Backwater, New South Wales — interactive Google street map, satellite and terrain views, Street View, live local weather conditions and 7-day forecasts, real-time local and world news, and an editorial description of Backwater, in the Armidale Regional Council local government area.
| Locality | Backwater |
| State | New South Wales (NSW) |
| Local Government Area | Armidale Regional Council |
| Country | Australia |
| Timezone | Australian Eastern Time (AEST/AEDT) |
| Remoteness | Outer Regional Australia |
| Latitude | -30.05251 |
| Longitude | 151.90875 |
| Population | 14 |
| Density | 0.1 /km² |
| Area | 126.1 km² |
| Elevation | 1189 m |
| Postcode | 2365 |
| Area Code | 02 |
| Distance to Sydney | 429 km north |
Backwater is a locality in the Armidale Regional Council local government area of New South Wales, Australia. It is a small community with a population of 14. The locality covers an area of 126.1 km², giving a population density of about 0.1 people per km². It sits at an elevation of around 1189 m above sea level. It lies approximately 429 km north of Sydney. Backwater is located at 30.0525°S, 151.9087°E. It observes Australian Eastern Time (AEST/AEDT). Postcode: 2365. The Australian Bureau of Statistics classifies the area as Outer Regional Australia.
Backwater unfolds across a landscape of rolling hills, where the rich, red earth rises to meet a sky that often burns with an intense, clear blue. It lies 54.8 km north-north-east of Armidale, NSW (from Armidale, NSW: bearing 25°T), and is situated 42.0 km south-south-east of Glen Innes. The air here carries the scent of dry grasses and the faint, sweet perfume of wattles, particularly as the day begins to soften towards dusk, painting the western horizon in hues of apricot and rose. Here and there, stands of sturdy eucalypts, their bark peeling like ancient parchment, offer pockets of deep, cool shade, their leaves whispering secrets to the ever-present breeze. The terrain is not dramatic, but possesses a quiet, enduring beauty, a gentle undulation that speaks of patient growth and the slow, steady work of water and wind.
The story of Backwater is one etched into the land by generations of farming and grazing families, their livelihoods tied to the capricious, yet ultimately generous, seasons. Sheep and cattle have long been the lifeblood of this district, their wool and meat finding their way to markets far beyond these horizons. The economy, while rooted in agriculture, has seen diversification over the years, with a growing appreciation for the region’s potential for boutique tourism, drawing visitors who seek the genuine quietude and the unfettered expanse of rural Australia. Evidence of older ways persists, in the sturdy, weathered farmhouses and the enduring spirit of community that binds the people of Backwater together, a resilience forged in the often-harsh, always-beautiful Australian bush.
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This page provides an interactive Google map of Backwater, New South Wales with street, satellite and terrain views and integrated Street View imagery. Live weather conditions with current observations and a 7-day forecast are powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while an editorially written description provides background on Backwater, in the Armidale Regional Council local government area.
Detailed location data for Backwater includes the postcode (2365), telephone area code (02), and local government area (Armidale Regional Council), with an ABS remoteness classification of Outer Regional Australia. These are among the most commonly searched location details for any Australian city, town or locality.
Location data is drawn from Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020) and enriched with GeoNames and Australian Bureau of Statistics data, matched by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Backwater is identified even where the name is shared across multiple localities.
| Page generated | June 2026 |
| Location data | Geoscape Administrative Boundaries (GDA2020); enriched with GeoNames and ABS 2021 Census data, matched by coordinate proximity |
| Description | Editorial description generated with AI assistance from verified Geoscape, ABS and GeoNames location data. |