We arrived at Armidale and our campsite at the Armidale Caravan Park. after setting up we were soon at our first ‘Happy Hour’ with fellow Rotarians here for our annual Rotary Nomads Muster. We get together each year in June at a different location.
Our first activity was volunteering to help the Rotary Club of Armidale plant 100’s of trees. These were not native trees but fundraising pine trees. When tall enough the pine trees are to be sold as Christmas trees to raise money for local charities.
As usual I felt the need to go up to a high point. So braving the cold I used the bike and went to checkout the Drummond Apex Lookout. The lookout is a good spot to admire the view of Armidale. It’s located at the western end of Jeffrey Street, and is only a few minutes’ drive or ride from the town centre. If riding it is quite a steep road and gets the heartrate going.
There is also a war memorial here dedicated to the members of Armidale’s Apex Club who were ‘lost in action’ in the Second World War.
The lookout features trees, shrubs and a grassed area, bordered by a long stone wall and a wide bitumen cul-de-sac. There are no picnic or toilet facilities available, however, you are rewarded with a lovely view. You can see just about all of the town of Armidale.
The morning of day two was cold and wet but we were not deterred and a group of us set off and drove about 70 East to explore Ebor Falls. Ebor Falls is in the Guy Fawkes River National Park between Armidale and the coast along the waterfall way.
Here you can watch the Guy Fawkes River plunging 100m over two waterfalls. There are three lookout platforms along the edge of the gorge – upper falls, lower falls and valley view — give spectacular views out into the rugged gorge country. A walking track links the upper falls and lower falls lookout platforms via the escarpment edge and is an easy walk. Trish and I started out at the top but you can start either end and return via the road.
The water started falling from the sky again so we headed back. Trish and I planned to come back and explore the area more when the weather cleared. But alas that was not to be.
Unfortunately on day 3 Trish woke up with flu like symptoms. A RAT test showed Trish had Covid so we immediately advised everyone who needed to know and packed up for a non stop 8 hour trip North towards home. Fortunately we were in our Motorhome for this trip and with a full tank we could isolate all the way home without needing to go outside. We arrived home about 2 am and started the 7 Day isolation period. (it was nice to be back in the warmth after freezing temperatures in Armidale)