Hi! Roughly 25 minutes beyond Ebor youll find the incredible Wollomombi Falls which cascades into a dramatic gorge, we detail which lookouts are worth the walk in this guide. That spray regularly creates rainbows and the whole scene is just breathtaking. Its not surprising when you catch your first glimpse. Then, he dropped it all and embarked . Weve never had such a reward for a failed koala hunt! The best accommodation options are in Armidale, Dorrigo and Bellingen, with slim pickings inbetween. Uranga Beach permits dogs off-leash 8. This helps towards the costs of running our website. The night is balmy and a waft of frangipani mixes with the tempting smell of freshly baked bread from the kitchen, as happy diners tuck into herb and parmesan crusted lamb shoulder with polenta and Oak Street smoked salmon, beetroot relish and caraway rye toast. Youll find everyone here from the local hipsters, families and your grandparents. The signpost says the walk to the bottom of the falls is 20 minutes, but you could do it in less than half that time, and it isnt much of a climb on the way back up either. walk south of Bellingen to the lookout. . Bellingen On-line is your gateway to the Bellingen Shire and the townships of Bellingen, Urunga and Dorrigo on the Mid North Coast of NSW, Australia. Its honestly one of the top attractions in Dorrigo National Park. The road winds steeply through the lush rainforest of Dorrigo National Park to a height of 750 metres at Dorrigo Mountain. Although there are more amazing falls like Dangars and Apsley beyond Armidale, it would be too far on a day trip from Bellingen. Expect to see a loads of awesome stalls including home grown fresh produce, food stands and live music. One night we find ourselves on the veranda of a century old weatherboard cottage, Oak Street Food and Wine. How great is that? Make the effort to drive out just to see how beautiful this part of Bellingen really is. For just $15 for an hour (or $35 for 4 hours), you can rent a canoe from Bellingen Canoe Adventures and go exploring down the Bellinger River. You can make the trip in either direction, but if you are starting in Sydney, wed recommend beginning in Armidale. Looking to read more about Bellingen and nearby towns on the East Coast? If youre in need of a caffeine fix wed highly recommend Heartfire Bakery and for dinner or drinks, the eclectic Bellingen Brewery. It takes less than a minute to get there from the car park. Its a fabulous, easy walk with great views and the chance to take a dip in the river by the start of the boardwalk. All the details on each route are in our Red Cedar Falls guide. Weve hiked all over the world and this one totally blew us away that we wrote all about it below. Restaurant. What more could you ask for? Baker Creek Falls is the first of the waterfalls along the Waterfall Way, and whilst you can only view it from a distance its still worth a stop. It's located at the end of the scenic drive, the elevation is 9115 feet, there is a parking lot, for there, you can go. Bellingen is surrounded by lots of great waterfalls, and one of the most spectacular is also one of the lesser visited ones. We love walking, so wed recommend the trail, it also has that emerge from the wilds feeling when you leave the forest and hit the beach. Our next pick is Valla Beach, which is another beauty, just 25 minutes from Bellingen. Bongil Bongil National Park is a 30 minute drive from Bellingen. Its easy to spend whole afternoons hopping from one great eatery to another, but if you can tear yourself away youll find some of the best attractions in NSW are all within a short drive of Bellingen. You can read more details on the track in our Eagles Nest guide. The thick canopy keeps out most of the light and creates a mysterious atmosphere which feels like walking through the pages of a novel. Here, the Canopy Cafe, run by Wolfgang Zichy and his wife Catherine McDonald, is yet another foodie find, serving up an interesting menu that includes all day breakfast and weekly specials concocted from the Bellofoodbox, a community initiative which distributes local, seasonal produce within 160 kilometres of Bellingen. Its big, its deep and its very easy to access. . Map: Link; Bellingen lookout. Dynamic Web Solutions Pty Ltd Bellingen is so beautiful, we recommend walking over to the Lavender Bridge to spend a lazy afternoon swimming in the river which is crystal clear. I'd drive the five-hour journey from home any day just for the cafe's biodynamic buffalo burgers and the heavenly zucchini and ricotta fritters. This gets very steep. Photographers come for sunrise, but not fancying another early start we opted for sunset - as well as visiting during the day - and both times were beautiful. Im not sure if anyone comes to Dorrigo and doesnt visit the Skywalk Lookout. Were going to share with you the places we stopped by at and some of the ones we would have done so if we had more time. Goolwa stands at the mouth of the river on Lake Alexandrina and derives its name from an Aboriginal word meaning elbow. Go wine tasting with a view Most people visit the award winning Raleigh Winery for its fabulous restaurant with a terrace overlooking the vines and river. Copyright 2023 Destination NSW. Pure joy as you wake to the sunrise. and CountryLink trains run three times a day from Sydney to nearby Urunga and Coffs Harbour (about eight hours). Walk My World provides highly detailed guides for those who love to explore independently and seek out hidden gems. All rights reserved, Switch to Sydney.com to see more of our capital city, The 185 kilometre Waterfall Way scenic drive links Coffs harbour and Armidale, passing rainforest, river valleys and waterfalls, including New England and Dorrigo National Parks. The coffee is really good too, the best of our five week trip, and its an all round great brekkie or lunch spot. The food in Bellingen was definitely a highlight for us and we knew we had to check out the Bellingen Gelato Bar when we saw a queue every time we passed! Despite being in the area a couple of weeks it didnt match up for us, but we think it would be a good one as Bellingen is such a creative place. All trail besides the first section of bitumen from the carpark, sensational views along the way. One of the most amazing lookout points weve been to in Australia has to be at the Skywalk at the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre. We planned to visit at sunset but we were too late. Its a beautiful clear day. Bellingen brewery is deservedly