Armidale and the waterfalls of the Northern Tablelands are front and centre in a new tourism campaign that aims to give visitors more reasons to stay longer and see more of the region, from the beaches to the high country.
Armidale Regional Council has joined Bellingen Shire, Clarence Valley, Coffs Harbour, and Nambucca Valley councils in a new alliance to promote the wider region together. The five councils have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).
Its first initiative, The Ways, was launched at Coffs Harbour Airport on Wednesday, 28 October. The campaign is built around five road trips. Armidale Regional Council was represented at the launch by Renata Davis.
Together the five local government areas cover an area larger than Wales. The region stretches from the Solitary Islands Marine Park, through World Heritage rainforest and historic river towns, up to the waterfalls and rugged escarpments of the Northern Tablelands.
One of the five routes is Waterfall Way, which links Bellingen Shire and Armidale.
“Waterfall Way, one of the five ways featured in this collaboration, takes people from the coast through the heart of Bellingen Shire and up to the plateau and Armidale,” said Bellingen Shire Council Acting General Manager Todd Williams.
“It’s a great example of how a road trip can connect extraordinary landscapes, communities and experiences, encouraging people to venture further and discover more along the way.”
Under the theme One Region. Endless Possibilities., the campaign invites travellers to explore five touring routes:
- Waterfall Way: World Heritage rainforest, waterfalls, and the high country
- Solitary Islands Way: beaches, marine park, and coastal villages
- Giinagay Way: welcoming river towns, coast, culture, and hinterland
- Big River Way: the mighty Clarence River, heritage towns, and jacarandas
- Orara Way: quiet hinterland roads, villages, and forest adventures.
The high country and Armidale’s New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) are part of the drawcard being pitched to visitors.
“People rightly rave about the natural attractiveness of our patch, from the Pacific Ocean to the Great Dividing Range escarpment,” said City of Coffs Harbour Mayor Nikki Williams.
“But we also have a mind-boggling range of food and drink experiences, and three major art galleries in Yarrila Arts and Museum (YAM) at Coffs, the Grafton Regional Gallery and the New England Regional Art Museum (NERAM) at Armidale.”
Mayor Williams said there was much more to the region than its coastline.
“Our beaches are as famous as the Big Banana, but there’s so much more: World Heritage rainforest on our doorstep, cultural experiences, Grafton’s Instagramable jacarandas, and the waterfalls and rugged beauty of the high country,” she said.
“It’s fantastic to see councils coming together in this way. Visitors don’t see boundaries,” said Destination North Coast General Manager Michael Thurston.
“By working collaboratively, the region gets more marketing bang for its buck, and we can tell a stronger, more compelling story about the diversity and appeal of the entire region.”
With household budgets under pressure, the campaign is aimed at travellers who want rich, multi-stop road trips with world-class experiences close to home.
The Ways will roll out across digital and social media channels and electronic signage. This includes a lightbox billboard in the arrivals hall at Coffs Harbour Airport, which has provided the space at no cost.
The long-term goal is a more sustainable regional economy that creates jobs, increases visitor spending, fills airline seats, and lifts accommodation occupancy.
“The partnership aims to see more visitors staying longer and spending more across the region, and that in turn supports local jobs, accommodation providers and our small business economy,” Mayor Williams said.
The partnership between the five councils and Coffs Harbour Airport has already been named a finalist in the Outstanding Visitor & 24-Hour Economy Collaboration category of the Business NSW 2026 Business Awards. The winner will be announced in Sydney on Friday, 30 October.
The MOU is expected to be the first step in a strong and lasting regional tourism collaboration.
Road trips can be planned at theways.com.au.
Got something you want to say about this story? Have your say on our opinion and comment hub, New England Times Engage