This creative, colourful town on the Waterfall Way on NSW’s Coffs Coast promises outdoor adventures, festivals and culinary experiences that rival the Big Smoke – and it should be top of the list for your next long weekend.
The tropical breeze whistles through the hinterland, down the aptly named Waterfall Way and straight into the rainforest-fringed heart of Bellingen, located five-and-a-half hours from Sydney and four-and-a-half hours south of Brisbane. We’ve gone back in time, and yet into the future, with Hyde Street’s heritage facades mingling with future-minded businesses keen to put the planet first.
Creativity blooms freely and the wild – rivers, mountains and walking tracks included – is always close by. Bello, as the locals know it, is a designated Here’s how to do it best.
Day 1: explore Bello’s boutiques and burgeoning dining scene
Shop in a heritage-listed building at The Emporium Bellingen. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Start with breakfast at, where views stretch out across the hinterland and local roaster Amelia + Toby supply the rich, earthy coffee beans. Tuck into sardines on toast or fried banana bread on a bench overlooking the paddock; on Sundays, expect live music into the afternoon.
It’s a short walk to the Emporium Bellingen, stocked with flowy linen womenswear and Akubra hats in the heritage-registered Hammond and Wheatley department store; a bit further still to the tiny Bellinger Book Nook for your next paperback; and furthest to the Old Butter Factory Village, a warren-like enclave that hosts original art alongside internationally-sourced homewares.
Pick up a Portuguese-style grilled chicken burger at Coastal Harvest for lunch. Check out the Bellingen Potters Collective for a handcrafted vessel or find woven gems at Cloth Paper Clay. Come afternoon, it’s hard to pass up the lullaby at George Edmunds Reserve when the river gently ripples against its grassy banks.
Don’t go past Bruno’s for dinner. The candlelit Mediterranean-inspired eatery is tucked away behind the main street, with a courtyard and patio to boot, and serves up seasonal, shareable plates such as fat king prawns, flaky spanakopita and creamy pumpkin dip studded with fried chickpeas. Pair with a cucumber gimlet and chatter the night away.
Bruno's Mediterranean Kitchen is a crowd pleaser. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Indulge in share plates at the Mediterranean eatery. (Credit: Destination NSW)
The restaurant also has a seating area in a courtyard and patio. (Credit: Destination NSW)
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Day 2: chase waterfalls and explore Dorrigo
Pick up a fresh-out-of-the-oven loaf of woodfired bread at Hearthfire and treats from the Bellingen IGA, located within the historic former JP Halpin & Sons department store, and organic-centric Kombu Wholefoods for this afternoon’s rainforest picnic.
Fuel up with a single-origin brew from Black Bear, the longest-running cafe in Bellingen, and nurse it while visiting the Waterfall Way Visitor Information Centre on Hyde Street before driving 30 minutes west to Dorrigo’s town centre.
Chase that coffee with a meringue-topped pineapple-caramel doughnut from Peaches Patisserie (open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays) and locally-made souvenirs at Dorrigo and Beyond before chasing waterfalls in Dorrigo National Park, where the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre offers guided tours and trip-planning advice. (The Bellinger River National Park, just down the road, has no marked tracks but is prime for experienced bushwalkers.) Try the 3.2-kilometre return, or the wheelchair-accessible, family-friendly Satinbird Stroll, ideal for twitchers.
Divvy up lunch in the designated Glade or Never Never picnic areas, or alongside the Bielsdown River back in Dorrigo proper.
Drive a few minutes north of Dorrigo to tick off the 30-metre-tall Dangar Falls, too, or head west another 40 minutes to find Ebor Falls, where the tiered cascades are visible from four lookout platforms.
A dip beside Dangar Falls in Dorrigo National Park. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Hike through rainforest in Dorrigo National Park. (Credit: Destination NSW)
The scenic Ebor Falls in Guy Fawkes River National Park. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Back in Bello, feast on chewy sourdough pizza topped with roasted organic mushrooms, smashed olives and spicy pepperoni at Charlie’s at Church, and swing by the Bellingen Memorial Hall for the monthly Bellingen Film Lovers movie night, which showcases flicks in a hall that – 100 years ago – was built on the back of a local picturehouse’s success.
Day 3: venture further afield to see other gems of the Coffs Coast region
Today, choose your own adventure – and your own direction. Will you:
Take option one and head south-east out to the seaside town of Urunga, a 15-minute drive away, where the newest section of the 850-metre Urunga Boardwalk has opened, extending the track with 80 metres of walkway and a new fishing platform? From here, spot where the Bellinger and Kalang rivers meet before they reach the ocean. Dip into the Urunga lagoon, visit the Urunga Museum to brush up on local history, and cap off the afternoon with a charcuterie board on the edge of the Bellinger River at Raleigh Winery.