popular. Looking for the best hiking trails in Bellingen? We recommend walking along the path from the upper falls because at the moment the best views are located there, rather than beside the old viewing platform. Some places are so beautiful; it feels like holy ground. If youre looking for something to do in the evening during your stay in Bellingen, we recommend popping over to Dorrigo to the Old Gazette Theatre. You can walk right the way behind the falls if you dont mind getting a bit wet and it offers a unique perspective and photo opportunity. Sign up to our mailing list to get our free mini guide! From here its more like boulder hopping, which makes for a fun challenge. The signpost says its difficult and recommends two hours for the walk, but this was double the time it took us and we stopped many times just to appreciate the scenery, as well as to take photos and videos. So here are the major stops, hidden gems and highlights to help you plan your trip along the Waterfall Way. Start typing to see results or hit ESC to close, 45 Best Sydney Tourist Attractions With Hidden Gems 2023 Guide, How To Spend A Unique New Years Eve In Sydney 2022/2023, 15 Different Things To Do On Christmas Day In Sydney In 2022, Free International Money Transfers For Life, 26 Best Things To Do In Newcastle NSW Youll Love 2023 Guide, 18 Best Bondi Restaurants For Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner 2023 Guide. Its really spectacular. It is simply sensational and so powerful that sitting and staring for a while is pretty much mandatory. Directly on route between Bellingen and Coffs Harbour, but slightly off the Waterfall Way, you'll . You can read more in our Cathedral Rock guide. If youre wondering, The Promised Land is an actual place. Bellingen's former famed restaurant No. Most people visit the award winning Raleigh Winery for its fabulous restaurant with a terrace overlooking the vines and river. Its gorgeous and has a fabulous deep swimming pool at the base. This is mainly because its a great introduction to the Waterfall Way and we preferred to finish the trip by driving down the Pacific Highway back along the coast. It's a hot and sticky morning on market day, so afterwards we head for the hills the World Heritage-listed Dorrigo rainforest one of the top 10 most visited parks in NSW and one of the highlights of the Waterfall Way, a scenic route that runs from New England to Coffs Harbour. Start your trip from the north bank of Jarret Park near Hammond street. Further along the path is a shelter and a fire ring the site of logging protests perhaps? Its a pretty, 15 minute drive from the centre of town and the moment you see that water for the first time its almost impossible not to let out a wow. Further up the coast towards Coffs Harbour we also recommend visiting Mylestom and Sawtell Beaches. Bellingen is such a creative town full of hidden gems, that theres so many festivals happening throughout the year. Go on a road trip from Bellingen to Armidale along Waterfall Way, 18. Were Cat & Joe, two Brits, now living in Australia, with a passion for the outdoors and adventure travel. Make sure you visit this gem of a restaurant! A sense of adventure as you motor across red plains. For full functionality of this site it is necessary to enable JavaScript. Surrounded by century-old homes, this timber and weatherboard beauty is bounded by beautiful established gardens and offers serene views of the valley and pastureland from the wrap-around veranda. What we thought we were looking at was a picture from somewhere in The Amazon! They did have some local products too but most looked to be from overseas. That makes a visit here even more special. This trail is great for hiking, running, and walking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring. We hadnt been anywhere in Australia that has a silence like here. Theres plenty to do in the area; from looking out for turtles at Muttonbird Island, to kayaking along the emerald creek, saying hello to the local kangaroos at Look At Me Now Headland and keeping an eye out for koalas at the botanic garden. BELLINGEN, DORRIGO, EBOR AND URUNGA BUSH/BEACHWALKING. What more could you ask for? It has building amenities including onsite management, fitness center, residents lounge, swimming pool, outdoor space, and controlled access. Held on the third Saturday of every month from 10am-2pm. The first falls youll come to is Newell on the windy road before you reach Dorrigo. Previously we have stayed at the Promised Land Cottages (now Promised Land Retreat), 12 kilometres north of the town across Lavender's Bridge and next door to Helfgott's property. The woodfired sourdough is amazing, as are the pies and quiches (the zucchini, goats cheese and kale quiche is one of the best Ive ever had!). We used to talk about travelling the world together, and in 2012 we finally made that happen. The ancient forest along the Wonga Track is absolutely awe-inspiring in the true sense of the word. Get our book of 40 fantastic Walks on the NSW Mid-North Coast,from Port Macquarie to the Coffs Coast and Clarence Valley. Sunrise was our favourite because as well as watching the sun illuminate the mountains, you also hear the whole rainforest come to life. Visit Woolmers and Brickendon, authentic examples of Australian pioneer farms, take a self guided walking tour of the town, or hire a guide and have a go at fly fishing in the clear waters of the Macquarie River. After Dorrigo youll then come to the famous Ebor Falls (40 minutes away) whose upper and lower falls are well worth a visit. Were about to introduce you to some cracking waterfalls and National Parks which need to be on your radar. They also do full moon & champagne canoe tours too! Thank you for subscribing! The city hosts the annual Jacaranda Festival and boasts a fine regional art gallery. When we visited there was no water in sight even though it had been raining. You can read more about the routes and other wild swimming spots nearby in our post on Red Cedar Falls. Whilst the Waterfall Way technically continues all the way to Armidale, if your primary interest is in waterfalls, theres no need to go beyond Bakers Creek. No.5 is a well loved cafe that when we visited we had such a great conversation with the waitress who moved her family up here after visiting from Sydney. We wont mention Dorrigo much as weve already talked about it in this post, except to say its well worth stopping at Dangar Falls, 2km from town. 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