Top Towns for 2022: Bellingen has gone from hippie to hipster

By Imogen Eveson
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With its lush, green landscape folding into a quirky, historic townscape, there’s a certain magic to this hinterland hub that speaks to Imogen Eveson. And to you, voting it n0. 44 in your pick of Top 50 Aussie Towns.

Find the complete list of the Top 50 Aussie Towns here.

For me, Bellingen might just be the perfect town. Perhaps that’s because I grew up in Glastonbury, New Age capital of England, so I feel right at home with Bello’s bohemian vibes.

On the Traditional Lands of the Gumbaynggir people, it lies on the wide and beautiful Bellinger River in verdant hinterland halfway between Sydney and Brisbane (and 30 minutes’ drive south-west of Coffs Harbour along the Waterfall Way).

Bellingen Hinterland

Breathe in the majestic hinterland. (Image: Destination NSW)

The town prospered as a dairy farming community in the early 20th century – the rich soils of the surrounding valley plus ample sunshine and rainfall ensuring good pastureland – before an influx of people seeking an alternative lifestyle in the 1970s and ’80s weaved in DNA that changed its trajectory.

This hippie history is documented in a film, Bellingen – The Promised Land, that I watch one evening at the Art Deco Memorial Hall, and is evident today in eclectic shops like the Hemp Store and community-minded spaces like cafe, restaurant and live music venue 5 Church Street.

Bellingen is a place that will defy anyone not to contemplate a tree change when they visit, and this has been happening in earnest for the past couple of decades. Hippie has turned hipster and visitors today also have a range of boutique shops to browse and smart eateries to frequent.

Bellingen main streetscape

Stroll the town’s heritage streetscape. (Image: Destination NSW)

Housed in a beautifully restored old timber church, Cedar Bar & Kitchen is the go-to spot for wine and nibbles or a refined share-plate meal on Fridays and Saturdays; sample craft beers and pizza in a converted factory at artisan brewery and boutique bar Bellingen Brewing Co., and head to Tish Faco Cantina at happy hour for $6.50 tacos, schooners and frozen margaritas.

Bellingen Brewing Co. Sign

Stop for a craft beer and pizza at Bellingen Brewing Co. (Image: Destination NSW)

I spend a disproportionate amount of time sheltering from summer rain in Hyde Bellingen, drinking soy flat whites at its cafe and cultivating an interest in expensive flax linen sleepwear at its boutique.

But despite these trimmings, you can’t beat a classic country pub complete with generously proportioned bistro meals: in this, the 1901 Federal Hotel more than delivers.

The pull of Bellingen, of course, extends way beyond the heritage streetscape and busy roster of markets and festivals. It’s the landscape that inspires the creativity that drives the town and provides outdoor adventures aplenty: seek out swimming holes, kayak and canoe the river, and follow the Waterfall Way to the heritage-listed Dorrigo National Park.

Bellingen Canoe Adventures

Kayak the river with Bellingen Canoe Adventures. (Image: Destination NSW)

There’s an unknowable magic stitched into that confluence of rolling green and winding water. One that keeps pulling me, and many others, back.

Explore more of the NSW North Coast in our travel guide or find out which other towns made it into your Top 50.
Imogen Eveson is Australian Traveller’s Print Editor. She was named Editor of the Year at the 2024 Mumbrella Publish Awards and in 2023, was awarded the Cruise Line Industry Association (CLIA) Australia’s Media Award. Before joining Australian Traveller Media as sub-editor in 2017, Imogen wrote for publications including Broadsheet, Russh and SilverKris. She launched her career in London, where she graduated with a BA Hons degree in fashion communication from world-renowned arts and design college Central Saint Martins. She is the author/designer of The Wapping Project on Paper, published by Black Dog Publishing in 2014. Growing up in Glastonbury, home to the largest music and performing arts festival in the world, instilled in Imogen a passion for cultural cross-pollination that finds perfect expression today in shaping Australia’s leading travel titles. Imogen regularly appears as a guest on radio travel segments, including ABC National Nightlife, and is invited to attend global travel expos such as IMM, ILTM, Further East and We Are Africa.
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This NSW coastal walk has secluded beaches, wildflowers and whale watching

    By Emily Murphy
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    Rugged headlands, hidden beaches and sweeping ocean views.

    Tucked inside Hat Head National Park, Connors Walking Track is one of those quintessential North Coast hikes that rewards you at every turn. Beginning near the famous Trial Bay Gaol at South West Rocks, the 3.7-kilometre one-way trail hugs the clifftops and leads walkers across windswept headlands, heathland and shaded forest before spilling out onto the golden arc of Gap Beach.

    Why it’s worth the walk

    This isn’t a trek that demands heavy boots or a packed lunch; it’s a short hike you can squeeze into a morning or afternoon. But don’t be fooled: what it lacks in distance, it makes up for in difficulty. The coastal walk is on a relatively rough track, with short, steep hills, occasional steps and natural obstacles along the way.

    You’ll pass lookouts with front-row views over the Pacific Ocean, and in whale season (May to November), you might even catch the telltale blow of a humpback passing offshore. The trail weaves through banksia and eucalypt forest before opening onto exposed headlands where the sea breeze is at its fiercest. At its finish, Gap Beach is a wild, unpatrolled stretch of sand that feels a world away from South West Rocks.

    How to do it

    Scenic coastal views from Little Bay Picnic Area, South West Rocks

    You can start the walk from Little Bay picnic area. (Image: Destination NSW)

    Start the walk from Trial Bay Gaol or Little Bay picnic area and allow one to two hours one way. Some hikers opt for a return trip, while others arrange a pick-up at the other end to keep things easy. The track is well-marked, but you’ll need some bushwalking experience and a moderate level of fitness to tackle the steep sections and sandy approach to the beach.

    If you’ve got more energy to burn, Connors Walking Track connects with other trails in Hat Head National Park, including the Smoky Cape Range Walking Track, giving you options to extend your adventure.

    Need-to-know

    Green hills covered with juicy grass by the ocean, beautiful beach surrounded by cliffs in Australia, Connors Beach in Hat Head National Park, NSW

    Connors Walking Track is a must-do hike in northern NSW. (Image: Getty Images / Jakub Maculewicz)

    Distance: 3.7 kilometres one way
    Time: 1-2 hours
    Difficulty: Grade 4
    Experience required: Yes
    Start/finish: Trial Bay Gaol or Gap Beach
    Best for: Coastal views, whale spotting, wildflowers

    Connors Walking Track is one of the North Coast’s most rewarding short hikes, a chance to lace up your shoes and, in under two hours, be transported from historic ruins to windswept headlands to an untouched stretch of sand. If you’re heading to South West Rocks, consider this your must-do walk.