Ride waves with Solitary Islands Surf School. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Or choose option two and head north towards Coffs Harbour? Welcome the day with a surf lesson in Sawtell with Solitary Islands Surf School or a SUP circuit with Wajaana Yaam Gumbaynggirr Adventure Tours and owner Clark, a proud Gumbaynggirr man who showcases Red Rock or Moonee Creek while sharing local First Nations culture. It’s almost obligatory to stop by the Big Banana Fun Park for a chocolate-coated frozen banana and game of mini-golf.
A one-of-a-kind cultural experience with Wajaana Yaam Adventure Tours. (Credit: Destination NSW)
For lunch, visit Miquette for French-style prosciutto-stuffed baguettes, lemon crepes and roasted beetroot salad. Walk it off along the riverside Garlambirla circuit at the North Coast Regional Botanic Garden, where endemic plants and their traditional uses are showcased across 14 informative, Gumbaynggirr-informed plaques, and then brave the Forest Sky Pier at Sealy Lookout, which cantilevers over 20 metres over the green canopy.
Take in expansive views of the region from Forest Sky Pier. (Credit: Destination NSW)
End the day’s journey back in Bellingen for slow-cooked lamb shoulder or hot-honey-soaked saganaki with a side of Dorrigo National Park vistas at Three Blue Ducks. Steak night specials run on Mondays.
Feast at Three Blue Ducks. (Credit: Steven Woodburn via Destination NSW)
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Day 4: channel your creative spirit with annual Coffs Coast festivals
Second, brain food. In June, the Bellingen Readers & Writers Festival brings bookworms from across the country to the town’s stages, bookshops and classrooms for three days. The Taranta Festival combines art, music and culture over a weekend at the end of October, with workshops, performances and a hearty dose of Mediterranean cuisine.
Within a short drive of Bello, you’ll find the Woolgoolga Curryfest – and its lineup of eating, dancing and celebrating culture – during September, the Sawtell Chilli Festival and its 100-plus stallholders on one spicy July day, and the jam-happy, participation-welcome Dorrigo Folk & Bluegrass Festival for three days in October.
Stop for lunch at the Old Butter Factory Cafe. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Plan your fourth day to align with one of the festivals and channel the inspiration further: write your next great novel from the frond-shaded garden at the Old Butter Factory Cafe, take a cyanotype printmaking or bowl-turning class during the Camp Creative festival, or learn about regional producers during a seven-course dinner at The Blue Door, where the farmers are showcased as much as the dishes they help create.
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Riley Wilson is a journalist and editor based between Sydney, Tamworth and Tasmania. She grew up in Australia and the United States, with extensive travels throughout Europe and Asia along the way. A former newspaper editor, she currently contributes to publications in Australia and abroad, covering travel, food, agriculture, sustainability and architecture. When she's not playing with words or chasing adventures, she spends her time fishing, bushwalking and sipping hot cuppas in far-flung places.
The Southern Highlands earns its title as Australia’s top country town in the cooler months, and it’s worth every minute of the 90-minute drive from Sydney.
Many Sydneysiders head to the Southern Highlands in spring for the tulips. It’s one of the most stunning spring carnivals in Australia. But the ones in the know come to Bowral in winter.
The first thing you notice at this time of year is the quality of the light. It catches the tangled limbs of the gums and tints the fields, farms and forests a pretty shade of Granny Smith green. And then, a world-class art museum, an impressive network of walking trails, great shops, cosy restaurants and bars and luxury accommodation take centre stage, making Bowral a place you want to linger as the mercury drops.
Just 90 minutes south of Sydney, a Bowral winter getaway is the coolcation city folk desperately need. Here are eight reasons to pack a good coat and head for the Southern Highlands.
1. Check in
Check in to the gorgeous Ardour Milton Park Bowral. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Ardour Milton Park Bowral rises like a hologram in the hazy green light as you turn onto Horderns Road. A $10 million refurbishment of the grand 1910 estate was completed in early 2026, and the beautifully restored hotel now includes 44 guest rooms washed in sage green, cobalt blue and dusty blush. The dining room at Horderns Restaurant continues with a botanical theme – earthy banquettes, floral touches throughout – and a menu that moves with the seasons.
After enjoying slow-braised Cowra lamb and a second glass of red, move to the Polo Bar, which has a fireplace and views across the estate gardens. Build a grazing board from the dedicated Charcuterie Room and take it outside while the light lasts. If the sky clouds over, use this as your cue to enjoy a next-level spa experience at Èliva.
