A walking trail from the main lookout takes you around the edge of the gorge towards two more viewing platforms from where you can see the lower Ebor Falls. 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. They fly out en-masse from their home on Bellingen Island every evening at dusk. If you only have time for a lookout rather than a walk in New England National Park, then opt for Point Lookout. 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 heart of the town is the mighty Murray River, which divides Echuca and the NSW river border town of Moama. privacy policy. Its a spectacular waterfall and wild swimming spot in Dorrigo. Is there a separate article about them? From this point, Wrights Lookout is just 700m away and the Cascades Trail is a 2.8km circuit. The Trail to Lanes Lookout is an easy walk along an old road. Lookouts. Unfortunately the viewing platform for the lower falls burnt down in the fires of 2020 so you cant get a completely unobstructed look at the whole waterfall. 2023 - Walk My World. See rent prices, lease prices, location information, floor plans and amenities. It may be the slowest line of moving traffic youve ever seen as everyone tries to grab pics through the car window! Bellingen is located along the Waterfall Way, 520km from Sydney and around a 5 hour 15 minute drive. The walk to the main lookout is only 75m, and it is wheelchair accessible. To be honest, Qudo offers up some of the best Japanese food weve ever had, even more so than when we went to Japan recently. Visit the excellent Tweed Regional Art Gallery, home to the Margaret Olley Art Centre, have lunch at the fabulous cafe run by well-known locals Peter Clarke and Charlie Ebell of Mavis Kitchen fame and explore the World Heritage Rainforest Centre, which documents the wildlife and botanical splendours of the region's national parks. It will take you about 60 to 65 minutes. Hope you manage to stop by Bellingen! Pizza is the food of choice here and theres loads of board games to keep you entertained. Bellingen: With an ascent of 269 ft, Lardner Lookout via Hill Street Trail has the most elevation gain of all of the trails in the area. Our absolute favourite beach near Bellingen is Bongil Beach, that we mentioned at the start of this post. I couldnt find. 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. PO Box 4504 The city has wide streets, elegant Victoria-era buildings and the glorious river passing through. Further along the path is a shelter and a fire ring the site of logging protests perhaps? Check out Hammond & Wheatley Emporium CountryLink trains run three times a day from Sydney to nearby Urunga and Coffs Harbour (about eight hours). Get $1500 in bonus value on Fiji island escape, Get $450 in bonus value on Fraser Island holiday, See Vivid Sydney and get a $600 bonus on your stay, Oceania marks 20 years with $US800 free gift. The walking track isnt easy and takes 2 hours to walk nearly 6km loop. The Waterfall Way officially ends at the coast at Coffs Harbour. The Old Butter Factory is open 7 days a week but individual shops may have different opening times, so if one in particular takes your fancy it is best to check timings directly with them. Another morning we breakfast at the Hearth Fire Bakery, have coffee and a squiz through the interesting Hyde and then have a browse of the Hammond and Wheatley Emporium, an iconic building on Bello's main street. Frequently asked trail questions about Bellingen, According to AllTrails.com, the longest trail in Bellingen is. Tue, 04/27/2021 - 04:02am. The "Down" version startsat the Point Lookout Carpark this routes makes its way down Robinsons knob trail before heading onto Horseshoe Rd and eventually Hospital range road into Bellingen. The road winds steeply through the lush rainforest of Dorrigo National Park to a height of 750 metres at Dorrigo Mountain. The majority of bats pass by in around 30 minutes after which point its just a few stragglers. We love a community cinema and this one is just a bargain price of $5 to join which will then give you free access to the films shown throughout the year. See promisedlandretreat.com.au. 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. Just 15km further is Bakers Creek Falls, you view it from a bit of a distance but the setting is outstanding. Subscribe foroccasionalupdates,, events and offers for our new guidebooks. There are actually two waterfalls, Wollomombi and Chandler falls, which cascade into an immense gorge. The most popular end is South Valla Beach which you can park right beside. Constructed from local timber and salvaged materials, its full of hanging plants, cool artwork and atmospheric lighting. There are no facilities whatsoever at the Promised Land, so please remember to take all rubbish with you and keep this area beautiful for generations to come. There are many other viewpoints located along two walking tracks. 