Waterfall Way tourist drive: Wollomombi lookout upgrade boosts tourist for drought and bushfire hit Armidale

The Wollomombi Falls are the highest in the state and one of the gems along bucket list drive, Waterfall Way.

It's one of the key things tourists come to Armidale to do, so it was important to have the lookout back open again, Visitor Information Centre manager Katrina George said.

"Waterfall Way has been on so many people's bucket lists, I've had a lot of people here this morning nearly all going there," she said.

"Now that people can get on the road [due to COVID-19 restrictions] people are deciding to do things they have always wanted to but never had the time for.

"It will be great to see them come to Tamworth and Armidale to get our visitation numbers up, for us it wasn't just COVID-19 it was bushfires and the drought so we need our visitors back and motels are already starting to see a steady increase in people starting to trickle back."

The new lookout is 25 minutes from Armidale at the Oxley Wild Rivers National Park and has better accessibility for vehicles and wheelchairs.

It also has increased car park spaces for coaches and grey nomads with a better view of Wollomombi and Chandler Falls.

It's bigger and better than any other view of the gorge system just minutes off Waterfall Way, National Parks and Wildlife Service area manager Aaron Simmon said.

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"When we say its open for everyone, we mean it, the new lookout has been well designed and positioned to allow better access for all, including independent wheelchairs," he said.

"Wollomombi Falls is the highest waterfall in NSW, with the water plummeting 260 metres into the Chandler River.

"As an added bonus the Wollomombi Falls are thumping again following recent rainfall."

During COVID-19 there is an online booking system in place at the campgrounds through National Parks NSW.