You can read more details on the track in our Eagles Nest guide. Note that while we don't usually have directional FKTs on point-to-point routes, the history and large elevation difference between endpoints makes that a logical choice for this particular route. Forest matter from Tarkeeth is trucked to Broadwater power station (Cape Byron Power) to provide biofuel. A similar distance from Bellingen is Sawtell Beach which is another great option. Part of the best-selling Woodslane Walking Guides series. It's a place so special the fortunate locals that call it home, including its most famous residents George Negus and David Helfgott would much rather keep all to themselves. Check out the menu here and the reviews here. Required fields are marked *. Dangar Falls is one of the most popular waterfalls in Dorrigo, if not all of NSW. We headed up to Wrights Lookout for sunrise, which was very special if you can manage the early start. The centre is open every day from 9am until 4:30pm (except Christmas Day) and is a must-do stop on the journey of Waterfall Way. A superb kayak down Bellingen River. If you have more time to spend in the park, we have a full guide on all the day walks there. but you know, Heartfire. They fly out en-masse from their home on Bellingen Island every evening at dusk. Directly on route between Bellingen and Coffs Harbour, but slightly off the Waterfall Way, youll find the Bongil Bongil National Park. We visited the winery for a tasting and the setting, wine and staff were great, which tallies with the reviews for their guesthouse too. Additionally, there is a good motel in Ebor Falls, and a couple of cabins in New England National Park, which dont appear on any booking sites (nor does the Ebor Falls Motel). 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. The city hosts the annual Jacaranda Festival and boasts a fine regional art gallery. We recommend staying in Bellingen over Dorrigo as theres more going on there and quite frankly its got a better vibe and is very beautiful. They did have some local products too but most looked to be from overseas. Later I learnt more about previous protests over clear felling the Tarkeeth, the ongoing concerns of the locals regarding the Tarkeeth forests around logging wood for chipping, biomass extraction, and aerial spraying. 5 Church Street and we return here again and again for live music, heavenly strawberry daiquiris and its biodynamic, organic and local produce driven menu. The reality is there are a few uphill sections and some parts of the track have rocks and tree roots to climb over, but its not a hard walk. Discover the endless feelings a visit to NSW can inspire. All the unmissable stops along the Waterfall Way, Tasman Lake: the absolute best views for amazing photos, Mount Solitary: A rewarding adventure in the Blue Mountains, Killen Falls: what to expect and how to avoid the crowds, 25 things to do in Byron Bay including secret spots no one else will tell you, The 8 most spectacular Waterfalls in Byron Bay, The best route to the bottom of Minyon Falls & how to beat the crowds, Byron Bay Lighthouse Walk - one of NSW's best coastal walks, Protesters Falls - the secrets of one of the best waterfalls near Byron Bay, How to find the secret glow worm tunnel near Byron Bay, The Kindness of Strangers: 10 travel moments that restored my faith in humanity, What it's like to give it all up to travel in your 30's. The heart of the town is the mighty Murray River, which divides Echuca and the NSW river border town of Moama. If you get a completely clear sky you will be able to see all the way to the coast. You will have a pretty big hill to climb up afterwards, but trust us, its worth it! Everything you need to know about exactly how to have this special experience is in this post. This gets very steep. Theres a pool at the base which makes for an incredible wild swimming spot (unless the flow is too powerful in which case you can paddle in the pool before the base). Other places to consider include Cedar Bar & Kitchen which is located in an old church, People of Coffee which is a cool cafe located in an old petrol station, The Old Butter Factory and the retro vibes of Bellingen Gelato. Our go to Bellingen accommodation is easily The Belfry Guesthouse located just a stones throw from the Bellingen Brewery. One of the most amazing lookout points weve been to in Australia has to be at the Skywalk at the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre. Wollomombi Falls is just jaw-dropping. It feels like a cross between the refined village of Bangalow, tucked inland from Byron Bay, and the alternative hippy hub of Nimbin. Expect to see a loads of awesome stalls including home grown fresh produce, food stands and live music. 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. and 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. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 39 min to complete. By Zoila Palma Gonzalez: Today, the Business Chamber of Spanish Lookout informed that most businesses will close at 12 noon so that they join in . Thank you x. Thats amazing! If youre in need of a caffeine fix wed highly recommend Heartfire Bakery and for dinner or drinks, the eclectic Bellingen Brewery. We ordered the curry which was absolutely beautiful. Long before white man arrived on the north coast to build his beacons and towers, the Gumbaynggirr clans travelled between the coast and the tablelands along the Yildaan (dreaming track) using story as one of their methods of navigation. This out and back route begins and ends from the end of Hill Street, where the Hill Street Trail trailhead is located. What more could you ask for? 8. 