being in the outback, while the eastern end being lush in greenery.

Since the area is quite big, you'd probably be wondering where to start off with. If it's your first time, then you'd want to start off at either Armidale or Tamworth. Both are completely different cities, and serve for different kinds of tourism. If you like nature and national parks, Armidale is only a fifteen minute drive from Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, arguably one of the best national parks in the region, although it does vary by opinion.

• New England National Park and Cunnawarra National Park are two world heritage parks, as part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia about 70 km from both Armidale and Dorrigo. They both feature excellent beech forests, though New England is the larger of the two with the main highlight of Cunnawarra being a beech lookout. Requires a gravel road to get into, but still 2WD accessible.

• Oxley Wild Rivers National Park is also another world heritage site, as part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia, with large waterfalls, endangered wildlife species, and only a minute drive from Waterfall Way.

• Have a listen to the country music in Tamworth in mid-January every year. The festival goes on for about ten days, and is Australia's largest music festival

There are plenty of things to do in the New England region, for all interests.

Eateries are plentiful in the cities and towns of the New England. Some of these are specialising in meals made from local produce. See under the individual destinations for more detail.

Drinking spots are readily available in the cities and towns of the New England.

There are quite a few places in the New England region where mobile (cell) phones do not have coverage (including Next G country models).

Free computer and internet usage is available at the Armidale Library, Faulkner St, during opening hours. phone: +61 2 6770-3636 for bookings.

For free computer and internet usage (during opening hours): Walcha Library, Derby St., Phone: +61 2 67742550

For internet services: Walcha Telecottage, 32w Fitzroy Street, Walcha; Phone:+61 2 6777-1111; Fax:+61 2 6777 1112; Email:[email protected]

There are about twenty seven major national parks, including the large, spectacular and easily accessible Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, plus over thirty nature reserves in the New England region.

Take a trip along Waterfall Way which passes through some of New South Wales' most scenic countryside and has been voted as one of the best tourist drives in New South Wales. Located along the route are five national parks, three of which are listed as World Heritage Areas by UNESCO and form part of the Gondwana Rainforest of Australia.