North Coast: Places to Explore

In a river valley a few miles off the Pacific Highway, artsy Bellingen is one of the prettiest towns along the coast. Many of Bellingen's buildings have been classified by the National Trust, and the museum... Read more

Byron Bay is the easternmost point on the Australian mainland, and perhaps earns Australia its nickname the "Lucky Country." Fabulous beaches, storms that spin rainbows across the mountains behind the... Read more

The area surrounding Coffs Harbour is the state's "banana belt," where long, neat rows of banana palms cover the hillsides. Set at the foot of steep green hills, the town has great beaches and a mild climate... Read more

Fringed by the world's southernmost coral reef as well as gorgeous, sheltered beached, dominated by two dramatic peaks, and inhabited by just around 400 permanent residents—Lord Howe Island is a... Read more

Once known as the Steel City, today Newcastle is one of Australia's hippest cities. Just 160 km (100 miles) north of Sydney, it's flanked by the Pacific Ocean and six beaches on its eastern side and a... Read more

Port Macquarie was founded as a convict settlement in 1821, and is the third-oldest settlement in Australia. Set at the mouth of the Hastings River, the town was chosen for its isolation to serve as an... Read more