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. If there has been a lot of heavy rain the flow will be too strong, as it was for us, but you can still take a shower in the spray - its that powerful! Newell Falls is unusual in that it cascades underneath the main road between Dorrigo and Bellingen! At 800 metres above sea level, the air is decidedly cooler and we marvel at the magnificent rainforest canopy from the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre and Skywalk. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Other highlights of the drive include the granite tors in Cathedral Rock National Park, Point lookout in New England National Park, and the Wollomombi Gorge and Falls picnic area, near Armidale, which has one of the states highest drops. Its not surprising when you catch your first glimpse. We're Cat Smith and Joe Bird, two travel fanatics from the U.K. We both caught the travel bug on solo trips in 2003 and have been hopelessly addicted ever since. When I was a a child, trigonometric (trig) stations were essential for mapping and navigation. All the details on the walk and the glow worms are in this post. Sign up to our mailing list to get our free mini guide! Bellingen is also just a 15 minute drive from the beach town of Urunga which offers a stunning beach for those balmy days. The colourful monthly markets are also well worth a visit. The Waterfall Way is actually the name of one road that is over 150km long, beginning in Armidale in the west and finishing in Coffs Harbour in the east. Turns out it has to rain A LOT to see this. It will take you about 60 to 65 minutes. Its a fabulous, easy walk with great views and the chance to take a dip in the river by the start of the boardwalk. Bellingen is located along the Waterfall Way, 520km from Sydney and around a 5 hour 15 minute drive. How great is that? The most popular hike in the Dorrigo National Park is to Crystal Shower Falls. Another 30 minute drive south of Armidale will bring you to the beautiful Gostwyck Church in Uralla. Although you can swim in other nearby waterfalls, none have a pool anything like Dangar. When taking a dip in the water here, please dont wear sunscreen or insect repellant which harms the local wildlife (there are always plenty of shady spots so you dont need to worry about getting burnt). If there is a more magnificent rainforest walk in NSW weve yet to find it. SUBSCRIBE TO GET YOUR FREE SYDNEY E-GUIDE. Dogs are permitted off-leash on Urunga Beach, in between the river mouth and the four wheel drive access point, the "Sand Mines". It is a 30-minute drive from Coffs Harbour airport, serviced by several daily flights from Sydney and Melbourne on Qantas, Tiger Air and Virgin Blue. They also do full moon & champagne canoe tours too! Located just over a 15 minute drive away, the 2km fully accessible walkway takes you along the Kalang River before you head right to a area of dense mangroves - kids will love the armies of crabs that march all over the mud flats (update for November 2022, this righthand section of the boardwalk is currently closed due to storm damage). Bellingen is 520 kilometres north of Sydney, just inland from the mid-north coast. This trail is estimated to be 4.7 mi long. Walking on a misty day, when the low hanging cloud drifted into the forest turned out to be one of the greatest days we've had in Australia. Again, if it wasnt for our host at The Belfry Guesthouse to tell us about some of the things you can do in Bellingen, we wouldnt have known about the awesome road trip you can do down to Armidale which takes 2 hours. Bellingen, New South Wales, Australia Length: 1.3 mi Est. You can read more about the routes and other wild swimming spots nearby in our post on Red Cedar Falls. The trail itself features a wonderful view from the top at the Lardner Lookout. Bellingen's former famed restaurant No. Tue, 04/27/2021 - 04:02am. From there its a bit of an obstacle course as you make your way over, under and in-between huge boulder piles. We stayed at the Hideaway Motor Inn and even at Christmas the price was good! In this article youve mentioned that youre planning to write about great places to see on the trip from Bellingen to Armidale along Waterfall Way. It would not feel out of place to round the corner and come face to face with a dinosaur! Its roughly 30 minutes from both Coffs Harbour and Dorrigo. Its really spectacular. 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. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. 300m. Thats a slight incline walk. If you are lucky enough to walk this track on a misty day (dont let rain deter you!) There are no steep inclines or difficult sections. All Rights Reserved. The walking track isnt easy and takes 2 hours to walk nearly 6km loop. 