Ulmarra

Ulmarra’s past as a busy 19th century riverport is easily imagined as many significant buildings from the era have been retained and renovated. With the highways replacing the river trade in the 20th century, the historic buildings were also bypassed for radical redevelopment, and now heritage tourism is an important …

Nymboida

If you’ve ever fancied your canoeing or white-water rafting skills, Nymboida is the place to put them to the test. The waters pumped by the hydro-electric power station from the Nymboida River into the Goolang Creek creates one of Australia’s most exciting canoe coursees. The site of many state, national …

Glenreagh

“Glen Reigh” station was settled in 1858 as a sheep and cattle run, but it was the discovery of gold in 1881in the nearby Tallawudjah Creek which brought enough people to the area to have Glenreagh gazetted as a village in 1883. Rural settlers moved in after the miners left …

Grafton

The beautiful purple-flowering jacaranda trees are an integral part of the image of Grafton, and their flowering is celebrated in the famous annual Jacaranda Festival. Combining the arts, sport, ceremony and fun, the festival, which originated in 1935 is Australia’s longest running floral festival and showcases a cross-section of this …

Woodburn

Woodburn may be a riverside farming town, but it has its own beach. Established by the local Apex Club, the small sandy beach is appreciated as a picnic and swimming spot; and the local jetty adds to the fun for fishing and boating. All roads seem to lead from Woodburn, …

New Italy

The fascinating history of New Italy was recently commemorated in an opera, The Mercenary (composed by Paul Grabowsky, and librettist Janis Balodis) which was performed by international star Lyndon Terracini in capital cities on the east coast of Australia and in regional NSW. Many Italian settlers in the region trace …

Coraki

An historic river port with a number of fine old Federation-style buildings, Coraki was once a major port of call for many ocean-going ships. With its own shipyards, Coraki still enjoys its riverside location, and fishing, boating and water sports are popular. But one of Australia’s original and native therapeutic …

Casino

Time management is a bit of an art-form in Casino during May, as the town manages to stretch a week to a whole twelve days. Beef Week is the longest week of the year in the town, with the fun and festivities centering on the area’s most important industry. Events …

The Channon

Famous for its monthly Craft Market held at the showground (follow the cars or look out for the camels…), The Channon is a delightful village with an artistic bent. The Craft Markets (on the second Sunday) feature an amazing array of home-made or handcrafted goods including clothing, jewelry, shoes, incense, …

Rosebank

Rosebank is a thriving village on the edge of some of the region’s most beautiful rainforest. With Minyon Falls just 10km’s from the village centre, there are seven different accommodation houses available. The famous Green Frog café is the general store, and not only provides the necessities, rainforest-grown coffees and …