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). Pop into Hyde for a coffee, we love this cool cafe! Guardian article (July 2020) on Bellingen: Bellingen Provodore (Groceries, take-away food and alcohol) (7 am to 8 pm): 2 Lyon Street, Bellingen NSW 2454: Google Maps: Restaurant: (casual and formal) Qudo (Japanese): Swimming hole: Promised Land/Glennifer: Google Maps: Winery and restaurant (formal): Raleigh Winery: Just cruise the main street, both sides, from the Post Office in the east to the NAB Branch in the west. You can make the trip in either direction, but if you are starting in Sydney, wed recommend beginning in Armidale. They did have some local products too but most looked to be from overseas. The drive from Bellingen spirals upwards to the rich red soil of Dorrigo plateau through towering rainforest, past gushing waterfalls and the Bellinger River. Did the "up" version from Bellingen to Point Lookout with Konrad and Andrew McDonald on 28/07/2018. Which trail has the most elevation gain in Bellingen? All trail besides the first section of bitumen from the carpark, sensational views along the way. Bring a picnic with you and chill out on the grass. Find out how easy it is to get down to the bottom of Dangar Falls, you can bring you kids too! If youre looking for more walks nearby, check out the Cathedral Rock National Park too and hike up to the Cathedral Rock. All the details on the walk and the glow worms are in this post. Directly on route between Bellingen and Coffs Harbour, but slightly off the Waterfall Way, you'll . This trail is estimated to be 4.7 mi long. Weve never had such a reward for a failed koala hunt! Bellingen is 520 kilometres north of Sydney, just inland from the mid-north coast. 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. Perched over the top of the 1 million year old Gondwana Rainforest, wed be surprised if you went here and didnt enjoy the view. We spent a lot of time in Dorrigo and have put a whole guide together on all the best things to do there if you have a little more time to go beyond the big hitters weve included on this list. For somewhere this majestic you would expect to find it very busy, but the walk to Red Cedar Falls puts many people off, with the shortest option being 6.8km (return) and theres a steep hill to climb. Theres two lookout out points, one for the lower falls and one for the top falls. Looking for the best hiking trails in Bellingen? It is simply sensational and so powerful that sitting and staring for a while is pretty much mandatory. 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. Its big, its deep and its very easy to access. Every time we come to Bellingen, we have to visit both Cargo Lane and Hammond & Wheatley Emporium for sure. Thank you for subscribing! Go on a road trip from Bellingen to Armidale along Waterfall Way, 18. They also do full moon & champagne canoe tours too! We have all the details on the best things to do in Armidale in this post. Both the Wrights Lookout Track and the Cascades Trail begin at Robinsons Knob trail car park. The map below (blue line) is a short Youll also visit two spectacular waterfalls, including the famous Crystal Shower Falls. Now global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) and continuously operating reference station (CORS) networks have largely replaced trig stations over the last couple of decades. If you only have time for one walk in the glorious New England National Park then make it this one. 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). 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. Isaiah Glen Shields poses on US 13 near Felton next to his handmade supply cart. 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. Explore one of 2 easy hiking trails in Bellingen or discover kid-friendly routes for your next family trip. It feels like a cross between the refined village of Bangalow, tucked inland from Byron Bay, and the alternative hippy hub of Nimbin. Posted: Tuesday, February 28, 2023. From here its more like boulder hopping, which makes for a fun challenge. 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. Its a magnificent view over layers and layers of mountains and takes just a few minutes to walk to from the carpark (if youre walking the Eagles Nest you will pass this lookout). 