Located just 15 kilometres inland from beautiful but bustling Byron Bay, the picturesque town of Bangalow in NSW’s Northern Rivers region has a charm all of its own.
While the main street is lined with historic federation buildings, this is very much a modern, visitor-friendly community which offers visitors great shopping (including the legendary Abracadabra store) and an abundance of superb cafes and restaurants.
Combined with the fact that Bangalow sits in stunning country, and hosts some fabulous events – including the much-loved monthly markets – it’s easy to see why so many grey nomads are exceptionally eager to pull off the Pacific Motorway to look around.
Visitors can take a self-guided Heritage Walk through Bangalow. PIC: Destination NSW
The town, which now has a permanent population of a little over 2,000, was not officially founded until the 1880s although a camp housing timber cutters was established on the banks of Byron Creek here as early as the 1840s.
The best way to get to grips with Bangalow’s history, and its layout, is to take the self-guided Bangalow Heritage Walk. Highlights include: Bangalow Police Station built in 1905; the courthouse built in 1909; the Bangalow Public School, first built in 1884; Bangalow Uniting Church which was rebuilt in 1914 after a tornado destroyed the original; and the Bangalow Hotel, built in 1940 on the site of the original Granuaille Hotel which had burnt down the year before.
The Bangalow Parklands are stunning. PIC: Destination NSW
The Bangalow A & I Hall was originally built in 1911 but has now been fully restored and is a popular venue for shows and live music.
Also well worth a look is the Bangalow Heritage House Museum which is full of exhibits explaining the history of the region.
Piccabeen Park, known by many as the Bangalow Weir, is a great place for a picnic; and the beautiful Showgrounds host the Bangalow Markets on the fourth Sunday of every month.
The Bangalow Farmers market is held every Saturday morning behind the Bangalow Hotel. Popular annual events include: the Bangalow Show; the Sample Food Festival; and the iconic Billycart Derby.
As previously mentioned, this is a gorgeous part of the country. The town is surrounded by fruit and macadamia orchards, and Nightcap National Park and the Minyon Falls are only about 30 kilometres to the north west.
From the lookout platform here, you can observe the spectacular 100-metre falls, as well as the surrounding forest and valley.
Driving around the area is a delight and offers the opportunity to discover unique places like Zentveld’s Coffee Farm & Roastery, Common People Brewing, the Crystal Castle and Shambhala Gardens, and lovely little villages like Newrybar, 10 minutes to the south.
This is the Byron Shire so free camping is not really much of an option here, but there are, of course, a number of caravan parks in the vicinity and a limited number of campsites at Rummery Park campground in the Whian Whian State Conservation Area up near Minyon Falls.
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