elderflower, flavours that conjure up croquet lawns and
summer teas. “It’s big, blousy and the label alone looks like
a Victorian wallpaper print.”
There’s pure vodka, triple-distilled whiskey and a
‘litmus’ sweet pea gin that changes colour when mixed
that was created, label and all, by Stephen’s son Josh.
We finish our trip – and a trip it has been – with a taste of
Le Caf, a decadent Canadian maple syrup and espresso
liqueur served with a float of vanilla ice-cream.
SMALL BAR CENTRAL
From one innovative drinking hole to another, we round
off our Wayward Trail at The Welder’s Dog back in
Armidale, opened almost five years ago by schoolmates
and later UNE buddies Daniel Emery and Tom Croft.
It was the distinct changes in each season and the laid-
back lifestyle that drove them to open up shop here, says
Daniel, “and we felt strongly the local community was
more than ready for the bar we had envisioned.”
We settle in with a paddle of the bar’s signature brews
(the guys also run their own brewery along with Phil
Stevens): a petal-pink pea blossom lemonade, farmhouse
ginger beer, a roasted coffee-flavoured extra stout and a
bright and fruity IPA. For sustenance, there’s a DIY fridge
packed with local produce to create your own platter with;
think meats, trout dips, smoked fillets and cheeses from all
over NSW. Plus there’s a BYO food policy that means you
canhavetakeawaysfromnearbyeateriesdeliveredstraight
toyourseat.Itallcombinestocreateacosy,low-keykind
ofplacethatfeelspartoftheArmidalefurniture.
A10-minutebarhopaway,Charlie’sLastStandhas
becomeanotherwelcomefixturesinceopeninginearly
2018.AcoollittlecocktailjointwithalongAustralian
winelisttoboot,it’snamedafterlocallegendCharlie
Pavlouwhopushedbackagainstdevelopersinthe’60sto
savehismilkbarfrombeingbulldozedintoasupermarket.
HisresolveisthereasonCharlie’siswhereitistoday.
LewisWheatleycarriesthissenseofcommunitypride
throughtotheoutfithesetupwithhisdad,andhas
establishedCharlie’sasahubforlivemusic,providinga
spacetoshowcaselocalmusiciansandbandsthattourthe
area.“Wefocusonnotonlyprovidingagoodvenueforour
community,”hesays,“butalsoonethatgivesbacktoit.”
Armidale,Lewisattests,ishometoawealthoftalented
musiciansandartists:aprecedentthatcanbeattributedin
nosmallparttotheNewEnglandRegionalArtMuseum
(NERAM), one of Australia’s best regional galleries.ART AND LIVING HERITAGE
NERAM was purpose-built in 1983 to house the Howard
Hinton Collection, a trove of artwork donated to the
newly established Teachers’ Training College between
1929 and 1948. With over 1000 significant works by
artists including Arthur Streeton, Margaret Preston,CLOCKWISE FROM
TOP LEFT: Sample
a craft beer or six at
Uralla’s New England
Brewing Company;
Historic Booloominbah is
part of the University
of New England; Stay in
a gorgeous heritage home
at Loloma B&B; The
Tablelands seen from
above; Don’t miss a visit
to fascinating Saumarez.
OPPOSITE (from
top): See the Armidale
region’s gorge country by
helicopter; Take a scenic
flight with Fleet
Adventures; Meet Stephen
Dobson of award-winning
Dobson’s Distillery.We see original Edwardian wallpaper,
ceramics by Merric Boyd made in
Armidale and vases fashioned from
First World War shell casings.