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. View Larger Map All in all a great choice for those looking to explore the area from the water. Hi there, ooh we havent written it yet, but will do so soon! There arent any signposts to get you there, but we put the directions in this post. Further up the coast towards Coffs Harbour we also recommend visiting Mylestom and Sawtell Beaches. It is a town which historically serviced the surrounding dairy farmers and timber cutters. Four private ATM Provodore, IGA, Federal Hotel and Diggers Tavern. Weve outlined each viewpoint and the distance it is from the car park, as well as whether we rated it highly or not in this post. Link. You can then join up with the Cascades Track which will take you through what really does feel like a fairytale forest. 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. 27 Best Things To Do In Bellingen and Dorrigo, 10 Reasons To Stay At The Belfry Guesthouse In Bellingen, NSW, 1 Day Nymboida River Rafting (https://youtu.be/f9gWjKQwZW0), 10 Things To Know About Crystal Shower Falls Walk In Dorrigo National Park, How To Get To The Bottom Of Dangar Falls In Dorrigo NSW, 10 Things To Know About Ellenborough Falls NSW Hike, 19 Things To Do In Blueys Beach (Pacific Palms, Forster NSW). The best place to take it all in is from Lavender Bridge, right in town. There are several different deep swimming holes if you want to have a proper swim, as well as plenty of other spots along the river which are shallower, but good for a paddle. We ordered the curry which was absolutely beautiful. This stunning church is a popular must visit especially in Autumn when it really comes alive. Our top pick would be to head to the Aboriginal Cultural Centre, where you can learn a lot about the indigenous history of the area, as well as look at the incredible artwork on display - when offered a guide, say yes, it really brings it all to life and we couldnt believe there was no charge! It's obvious, given the name the early pioneers gave the Promised Land, a scenic 10 minute-drive from Bellingen's township itself. All the insider news, tips and inspiration you need to plan your next trip, delivered straight to your inbox. Point Lookout - Bellingen (NSW, Australia). It is gigantic and thunders into a dramatic gorge causing a huge amount of spray. Before we know it the week has flown by. The final stretch is a steep few steps up to the summit, with a chain to help you with the gradient. There are lots of old heritage buildings to explore throughout the city and a great winery nearby. 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. There is also a well reviewed cafe we had been planning to check out. Weve watched this kind of bat exodus in a few different places and the great thing about Bellingen is that they fly high above you and you dont need to bring a poncho if you know what I mean.. Having hiked every trail in the park, here are all of Dorrigo National Park walks ranked. Its a 5.5 hour drive from Sydney, which becomes a lot longer if you go in the school holidays or weekends (it took us about 7 hours to get to Armidale at Christmas!). Were Cat & Joe, two Brits, now living in Australia, with a passion for the outdoors and adventure travel. Did you know you can go white water rafting on the Nymboida River which is just 1h20m north of Dorrigo? There is dense forest, mountains and huge rocky outcrops as far as the eye can see. 8. I noticed as I left they also had a custard one which is my fave, so Ill have to head back to try it one day! The map below (blue line) is a short walk south of Bellingen to the lookout. I've been living in Sydney since 2011 and am bringing you everything you need to know about moving to Australia, moving back to England as well as some fab tips from our travels around the world! ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Whatever you do, do not miss out on this walking track in Dorrigo National Park. It might be a small town but theres something pretty special about Bellingen NSW. They are closed Mondays and otherwise open between 10am and 5pm at time of writing. All the details on each route are in our Red Cedar Falls guide. We had a table nestled by some gorgeous plants which made for a really lovely setting. We visited multiple times because it looks so different depending on the conditions. This helps towards the costs of running our website. One way. Bellingen is 520 kilometres north of Sydney, just inland from the mid-north coast. 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. See airbnb.com.au/rooms/2387682. Weve had our eye on the following cottages and chalets which all have excellent views. You can access your free e-book by clicking on this link. Theres nothing quite like looking up at the twinkling blue lights which look just like constellations in the night sky. Bellingen lookout. 1. We headed up to Wrights Lookout for sunrise, which was very special if you can manage the early start. 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