The Best of Northern New South Wales: A Local’s Playbook

Northern Rivers Rail Trail (e-biking): A brand new way to cut through the valley: tunnels, paddocks, rainforest gullies, all on two wheels with a battery doing most of the heavy lifting. Stop along the way at the numerous pubs and restaurants dotting the trail or be sure to pack snacks for the ~50km ride.

Cabarita Headland Picnic: The ritual: pick up fish and chips from local favorite The Stunned Mullet, walk the short climb to the headland, and claim your spot. The payoff is sunset, sea spray, and maybe a whale tail flicking on the horizon.

Day trip to Mullumbimby and The Banya: Head inland to Mullum for a change of pace: a slow wander through town, then a long soak at The Banya, a 1920s bank-turned Euro-style bathhouse with mineral pools, a steam room, and wood-fired sauna.

Whale watching (June–November): This coastline is prime humpback highway. There are a ton of vantage points—Cabarita Headland, Hastings Point, or even the beach in front of Halcyon House—where you can spot breeches and tail slaps without much effort.

Husk Distillery: A Tweed Valley institution making small-batch rum and the cult-favorite Ink Gin. Come for the distillery tour. Stay for cocktails on the lawn with paddock-to-plate snacks and views of Wollumbin in the distance. There is usually live music on as well.

No. 35 Kitchen & Bar (Cabarita Beach): An “Italian-ish” share-menu spot a few minutes’ stroll from Caba Headland. Local burrata, house-made pastas, BBQ king prawns with ’nduja butter, and a tight wine list that skews Aussie-meets-Italy.

Paper Daisy: Halcyon House’s marquee restaurant. The interiors by Anna Spiro are photogenic, but the food holds its own: prawn toast elevated to high art. If you can, book lunch instead of dinner.

Cubby’s Bakehouse: Morning carbs worth a detour, set on the river in Chinderah. The croissants are flaky, the coffee reliable, and the cookies should be ordered in multiples. Grab your pastries to go and eat them on the riverbank.

Pipit: Pottsville’s quiet triumph. A chef’s menu that feels both thoughtful and ambitious, with native ingredients woven throughout. Go hungry, go curious. It’s small, and books out weeks in advance, so plan ahead. If you’re lucky, they’ll slip you an off-menu snack straight from the test kitchen.

Potager: A long-lunch fantasy in Carool’s rolling hills, set on a working farm. Seasonal, garden-to-plate, and best enjoyed with a bottle and nowhere to be afterwards.

Tucker: The reliable daily hit in Casuarina. Breezy space, consistently good coffee, food that’s casual but dialed in. Families spill across the big tables on weekends, but midweek it’s the perfect work-from-café spot. A playground directly out front makes it the perfect spot to bring the kiddos.

Taverna: Greek by the sea in Kingscliff. The menu leans into share plates—saganaki, charred octopus, slow-roast lamb shoulder—all designed for lingering. The room itself is small, whitewashed, and always buzzing, so book early.