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. The majority of outlets were selling locally made goods including art, woodwork and leather. If you're keen for some serenity its best to go on a weekday or early in the morning, locals and travellers alike love this spot so it can get very busy. Held on the third Saturday of every month from 10am-2pm. You can walk around the top of the canyon to many different vantage points to take this incredible Australian canyon in. The walk to reach it is less than a couple of minutes and the view is nothing short of extraordinary. Start location: 74 Mount St, Fernmount NSW 2454, Australia. We can hear the sound of logging machinery as we walk, and in the distance the brown slope of clear fell is jarring among the green of the forest. Just a few minutes down the road from the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre lies Dangar Falls, the first of our must see waterfalls on the Waterfall Way road. Bellingen has this effect on a lot of Sydneysiders we met whove since relocated to this part of the world. Further along the path is a shelter and a fire ring the site of logging protests perhaps? If you take this route youll have to walk 3km back along the beach to your car, but its compact sand, so very easy to walk on. If you love tracks which have a touch of adrenaline then the 5.8km walk to the Cathedral Rock summit in Cathedral Rock National Park is the hike for you. BELLINGEN, DORRIGO, EBOR AND URUNGA BUSH/BEACHWALKING. 2.45 roundtrip walk from the Treehouse. If youre looking for more walks nearby, check out the Cathedral Rock National Park too and hike up to the Cathedral Rock. Note that Google Maps/GPS is not very accurate in directing you to the Promised Land, its located near the Angel Gabriel Capararo Reserve. You can read more in our Cathedral Rock guide. Goolwa stands at the mouth of the river on Lake Alexandrina and derives its name from an Aboriginal word meaning elbow. If in summer, take water, a hat and sun cream. . To get to the centre from the Bellingen exit on the Pacific Motorway, you travel along the scenic route of Waterfall Way for around half an hour until you see the signed turn-off for Dome Road & the Rainforest Centre. If you thought you had to visit Queensland for electric blue swimming holes, then think again. Our absolute favourite beach near Bellingen is Bongil Beach, that we mentioned at the start of this post. Want to make the most of the river in town? There are actually two waterfalls, Wollomombi and Chandler falls, which cascade into an immense gorge. . With dense trees ferns, hanging vines, strangler figs, colourful fungi and so many birds, its a really immersive experience. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. terms and conditions Most people visit the award winning Raleigh Winery for its fabulous restaurant with a terrace overlooking the vines and river. The majority is fairly easy (providing the rock is dry and therefore grippy), but the very last bit is steeper and there is a fixed chain to help. Once youve parked you can get a slightly closer look at the falls as well as watch how it affects the traffic! The huge wrap around veranda will make you want to stay here forever! The first thing to know is when you get to Dorrigo, the temperature drops as its 746m above sea level. The thick canopy keeps out most of the light and creates a mysterious atmosphere which feels like walking through the pages of a novel. If you still havent had your fill of waterfalls, then wed highly recommend a visit to Scouts Falls. Were about to introduce you to some cracking waterfalls and National Parks which need to be on your radar. From this point, Wrights Lookout is just 700m away and the Cascades Trail is a 2.8km circuit. So technically Dangars Falls is not part of the Waterfall Way, but if there has been recent rain you really shouldnt miss it! This is a great thing to know because Bellingen in Summer can be hot so you can come to Dorrigo to cool down. The walk has some elevation gain and sections of track which are quite slippery and rough. White water rafting on Nymboida River. Walking Bellingen Shire Forest, Lookout, Cafe Grade 3 One way 8.7 km 3 hours 300m 310 m Tarkeeth State Forest Start location: 74 Mount St, Fernmount NSW 2454, Australia Before you go - tips to stay safe Fernmount to Bellingen You will need a car shuffle or a taxi ride as this is a one way walk, although it can be walked in either direction. Easily accessible, anyone can enjoy the panoramic views of the Rosewood rainforest basin. The heart and soul of this bucolic region is unquestionably Bellingen, with its creative, alternative village feel and beautifully preserved shop fronts. A sense of belonging as you return to your favourite holiday house. We're Cat Smith and Joe Bird, two travel fanatics from the U.K. We both caught the travel bug on solo trips in 2003 and have been hopelessly addicted ever since. Looking to read more about Bellingen and nearby towns on the East Coast? Awe as you make it to the snowy peak. See promisedlandretreat.com.au. Its just a one minute walk from the car park so its definitely worth a peek. The second being the longer Wonga Walk which well talk about in more detail next. Constructed from local timber and salvaged materials, its full of hanging plants, cool artwork and atmospheric lighting. The only thing not to like about the brewery is how hard it is to get in to! See airbnb.com.au/rooms/2387682. The water has shallow and very deep areas and there is a current, so after a lot of rain it is best to stay closer to the bank where you cant feel any pull. The ancient forest along the Wonga Track is absolutely awe-inspiring in the true sense of the word. 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