Armidale Suburb Overview
Armidale is a city in the Northern Tablelands, New South Wales, Australia. Armidale Dumaresq Shire had a population of 19,485 people according to the 2006 census. It is the administrative centre for the Northern Tablelands region. It is located approximately half way between Sydney and Brisbane at the junction of the New England Highway, national route 15, and Waterfall Way.
Armidale is located on the Northern Tablelands in the New England region about midway between Sydney and Brisbane at an altitude ranging from 970 metres at the floor of the valley to 1,110 metres above sea level at the crests of the hills. To the east are heavily forested steep basalt gorges dropping down to the eastern coastal plain. Some parts of the highlands are composed of granite and decomposed granite soil, which is slightly deficient in nutrients. There are also basalt intrusions which are more fertile than the granite country. To the west are gently undulating pastures and bushland.
The area contains a number of areas of outstanding natural beauty and scientific interest, and there are several World Heritage national parks in the area including the New England National Park and the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. To the west is Mount Yarrowyck Nature Reserve.
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.
It has a cool temperate climate with the majority of rain falling in the summer months. Armidale’s elevation gives it a mild climate, with pleasant warm summers, extended spring and autumn seasons, and a long cold winter with some frosty nights. Snow falls on an average of one day every three years.
Armidale has a noted problem with air pollution caused by the use of solid fuel domestic wood heaters during the winter months. A peer-reviewed study carried out by the University of New England found that winter woodsmoke causes 8.8 additional visits per day to GPs in Armidale for respiratory complaints, i.e. about 750 additional visits per year. Another peer-reviewed study estimated that 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. A local retired doctor said that he is so concerned by the wood smoke situation, he urges people with respiratory problems to get out of town. New evidence shows use of Australian wood heaters increases global warming. A report by the United Nations Environment Program and the World Meteorological Organization recommends that developed countries phase out woodheaters to help prevent catastropic climate change. Policies adopted in much colder climates such as Montreal suggest how this problem might be solved.
The presence of four distinct seasons, unlike most of the rest of Australia, is the reason for the “New England” moniker and the autumn colours are a notable feature 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
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 first frosts of the year usually occur in April, but are not particularly severe.
Winters are cold;overnight temperatures often drop below ?5
In spring temperatures are milder, although early morning frosts still continue well into October. September is usually a cool windy month, and by late October the thunderstorm season is starting with increasing rainfalls. The spring months produce the most variable weather of the year. A week of warm sunny weather can be followed by several cold 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.
Armidale has been prone to severe hailstorms and has experienced three such storms over a period of 10 years.
Nearby Suburbs
