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The Tweed
The Tweed region is a little patch of paradise in the far northeastern corner of New South Wales. Although the area is often overlooked by travellers either rushing to or away from the nearby Gold Coast, it is a great place to spend some time taking a scenic drive, bushwalking or just relaxing on the beach. Many visitors also use it as a base to venture north into the land of theme parks and shopping or west into the region’s beautiful hills and valleys.
The Tweed Coast Way is a 26 kilometre stretch of road which hugs the coast and offers drivers a welcome diversion from the Pacific Highway between Chinderah and Pottsville. The drive winds through some lovely relaxed villages which are well endowed with beachfront cafes, restaurants and caravan parks.
A few other highlights of the Tweed Coastal region include a scenic walk around Norries Headland near Cabarita Beach, Cudgera Creek at Hastings Point, and birdwatching and wildlife spotting on the walking tracks at the Bicentennial Leisure Gardens in Pottsville. Some of the villages also hold interesting weekend craft and farmers markets – check with the local tourist information centres to find out when.
On the hinterland side of the Pacific Highway is the attractive Tweed Valley. The Tweed River, one of the focal points of the valley, meanders through picturesque farmland providing visitors with a great place to cast a line, take a cruise or just pull up a campchair to watch the world for awhile.
The valley's horizon is dominated by the silhouette of Mount Warning – the first place in mainland Australia to encounter the sun’s rays at dawn. Mount Warning is actually the core of an extinct volcano and reaches a height of about 1125m. Energetic nomads can hike all the way up to the summit but be warned, it is a steep and strenuous 4-5 hour climb to get there. If you’re keen to get a feel for the rainforest and take in some views without actually climbing the mountain, the 500-metre Lyrebird Track walk may be the answer. The walk begins at the Breakfast Creek parking area, crosses the creek, winds through the palm fringed forest and ends at a viewing platform.
The Tweed region boasts approximately 30 caravan parks with varying levels of prices and facilities and also has 5 World Heritage listed national parks. Although there are no specific figures detailing how many grey nomads visit the area annually, the general manager of Tweed Tourism, Terry Watson, commented, “We don't have any statistical evidence but there is anecdotal evidence of an increase in grey nomads. Tourism to the Tweed has increased strongly over the past couple of years.” And it is easy to see why it has.
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Have you read?
 The journey is more than
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 The talk,
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 A call for
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