Our AIM
To assist in the careful planning, design and development of beautiful, healthy and safe public spaces featuring wetlands, lagoons and billabongs, connected by flowing water along the Armidale Creeklands.
If you agree with this aim, please:
We support the development of user-friendly infrastructure such as attractive bridges, paths and cycle ways, play and recreation areas, along with performance and creative spaces which will complement water features and improve the quality of life, economy and beauty of Armidale.
Our story
Generations of Armidale’s residents have wanted to enhance the natural beauty of the city by creating expanses of water along its creeklands.
A presentation by our not-for-profit association to Armidale Regional Council in June 2017 led to Council funding the development of a Master Plan for the central part of the Dumaresq creeklands, which was due to be completed by July 2018. This process generated a lot of discussion and consultation by Council and its consultants. Council has now decided to merge a number of planning processes, including for the creeklands, into a Master plan for the city to be developed during 2019. We will be trying our best to put forward ideas from our members - who, collectively, have lived in this region for a total of 1,100 years (!) - to improve plans for the creeklands during this process.
Read more about our ideas and inspirations. Follow us on our Facebook pages. More detailed information for financial members can be found on our Members only page.
"More lakes ponds wetlands for everyone to enjoy" - what one of our members wrote after our Public Launch back in March 2018.
more Details of our Visions and Objectives ...
We seek to enhance the beauty and functionality of Armidale city’s open space along the Dumaresq Creeklands, by encouraging the creation of larger expanses of water as ponds, lakes and/or wetlands throughout the city.
We envisage a well-managed, safe and attractive environment, including in the heart of the CBD, which will see visions of Armidale reflected in water views, whilst allowing for flood mitigation and minimising other environmental risks.
More water features will lead to a better quality of life and more recreational opportunities for all who live in, near or visit this beautiful city as well as provide educational opportunities, encourage tourism and grow the economy. They will allow city-wide reflections in water of the sky and colours of our natural and managed landscapes.
These Visions and Objectives will be achieved through one or more of the following means:
Create a website dedicated to promoting the vision, concepts, draft plans and historical context of our proposals, so that we can more effectively engage with the community (these web pages)
To liaise with Armidale Regional Council in the development of an agreed process to ensure that the community’s views on the creeklands are adequately considered
To participate in planning processes that will lead to implementation of agreed plans
To engage with multiple stakeholders, such as: a wide array of citizen groups including youth groups, service clubs and Senior Citizen groups; University of New England, including the Vice Chancellor's office, to re-establish links to Armidale Regional Council by encouraging students involved in related areas of study - and the UNE Student New England Award – to become involved in the planning, environmental, health and recreational aspects of the creeklands; other educational providers such as primary and secondary schools and TAFE; sporting, walking, cycling, running and other recreation groups, including SportUNE
At the appropriate times, to work with and seek advice and support from Armidale Regional Council and NSW State and Federal Government Officers, Ministers and departments
To investigate funding sources, including those guided by the Armidale Regional Council (including for ongoing maintenance and improvement) and
To engage in any other activity related to the Visions agreed to by a majority of association members.