CampbellN

I have been in Armidale a little over two years now (after moving from a large Metropolitan City) and have to say it is fantastic place to be so long as you are prepared to put effort into getting involved with the community. People are inveriably warm and quite polite and to date I have not experienced anyone being unfriendly.
As others have mentioned the Council has been less than proactive in attracting businesses to Armidale and that significant projects were diverted to other centres which was quite short sighted. However, there is a balance required as some of these projects would have been to the detriment to the environment or would have have placed stress on Armidale water supply. The Council does need to become more proactive in attracting business which in turn will assist in building employment away from education and government.
Armidale is a great place for kids to grow up as they can roam a little wild and be children by riding bikes and spending time outdoors. My children have settled well and both have made good solid friendships and I know they would both be reluctant to leave.
Armidale has great sporting facilities for a city our size and if there is any passing interests in the outdoors there are numerous National Parks and Mountain Bike tracks. For people who love being outdoors it is fantastic.
The winters are very cold and the cost of power quite prohibitive but hey that is life there are always concessions to be made. I for one would prefer to put a few additional layers of clothing on rather than sit in traffic for an hour and a half. Life is for living and living here has enabled me to spend more time with my family which is without far more important than a large power bill once a year.
For those considering the move, I would recommend coming and exploring first (we did). It is a unique place but does not suit everyone. Like all small cities shopping and dining experiences are limited. If you are coming from a larger city and expect people to be instantly pleased you are there then you have come to the wrong place. If you come to Armidale with the view point of getting involved, investing in understanding people and what they have to offer then you will have a fantastic time. My neighbors are fantastic and we see each other regularly whilst walking the dogs.
Also it is a pretty safe town where reported crime has been falling which in comparison to its peers is unheard of. Armidale has seen the four most common criminal acts fall 52% since 2006. The town had a crime problem and between the Council and Bernie Shakeshaft (founder of Backtrack) has worked to remedy it.
Like life in general you get out of it what you put in.