Waterfall Way
Dorrigo & Bellingen | NSW
Have you heard of Waterfall Way in NSW? I hadn’t until my parents mentioned it. I was looking for a destination for a short sabbatical late last year that I wouldn’t have to fly to reach and the drive there promised to be beautiful too, what a bonus. Off I went.
This tourist drive stretches east to west starting at a place called Raleigh (towards the coast near Coffs Harbour) and finishes out west at Armidale. I drove in the back way from the Northern Rivers, through Grafton and Namboida and even before hitting Waterfall Way, this was a lovely drive in itself.
I joined the party on Waterfall Way at a place called Dorrigo where I based myself for a couple of days sticking to this little town and another called Bellingen, just thirty minutes down the range. I say down, because there is quite the steep descent. The Waterfall Way is so named I gathered, because of the amount of waterfalls in the area. I was quite literally driving around and through waterfalls between Dorrigo and Bellingen.
I can think of no other way to describe this region than eye-hurtingly beautiful. Some parts feel like driving in the Swiss Alps other parts feel like you’re driving through the lushest rainforest somewhere in the Daintree. (the Dorrigo National Park will be for another blog post).
I stayed on Dorrigo mountain itself, at a place called Lookout Mountain Retreat. It was a great place to perch for a couple of days with sweeping views that I didn’t even have to leave the room for. On a clear day you can even see as far as the coast.
As it turns out this little town is also FULL of hydrangeas that as luck would have it, were in full bloom while I was there. I met lovely lady who’s entire front yard was exploding in the blue blooms, she said it had been the first year in quite some time that they had been the beautiful blue colour that they were. The soil must’ve been just right this season.
The little bustling village of Bellingen down the mountain was a good place for food, coffee and shopping. The eggplant toastie and coffee featured below was consumed at a café, homewares and apparel store called HYDE, on the main street in town.
When I find myself with some more time I would definitely drive the entire stretch out to Armidale, this trip was more about perching in one spot for a bit, and exploring those surrounds. I got a good feel for both Dorrigo and Bellingen and a good chance to stop and quite literally smell the hydrangeas. I came to this region to rest, reflect and recharge, and can truthfully say that’s what was achieved.
