What's in the news in Armidale? Part 1: UNE

Having resided in Earle Page College during my under graduate days a few years back (Editor's comment: Nah! It was many moons ago!) I was somewhat upset when I picked up Wednesday's edition of The Armidale Express and saw its front page report (pictured above).

The University of New England is undertaking a $4.6 million program to have its seven residential colleges comply with fire code standards.

But, here's the rub. While the project covers all seven colleges, it's being done in two stages and for EPC only its ground and first floors will be upgraded in the project's first stage.That means the second (i.e. top floors) in EPC will be closed for accommodation purposes in 2011 so EPC will have to cut its student intake by 100 in 2011.

Credit: pic The Armidale Examiner

A view of Armidale

Day 2 - Armidale and surrounds

Woke to find the glorious final day of winter ordered the night before had been promptly delivered.

Breakfast was at Caffiends on Marsh - thanks to a recommendation from a local - and it was A1-plus.

Just happened to notice a sign on the premise's front window stated it was in the SMH's "Good Food Guide" for 2007, '08 and '09. If it's not accorded the same (or higher) status in the 2010 edition there's something drastically wrong with the way The Guide decides upon the how it it accords a status to an eatery. Take it from me, Caffiends on Marsh is a real gem.

Oh! And something worthy of a mention ... a bloke at a nearby table at Caffiends requested tomato sauce for his bacon and eggs. Gee, he was very neatly sat on his ar*e by a waiter who brushed the request aside and remarked, "We don't have that on our premises."

Our early morning excursion commenced with inspections of some of Armidale's stately residences.

"Esrom" at 164 Mann Street brought back memories for some members of the touring party along with a few of their associates.

"Esrom" was built as a gentlemen's residence for Mr G F Morse (reverse 'morse' and what do you get?) in the 1890s. As pic 3 above shows, "Esrom" was built using Armidale blue bricks. In a later life the building provided a residence for male students attending UNE - it was one of the town houses associated with Earle Page College (see pic 2 above).

Next stop was "Booloominbah", built between 1883 and 1888, as a 45-room mansion for Frederick Robert White. Its features include decorative brickwork and architectural features that include prominent chimneys and high gabled roof ends. White's son-in-law, T R Forster, purchased the mansion in 1937 and presented it to the University of Sydney for the establishment of a University College. Today,"Bool" is UNE's administrative centre (pic 1).

After inspecting the university's academic faculties and residential colleges the touring party proceeded on its tour around Armidale's business, commercial, residential, industrial, religious, sport and cultural areas.

A highlight of the afternoon's activities was a close inspection of the notorious "Victorian Gothic" building that sits high on Armidale's south hill (pic 4). The building, which has been variously known as "Psycho House", "Wuthering Heights" and "House of Lords" has been restored and now seems to serve as a normal family residence, unlike its usage in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Let me assure readers that if that building's walls had ears they could tell hundreds, perhaps thousands, of stories that wouldn't be fit for publication in a family-friendly post such as NCV.

Credit: Armidale Visitor Information Centre's "Armidale Self Guided Heritage Drive" brochure