Armidale
Postcode: 2350
Armidale (population 21,660) is a university and cathedral city in northern New South Wales, Australia, in Armidale Dumaresq Council. It is the administrative centre for the New England region. It is the seat of The University of New England. It is located approximately half way between Sydney and Brisbane on the New England Highway, national route 15.
Armidale was proclaimed a city in 1885. It is a cathedral city being the seat of the Anglican and Roman Catholic bishops of Armidale. St Peter’s Anglican Cathedral, which replaced the original St Peter’s Church, was designed by the Canadian architect, John Horbury Hunt who also designed Booloominbah at 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 consecrated in 1912.
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. 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 Autumn Festival is a popular annual event of Armidale. The festival features a street parade, stalls and celebrations throughout the township. 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.