Three Blue Ducks - The Farm, Byron BayCredit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a drink at the bar. The Farm, Byron Bay.
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The North Coast dining hub of Byron Bay always delights and excites with its vast array of wholesome culinary offerings, but there are many more tasty gems in the surrounding Northern Rivers waiting for you to sample. Fall in love with the laidback region on this four-day Northern Rivers foodie adventure.
Day 1: Eat your way around the Ballina-Byron region
Begin your journey in the emerging culinary destination of Ballina by picking up a hire car at Ballina Byron Gateway Airport. Recharge your energy levels with mouth-watering European-inspired meals whipped up by the incredible female chefs behind Lola Dining in this unassuming coastal town. Or, if the day is still young, savour the umami of the XO scrambled eggs with chilli as you breathe in the salty sea air at beachside Shelter in nearby Lennox Head.
Next, be charmed by the heritage buildings in the one-street town of Newrybar in the Byron Bay hinterland – one of which houses Harvest Newrybar, a renowned restaurant, bakery and deli known for showcasing underutilised native ingredients on its ever-changing menu. Ease into the laidback hinterland lifestyle with a luxuriously long lunch on its shaded verandah before moving onto neighbouring Bangalow, another pretty hinterland town packed with boutiques and cafés; try Woods for an energising caffeine hit.
Let the verdant rolling hills of Bangalow carry you down to coastal Byron Bay, where warmly welcomed addition to the local dining scene Belongil Beach Italian Food invites you to wander straight off the beach into a pastel pink oasis of gourmet dining, sandy feet and all.
Retire in luxury at the recently refurbished Crystalbrook Byron or at beachfront Raes on Wategos, both of which have smart modern Australian restaurants. Feel the calming effects of the coastal rainforest that cocoons Crystalbrook Byron’s aptly named Forest restaurant, while at Raes you can drink in some of Byron’s best beach views along with the fine wine recommended by the sommelier to enhance your Mediterranean-inspired meal.
Day 2: Take the culinary pulse of the Tweed Coast
Relish the simple joy of biting into a freshly baked breakfast pastry to go from The Farm in Byron Bay before continuing up the coast to the sleepy town of Pottsville. Reserve a table at lauded Pipit Restaurant for lunch, where you’ll taste chef-owner Ben Devlin’s passion for the finest seasonal produce, from succulent pipis to neon pink dragon fruit, in every bite of your beautifully plated meal before winding down at Halcyon House in Cabarita. Imagine you’re in the Australian Hamptons at this stylish beachside boutique hotel, a theme carried throughout its bright and airy modern Australian restaurant Paper Daisy, where you can perch up at the beachside bar for a cocktail as a prelude to a memorable dinner.
If you’d rather venture out, No.35 Kitchen and Bar is only 200m away. Feel like a local at this ‘Italian-ish’ neighbourhood restaurant as you savour the creaminess of the local burrata, if you’re lucky enough to find it featured on the ever-changing menu. Just up the road, Fins in Kingscliff, one of the North Coast’s most longstanding seafood restaurants, makes seafood dreams come true. Or, try a different type of foodie adventure on a tour with Kiff & Culture Tours.
Three Blue Ducks - The Farm, Byron Bay Credit: Destination NSW
Salad dish from Three Blue Ducks at The Farm, Byron Bay.
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Three Blue Ducks - The Farm, Byron Bay Credit: Destination NSW
Salad dish from Three Blue Ducks at The Farm, Byron Bay.
Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach Credit: Destination NSW
Paper Daisy restaurant located within boutique hotel Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach.
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Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach Credit: Destination NSW
Paper Daisy restaurant located within boutique hotel Halcyon House, Cabarita Beach.
