Escape Bellingen
Australians are slowly saying goodbye to Byron Bay and hello to a new hippy capital, writes PAUL EWART
WHEN I arrived in Australia as a fresh-off-the-boat Pom nine years ago, circumstances led to me Byron Bay for the first month of what would prove to be a permanent migration Down Under. Wide-eyed at the area’s beautiful beaches, sleepy hinterland towns, and population of barefoot, yoga-lovers, I became enraptured.
Fast-forward almost a decade to my return visit and, even in this relatively short time, I can see that this once peaceful beachside town is no longer the hippie haven that it once was. Traffic clogs the main streets, packs of stag parties day-tripping from the Goldie make a ruckus, and house prices have rocketed. And while it will always hold a special place in my heart, for anyone in search of Byron as it once was, there is hope — three hours south to a small town inland from Coffs Harbour called Bellingen.
Amid its hills and lush rainforests, a friendly free-spirited population of tree-changers has transformed this riverside town from agricultural village into a microcosm of Byron Bay of old: picturesque rivers take the place of Byron’s surf and sand, buzzing markets and music festivals pepper the annual calendar, and there’s a burgeoning food and coffee scene to satisfy even the most demanding of gourmands. Though there’s plenty to do, the goal of a ‘Bello’ sojourn is to soak in the serenity and recharge.
With an ‘R & R’ mantra top of mind, my partner and I based ourselves slightly out of town to the north in the biblical sounding, The Promised Land, in a jaw-dropping corner of the Gleniffer Valley.
Checking into the Promised Land Retreat (promisedlandretreat.com.au) we drop our bags and head out onto our cabin’s veranda to take in the view, and what a view: lush green valleys and bushland paired with a soundtrack of birdsong and cicadas. The 100-acre property is also the perfect base to explore the river and its network of secret swimming spots. If you want to find one, make friends with a local (like we did) to get the lowdown.
Arriving at one of these hidden spots, I revert to a five-year-old: jumping in and out of the water, riding rope swings, skimming stones, and fashioning boats out of branches and leaves. Hours pass until the sun begins to disappear, signalling the time to return to the real world.
The next morning we’re up bright and early for more of the same, but this time to the World Heritage-listed Dorrigo National Park (nationalparks.nsw.gov.au). There’s an elevated boardwalk that offers amazing views over ancient rainforest canopy right at the visitor’s centre, but to really experience it you need to make tracks and get among the lush rainforest.
We join one of several walking routes of varying length that traverse the lush, prehistoric paradise. The trail we’re on leads to the (appropriately named) Crystal Shower Falls — a pair of waterfalls that create a veil over a rocky overhang.
While impressive enough, this waterfall is soon trumped. Back in the car we drive a few minutes to the nearby Dangar Falls. Following a steep trail from the carpark we make our way to the falls which cascade dramatically 30metres into a huge swimming lagoon. Above the waterfall itself is a series of smaller cascades and pools that also make for a few hours of idling. My advice? Pack a towel, a book, and something to eat and drink and make a day of it. Swim, sleep, eat, repeat.
As with Byron, the markets in Bellingen are famous. Held on the third Saturday of every month, the 260 or so stalls that comprise the Bellingen Community Markets (bellingenmarkets.com.au) make it the largest regional market on mid-north coast and you can snap up everything from handicrafts and all-natural skincare, to just-picked flowers and locally-made coffees and teas.
Indeed, Bellingen is a coffee-lovers paradise and the cafe scene here is relaxed, cool and abundant. For your morning brew, head to HYDE Bellingen (hydebellingen.com.au) on the town’s main drag. A homeware shop meets cafe, the quirky space serves what many regard as the town’s best coffee. You also can’t skip a visit to Amelia Franklin (ameliafranklin.com.au) which has an espresso bar out front and a micro roastery out back.
Another kind of locally produced brew that’s also unmissable is produced by the Bellingen Brewery (bellingenbrewery.com.au). Opened three years ago, this craft brewery has a cool, cellar door feel. We stop by for a predinner whistle-wetting and like it so much we’re tempted to cancel dinner and stay.
As with coffee and beer, the influx of bright, young talent into the area has led to a steady opening of slick restaurants each using the abundance of organic local produce to churn out tasty meals that would put any lauded big city restaurant to shame. One of the best is Cedar Bar and Kitchen (cedarbar.com.au). Set in a restored heritage-listed weatherboard church off the main drag. Nabbing a table outside in its pretty garden, we’re soon happily ensconced with a cheeky glass of wine before our food arrives. I play it healthy with the house cured salmon and ‘Bello bowl’ (mixed grains, fermented cabbage, pickled fennel and other virtuous veggies), while my other half opts for a delicious-looking the slow cooked Bangalow pork belly. I’m jealous.
When it comes to after-dinner entertainment 5 Church Street (5churchstreet.com) is the place to go. Easily the most happening spot in town, this restaurant-cum-bar-cum-live music venue has a great roster of visiting performers. Speaking of music, Bellingen has become something of an unlikely festival centre. Byron has Bluesfest, Bellingen has the Bello Winter Music (bellowintermusic.com). This chilled out festival (July 11-14 this year) brings international, national and local folk, roots, blues and world acts to the pubs, halls and streets of the town. It’s a similar story at the Bellingen Fine Music Festival (bellingenmusicfestival.com.au) in September, and during the Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival (bellingenwritersfestival.com.au) in June, which attracts bigwig literary types from across the country.
On my last morning over a final killer coffee, I succumb to one of my familiar travel hallmarks: when I fall in love with a place, I suss out the property market and fantasise about what my life would be like there on a permanent basis. True to form, I drift to the window of a nearby real estate agent. Turns out, a slice of boho rural paradise here still errs very much on the cheaper side. In fact, property is a fraction of the price beachside Byron Bay. So, as word gets out about Bello’s charms, if it follows the same trajectory as Byron, now might just be the time to invest …