Ballina has always been just one of those towns we went through when driving between Sydney and Brisbane.  There didn’t seem to be anything remarkable about Ballina, except that it meant you were about an hour and a half from the Gold Coast.  Over the last few years this town has stirred my curiosity, to the extent that we have now spent a few lazy days and a recent weekend exploring the town.

Far from being “just a pass through town”, Ballina is a great place to spend some time with your family, particularly if you like the water, be it surf or still water.  There is far too much to explore in Ballina to do it justice in a weekend, so we will certinaly be heading back to sample some more of the areas natural playgrounds.

Our recent weekend was spent at the Gunundi Youth Camp.  5 Star it is not, but it does have all the facilities you would need for a camp or conference, the accommodation is clean and honest and the amenities are plentiful and clean.  Gunundi offers great value for larger groups and is also located within a short walk to the beach via a quaint bush track.

Ballina offers all the aminities you could possibly need for a family holiday, without the fuss and crowds that are synonymous with South East Queensland.  Accomodation is also comparatively good value.  There are two large shopping centres plus a main town square that offers shopping, eating and of course a couple of old pubs.

The only real disappointment for us was what looked like the beginning of the end for one of our favourite landmarks, the big prawn.  It’s funny how old landmarks like these are still great references for the kids.  When travelling the Pacific Highway we would pass through a hundred little towns, and the kids would barely remember any of them – but they always remembered Ballina and Coffs Harbour.  Hopefully the area is just being tidied up and given a coat of paint, but the construction barriers look ominous for our favourite crustacean!

If you are looking for an honest destination for a family holiday you could do alot worse than Ballina, particularly if you are lovers of the water.  Pack your surf boards, your ski boat or your tinnie and rods, and head of for a lazy weekend without the glitz, crowds and prices of South East Queensland.

Some places to check out before you head to Ballina.

Ballina Tourism Website

Map of Area

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Bower Retreat is a four bedroom self contained house at Main Creek, around 6km from Dungog NSW. As part of a small farm property, Bower Retreat is the perfect place to let your kids interact with cows, dogs, horses and chickens, along with all the natural wildlife in the area.

If you could only choose one word to describe Bower Retreat it would be “relaxing”. Even though we spent the bulk of our days checking out local attractions and activities, everything in this region oozes with the relaxed atmosphere you can only experience in rural areas. Adding to the generally slow pace of the area was the homely welcome you get from the owners of the retreat. Little touches like fresh eggs in the fridge, chopped firewood next to the fireplace all added to the experience.

Apart from all the new sights, sounds and smells to explore around the house, there were also bikes to ride, toys to play with and a table tennis set in the shed. The kids were entertained from dawn until dusk, which ensured their parents got some much sought after recuperation.

The house itself is in good condition without being as clinically maintained as a city based apartment. While respecting somebody else’s property, you never get the feeling that you have to follow the kids around to make sure they weren’t touching anything. Everything you need is in the house along with two toilets and two showers, including one outside.

There is a vineyard, horse riding, walking trails, heritage landmarks, dairy farms and much more nearby and Dungog is just down the road for supplies.

All in all, this was one of the most relaxing and value for money holidays we have had in years.

Google Maps link for Bower Retreat

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