Day 3: Uncover the foodie delights of the Tweed hinterland
Make a short detour back south and into the lush hills of the Tweed hinterland to pick up some local cheeses at Tweed Valley Whey Farmhouse Cheeses in Burringbar, where the handmade camembert, brie, feta, halloumi is all so moreish it’s difficult to choose. Prepare to be surprised by the volume of foodie offerings in this teeny town, from friendly brunch spot Elwood Cafe to Mercado Juarez, which brings a little piece of Mexico to the Northern Rivers on Friday afternoons in the form of authentic takeaway tacos. Bring a picnic blanket, select some craft drinks from boutique bottle shop Brooklyn Tasting Room and connect with the community as you enjoy an early dinner in the park across the street alongside locals.
Alternatively, take a look at what Tasting Plate Tours has to offer: get into the spirit with The Distiller, which includes a visit to Husk Distillers, where the views of Wollumbin (Mount Warning) from the cellar door are as awe-inspiring as its colour-changing gin. Or be Tempted in the Tweed, a delicious tour of iconic local restaurants bound to foster a new appreciation for the culinary clout of this fertile region, before surrendering to rejuvenating night’s sleep in one of the six rainforest chalets at Ecoasis Mami Wata.
Day 4: Take your appetite on a trip down the Tweed River
Uncover an unknown world when you learn about the region’s culinary history and culture on Tweed Eco Cruises’ Aboriginal-led Pot to Plate Adventure, which departs from Tweed Heads. Head deep into the heart of mud crab territory, then onto oyster leases, for helpings of history, culture and food knowledge with Bundjalung Nation descendant Luther Cora, before tucking into a decadent seafood lunch by the water.
Upriver, in Murwillumbah, watch the sugarcane cane fields across the river glow gold in the afternoon sunlight as you savour a three-, five-, or even nine-course meal on the breezy verandah of Tweed River House, a smart restaurant set in a heritage Queenslander-style house that feels like a grand old home of a bygone era. Cap it off with a digestif further upriver in the cute village of Uki, where you can sip espresso in a 1909 post office courtesy of Bastion Lane Espresso. Take the heritage vibe all the way to bed at nearby Mavis’s Kitchen. Nestling in the shadow of Wollumbin, the 10-hectare dairy farm is best known for its fabulous country restaurant, also set in a gorgeous Queenslander. But Mavis’s also offers atmospheric accommodation in a farmhouse, two cabins and in an old dairy transformed into a cosy retreat, where you can start the next memorable day with a gourmet breakfast hamper.
Husk Distillers, North Tumbulgum Credit: Destination NSW
Products available for sale and tasting at Husk Distillers, North Tumbulgum.
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Husk Distillers, North Tumbulgum Credit: Destination NSW
Products available for sale and tasting at Husk Distillers, North Tumbulgum.
Mavis's Kitchen, Uki Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying food and wine at Mavis's Kitchen, Uki.
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Mavis's Kitchen, Uki Credit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying food and wine at Mavis's Kitchen, Uki.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, CorowaCredit: Destination NSW
Couple enjoying a visit to Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa.
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Feast on the riches of one of Australia’s most important food bowls on a road trip through the Murray, named after the mighty river that flows through this southwest area of New South Wales. Float down the river on a historic paddlesteamer wine cruise, stop by farm gates to sample incredible fresh produce, and dine at chic restaurants and bars in this unique culinary playground.
Take the back roads for gourmet treats
Head off the beaten path along The Backroads Trail, a 250km driving route that passes through the small pastoral towns of Barham, Moama, Mathoura and Deniliquin on the upper reaches of the Murray River. Sink your teeth into fresh olives, avocados, free-range pork, honey and citrus fruit from farm gates along its loops and trails, and taste the region’s wines at vineyards such as Restdown Wines. While you’re at this winery, venture out along the Restdown Wetland Walk to encounter Aboriginal cooking hearths and an old sheep camp.
