Bellingen
Creative riverside town for cafés, galleries, boutiques and markets.
Bellingen is the Shire’s cultural, café and shopping hub—an easy place to slow down, browse boutiques and galleries, or take to the river by kayak. Artists, musicians, farmers and artisans give the town its distinctive energy, brought to life through markets, festivals and a strong creative scene.
Quick facts:
- 30-minutes (about 35km) from Coffs Harbour by road
- 53% of the Shire is National Parks or State Forest
- The Bellinger River meets the sea near Urunga
- Markets to plan around: Farmers & Producers Market (Wednesdays) and Community Markets (third Saturday of the month), Grower's Market (every Saturday except the third Saturday of the month)
- Live music and creative events are a regular feature—check what’s on at venues like Bellingen Memorial Hall, Bellingen Brewery and the Federal Hotel or our Bellingen Shire events page
Top experiences:
- Wander the town’s galleries, studios and boutiques, then settle in for a long café lunch.
- Spend a slow morning at the Bellingen Community Markets (monthly).
- Get on the Bellinger River by canoe or kayak for an easy reset in nature.
- Follow a local produce trail—treat it as a “taste your way through town” day and experience some of our world-class dining.
- Build an arts-and-music evening: dinner, a drink, and whatever’s on locally.
- Take a classic day trip up the range for rainforest walks and waterfalls near Dorrigo.
Quick links to help plan your trip to Bellingen:
A Day in Bellingen
Where to eat in Bellingen
Where to stay in Bellingen
Dorrigo town centre -Hickory Street
Dorrigo
Some 731 metres above sea level, Dorrigo sits on the edge of the escarpment in a cooler, greener world of World Heritage-listed Gondwana rainforest, walks and waterfalls. Start at the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre for maps and local guidance, then step out onto the Skywalk lookout for sweeping views over the canopy and across the Bellinger Valley toward the coast.
Quick facts:
- 30-40 minutes from Bellingen (29 km) by road.
- 60 minutes from Coffs Harbour (about 65 km) by road.
- Dorrigo Rainforest Centre is the main visitor hub for Dorrigo National Park.
- The Skywalk lookout is attached to the Rainforest Centre and has views across the Bellinger Valley to the coast.
- A small plateau town with a walkable main street of cafés, shops and services.
Top experiences:
- From the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre walk to Crystal Shower Falls via the Wonga Walk loop from the Rainforest Centre (a classic, highly photographed walk) —big trees, birdsong and waterfall moments in one circuit. Visit the Never Never Picnic area to explore more off-the-beaten track hikes like Red Cedar Falls — the tallest waterfall in the park
- Visit Dangar Falls, just outside town—check out the viewing platform, then take the short track down to the base of the falls
- Linger in town: coffee, bakeries, a slow browse, and a delicious main-street lunch before or after the rainforest.
- Use Waterfall Way as your scenic spine and build an easy “lookouts + falls” weekend around Dorrigo.
- Use Dorrigo as your base for scenic drives such as Moonpar Forest Drive—a loop through forest country with picnic stops, rivers and short walks.
- Go further afield: day-trip into quieter more remote natural areas, including New England National Park, Cascade National Park and Wild Cattle Creek State Forest.
Quick links to help plan your trip to Dorrigo:
Mylestom Foreshore by Alma Doepel Park and the tidal pool
Mylestom
Also known as North Beach, Mylestom is one of our hidden gems - a tranquil seaside village located just north of Urunga. It’s known for its beautiful, uncrowded beaches and laid-back atmosphere. Here you'll be able to access the beach and riverside.
Quick facts:
- 15–20 minutes from Urunga (about 12 km) by road.
- 20 minutes from Coffs Harbour (about 24 km) by road.
- A small, quiet village located a short five-minute drive off the Pacific Highway.
- Set between the surf beach and the Bellinger River.
- The Mylestom Tidal Pool is netted and designed as a safer place to swim, with seating and a walkway nearby.
Top experiences:
- Swim at the netted Mylestom Tidal Pool, then picnic in the adjacent reserve.
- Linger at the North Beach General Store for coffee, takeaway and their famous fish and chips wrapped in paper, plus a small grocery range and local finds.
- Bring bikes or walk the village at an easy pace: minimal fuss, minimal traffic, maximum reset.
- Spend a morning in Bongil Bongil National Park. Do the Bluff Loop walk for an easy coastal forest stroll, then follow it with a beach walk. A popular park for trail runners and cycling.
- Use Mylestom as a quiet coastal base for day trips to Urunga and Bellingen.
Urunga Foreshore and where the Kalang and Bellinger River meet
Urunga
Situated where the Bellinger and Kalang Rivers meet, Urunga offers a chance for visitors to explore unspoilt beaches and tranquil waterways. The highlight is the famous Urunga Boardwalk, a short and easy stroll across rivers and mangroves teeming with wildlife. It is considered one of the best on the east coast. The nearby Urunga Wetlands is the perfect place to indulge in some bird watching and known as a photographic paradise.
Quick facts:
- 25–30 minutes from Coffs Harbour (about 27 km) by road.
- 15–20 minutes from Bellingen (about 16 km) by road.
- The Bellinger and Kalang Rivers enter the Pacific Ocean at Urunga.
- Over 200 metres of the brand-new wheelchair-accessible Urunga Boardwalk is currently open
- Urunga Wetlands has a wheelchair-accessible 150 m boardwalk and a 450 m loop trail.
- Hungry Head Beach is the Shire’s patrolled surf beach (seasonal patrols).
Top experiences:
- Stroll the newly open section of the Urunga Boardwalk for elevated river views and a taste of what’s to come once the full walk is complete.
- Do a slow loop at Urunga Wetlands, with interpretive signs and an easy, wheelchair-friendly boardwalk.
- Spend time around the foreshore: picnic tables, children's park, relaxed river and coastal scenery and a dedicated walking and cycle path to Hungry Healand
- Head to Hungry Head for long quiet beaches, headland whale watching and sunrises, and wide-open surf views.
- Use Urunga as a coastal base for day trips to Mylestom (North Beach), Bongil Bongil National Park, Bellingen and driving the scenic the Waterfall Way hinterland.
Quick links to help plan your trip to Urunga:
A Day in Urunga
Where to eat in Urunga
Where to stay in Urunga