Armidale sits on the New England tableland at close to a thousand metres, which means it feels cooler than anywhere else for hundreds of kilometres around. It is a handsome city of about twenty-four thousand people, with two cathedrals, wide streets lined with deciduous trees that turn gold and red in autumn, and a university that gives it a lively student feel. After the long climb from the coast on the Waterfall Way, it is a welcome place to stop, and it is a proper city, with every service a rider could want.
The Waterfall Way itself is the great attraction. The road runs from Armidale down across the escarpment to Bellingen and Coffs Harbour, passing through some of the most dramatic scenery in New South Wales. At Ebor you can walk to the falls, and the Wollomombi Falls nearby are among the tallest in Australia. The Oxley Wild Rivers National Park cuts deep gorges into the plateau, and further east the Dorrigo National Park holds ancient subtropical rainforest, part of the Gondwana Rainforests World Heritage area. The bends on the descent are tight and rewarding, but the road can be wet, and fog is common on the top.
Armidale's history includes a long record of pastoral wealth, and the old stone buildings in the centre reflect this. The city sits in a district of sheep and cattle country, and the cold winters and frosty mornings are part of local identity. Snow falls on the tableland occasionally, and in winter, black ice is a real concern on the shaded sections of the road.
Fuel is plentiful in Armidale, and there are many cafes and bakeries in the main street, which is closed to through traffic in places. Uralla, a smaller town to the south, is known for its association with Captain Thunderbolt, a bushranger who was shot there in 1870, and is a good stop for a pie.
For the best weather, ride in spring or autumn, when the days are mild and the colours are strong. Summer afternoons bring thunderstorms, and winter mornings can be bitter.