2. Hunt for treasure
Find vintage treasures in Dirty Janes. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Winter is the perfect season to lose an afternoon inside Dirty Janes Bowral. Over 1600 square metres of covered space houses 90 individual sellers of everything from mid-century furniture to industrial lighting, antique silverware, vintage clothing and objects whose previous lives you can only imagine. Enjoy a bit of off-the-cuff banter with your fellow fossickers in between searching for that must-have military jacket or vintage silk scarf.
Around the corner, find the Instagram-famous front door of FoundAntiques, though the real finds are deeper inside. Bring cash, wear comfortable shoes and leave some room in the boot.
3. Slow down in a beautiful gallery
Learn about an Aussie legend at The Bradman Museum. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Ngununggula – meaning ’belonging’ in the language of the Gundungurra First Nations people – is the region’s first dedicated regional gallery, housed inside the sustainably transformed old dairy building at historic Retford Park. The onsite White Cottage Gallery and restored grounds of the former Fairfax estate reward a slow wander. Find a spot to sit in the courtyard filled with rivulets of winter light and enjoy the plaintive call of a currawong carrying across the heritage-listed grounds. It’s one of the best things to do in Bowral.
Add Bowral Honey Farm for a hands-on harvest experience, then continue into town to the Milk Factory Gallery to admire eclectic works by local artists in a converted industrial space. The Bradman Museum also knocks it out of the park. Australia’s largest dedicated cricket museum sits beside the heritage-listed Bradman Oval, where a young Sir Donald Bradman first picked up a bat.
4. A taste of France
Enjoy a taste of France at Lucette.
For a taste of France without the airfare, husband-and-wife team Julien and Romy Besnard – of long-loved Franquette Crêperie – have opened Lucette, a French cafe-bistro with Paris-born chef Guillaume Dubois at the helm. Dubois brings serious pedigree from Michelin-starred kitchens in France and Sydney’s former two-hatted Monopole, and it shows. Start your day with pastries for breakfast and bookend it with boeuf bourguignon for dinner. The chocolate mousse, freckled with Guerande Salt, is the kind of dish that will make you feel smug about the decision to drive south. Join the Sydneysiders dressed in charcoal coats, boots and black tights who’ve already worked this out; the whole scene is worthy of splicing it into an Instagram reel.
Francophiles should also be across Julien’s Bowral Brasserie – led by Frenchman Julien Viel, who also found his way to the Southern Highlands and stayed.
5. Indulge in a tipple
Spend time amongst the local vines. (Credit: Destination NSW)
The drive to Centennial Vineyards passes through a beautiful woodland idyll, the countryside a fuzz of green all around. Inside the Barrel Room, a tasting flight of cool-climate pinot noir, chardonnay and reserve shiraz viognier flaunts how well the Southern Highlands does winter.
This is a region that takes its cool-climate wines seriously, and the pinot noir is one of the stars – a gentle, easy-drinking style with red cherry aromas. Follow your tutored cellar door tasting with another glass of wine in the Terrace Bar, which overlooks the vineyard and manicured grounds.
6. Blend your own gin
Pop into Millsheds Distillery & Bar. (Credit: Mattia Panunzio)
Millsheds Distillery & Bar is somewhat of a local secret. The award-winning small-batch operation produces gin, vodka and liqueurs using Australian botanicals and has picked up silver medals at both the London Spirits Competition and International Wine & Spirit Competition. Beyond the tasting paddle, the hands-on blending masterclass – where you design and leave with two bottles of your own custom gin – is the experience to book, while the terrace bar that wraps around the courtyard is a fine place to settle in afterwards.
7. Go for a walk at dawn
Switch your phone off sleep mode and set your alarm to early. Mt Gibraltar rises to 864 metres just east of Bowral’s main street and offers the best views in town. You will pass a raggle-taggle bunch of hikers on the way up to the summit, all making the same quiet pilgrimage into the crisp high-altitude air. On a clear morning, the bony ridges of the ranges come into sharp relief against the light. The return loop takes roughly 90 minutes. A flat white in Bowral tastes considerably better after completing one of the scenic walking trails.
8. Cosy up by the fireplace
Get cosy in the Berida Hotel’s whiskey bar.
A cosy bar is the perfect complement to winter in Bowral, and there are a few worth committing to. Aspinalls Whisky Bar & Lounge at the Berida Hotel is built for long, languorous evenings. Take a seat beside the fireplace laden with gnarled logs and work your way through a few whiskies and bar bites like Rangers Valley beef tartare, or salt cod and potato croquettes.
At Hickory’s within Peppers Craigieburn, well-dressed waiters in denim and leather move quietly between tables, and the cosy fireplace in the adjoining guest lounge attracts an Escape to the Country crowd.