Cruise along to The Old School Winery & Meadery in Womboota to pick up wine, pottery and honey mead. Or seek out Ivy Joyce in Barham to indulge in a warm space, offering local produce from farms for a truly paddock to plate experience in the heart of Murray River country. For more snacks and meaty fare such as British-style pork pies and sausages, head to Pacdon Park’s factory shop in Moama.
You can work up an appetite as you build your own itinerary on the theme of food, paddocks and produce, and find suggested routes and maps to Murray River farm gates, at the Echuca Moama Visitor Centre.
Wine and dine along the river
Embark on a wine tour by water in Moama, where the first steamboats made their way up the Murray in 1853. Take a Murray River Paddlesteamers Wharf to Winery Cruise from the town to Morrisons Riverview Winery for a leisurely lunch. Or drive along the river, stopping in at Three Black Sheep for risotto and woodfired pizzas, and tasting crisp dry whites and full-flavoured reds at St Anne’s Vineyards, where you can nibble on a cheese platter overlooking a scenic lake.
Head east along the riverside roads to rest and recharge in the town of Tocumwal, known for its riverside beaches, golf courses, glider flying and iconic Big Murray Cod statue. Start the following day with a solid foundation of breakfast pizza (topped with bacon, eggs and a hash brown) at The Old Bank and indulge in a scoop of ice-cream or sorbet from Tocumwal Ice Creamery – flavours include rocky road, green apple or macadamia. If you’re in town on a Saturday, pick up honey, fruit, vegetables, olive oil, dressings and other condiments made by local producers at the Tocumwal Foreshore Markets.
Continue your odyssey along the river to Corowa, the birthplace of Australian Federation. Immerse in the town’s rich turn-of-the-20th-century colonial heritage as you make your way to the former 1920s flour mill housing Corowa Distilling Co. Here you can book a whisky tasting and behind-the-scenes tour and buy locally made chocolates and sweets from sister shop Junee Licorice and Chocolate Factory. Work off an indulgent afternoon with a walk along the river before settling into the stylish Circa 1936 hotel, which is housed in an Art Deco former bank on the main street of Corowa.
Celebrate regional ingredients in Albury
From Corowa, follow the Riverina Highway eastward to the city of Albury, a food, wine and culture hub. Taste how seasonality and locality are expressed at The Proprietor, a former butcher shop turned cafe offering brunch treats such as fruit toast with Beechworth honey and whipped ricotta, and banana waffles with Gundowring vanilla ice-cream. Or try the all-day breakfast offering at Mr Benedict, from cheesy bacon waffle with popcorn chicken to one of its signature eggs benedicts, including one with cider-braised ham hock.
At The River Deck restaurant, local ingredients are celebrated alongside stunning river views, and dishes may include chicken Caesar salad with Milawa eggs or beef brisket braised in coffee by Albury roaster The Brothers Cup. At tiny and elegant Bistro Selle, complement warm Gooramadda olives with a buttery Australian chardonnay and fresh market fish. Yardbird offers a bold-flavoured menu featuring dishes like scorched Albacore tuna, along with meats grilled in a Spanish woodfired oven.
In between meals, stroll along the Yindyamarra Sculpture Walk and take in the contemporary artworks by Aboriginal artists that line the Wagirra Trail. Meander through the Murray Art Museum Albury’s contemporary photographic collection, Aboriginal art and works by renowned Australian artist Sir Russell Drysdale. Afterwards, order lunch or dinner at the museum’s excellent Canvas Eatery – try the saltbush lamb rump or one of their Neapolitan-style pizzas.
The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
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The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota Credit: Destination NSW
Couple taste tasting mead at The Old School Winery & Meadery, Womboota
Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
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Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available from Morrison's Riverview Winery and Restaurant, Moama.
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
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Corowa Whisky & Chocolate, Corowa Credit: Destination NSW
Corowa Whisky & Chocolate located in a 1920âs old flour mill in Corowa.
Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.
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Canvas Eatery, Albury Credit: Destination NSW
Food and wine available at Canvas Eatery in Albury.