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

[View with PicLens]

Smoky Cape lies just East of South West Rocks in Hat Head National Park, on the NSW mid North Coast.  If you are a fan of the outdoors Smoky Cape has plenty to offer.  I stayed in the Smoky Cape camping grounds with my three youngest children and we divided our time between the beaches, bays and bush tracks.

Unlike beaches in our major cities, we were able to experience some of the most beautiful beaches in the country almost all to ourselves.  Some of the beaches are open to four wheel drives, and some were only accessible via a 4WD track and a short walk.  Either way it was well worth the extra effort.  Permits are required to drive on beaches in Hat Head National Park.  For further information on these permits please visit here.

With South West Rocks being so conveniently close, you can have the best of both worlds at Smoky Cape.  We “roughed it” in the camping grounds but were able to pop into town to have lunch at one of the many pubs, clubs, cafes or restaurants.  We were also able to travel relatively lightly and buy fresh produce daily.  Fuel, bait, ice and cold refreshments were also readily available at reasonable prices – remember, South West Rocks is a holiday town!

Trial Bay, South Smoky Beach and Gap Beach are all within a stones throw of the camping grounds and offer a good range of options, according to the swell and weather conditions.  It is important to note that none of these beaches were patrolled and you should be very careful when swimming.  Of these options, Trial Bay is probably the the safest.

The best advice I can offer for those heading to Smoky Cape is to do a little bit of research first.  There are plenty of great family activities but some require permits or advice.

Hat Head Beach information.

Hat Head Beach Driving Permits.

Google Map.

If you are heading to Smoky Cape from Sydney and want to try camping in style, try Sydney Camper Trailers for a selection of hire campers.  There were about eight of them in our area and they lived in soooooo much more comfort than us in our tent.

[View with PicLens]

Sitting in the far North West, Lawn Hill National Park is one of Queensland’s hidden gems.  If you enjoy things uniquely Australian, this is the place for you.  As you drive through the desert landcape Lawn Hill pops up like an oasis in one of those old movies.  Swimming, fishing, bushwalking, hiking and canoeing are all among the long list of activities for parents and children in this area.

Adels Grove is an eco-sensitive tourist camping facility on the edge of the National Park that caters for all levels of self suffiency.  Even though we took everything we needed, there is nothing better than and ice cold beer at the casual bar after a long day exploring.  Exploring is surely the best word to describe our time at Adels Grove.  We all tried our hands at fishing, though fish need not tremble, most of our time was spent detangling.  We hired canoes, went swimming, walked some bush trails and took a relaxed tour to look at some of the indigenous sites in the area.  There are dedicated and cleared camp sites from the riverbank and up on the hill for a few hundred metres.

As with all adventures there are things to be wary of.  It can get seriously hot out here, but if you have ventured this far out, you would already know that.  The other thing to watch is mosquitoes.  While the campsites close to the river are the most attractive, and offer the best shade, there is alot to be said for being up the top of the hill.  There are less mosquitoes and you are closer to the all important ablution block – along with it’s hot showers!

If coming from the South there are really two ways to get to Adels Grove and the Lawn Hill National Park.  From Cloncurry head North on the Burke Developmental Rd and turn left after the Four Ways or, for the more adventurous, head North from Mount Isa on the Barkly Hwy and venture off road to the  Gregory Downs Camoweal Rd.  The latter is a fantastic (and quite sedate) drive on dirt roads and tracks.  The only real caution is to check the river levels in Mount Isa.  There are a couple of water crossings on this route.  In the dry season they are quite tame, but after heavy rain they are for the hardcore 4WDers only.

Get off the beaten track and treat your family to one of the most rewarding, yet relaxing, holidays you can experience.

Google Maps link for Lawn Hill National Park

[View with PicLens]

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

[View with PicLens]

The Blue Mountains region in New South Wales plays second fiddle to the famous harbour attractions in tourism promotions, but it is fast becoming one of the “must do” areas for those exploring Sydney.  If you travel to the Blue Mountains there are a few sites that you definitely cannot miss and the Three Sisters is one of them.  On the outskirts of Katoomba, the Three Sisters lookouts offer amazing views into the Megalong Valley and there are plenty of bushwalks and climbs for families and hikers of all experience levels, including for those requiring wheelchair access.

The area is steeped in indigenous culture, including the story behind the formation of the Three Sisters.  The Darug and Gundungurra tribes in particular have a strong connection to this area and to nearby Echo Point.

My family braved the walk downstairs to the Three Sisters.  While only a very short walk, the stairs were very steep and I would recommend a good pair of shoes for anyone visiting this site.  We spent around an hour at this site (we had a few sites on our wish list this day) and made our way to the gift shop for a browse afterwards.

Norah Head is one of those places that all the locals know of but it’s not widely advertised as a must do on the Central Coast of New South Wales.  It’s a bit of a blessing for those that do find this gem as it’s only a relatively small place and crowding could easily spoil what is an ideal location for a family holiday.

Norah Head has all the ingredients for the perfect family holiday along with a few hidden attractions that are available for those that like to explore.  By mid morning there is a steady stream of families heading for the relative safety of the rockpool.  The water is largely sheltered from the waves that break prior to the rock wall and whether swimming, snorkelling or just playing in the sand, there is at least a few hours of fun to be had – remembering of course to slip, slop, slap.

With space at a premium in the rockpool confines, we decided to head off on a trek along the beach to the most famous landmark at Norah Head, the lighthouse.  Having been to Norah Head before, I was wary of the wear and tear on the feet caused by the rocks and I made sure we all wore appropriate footwear for our little adventure.  While the beach was fantastic, it was the rocky areas that the kids really wanted to explore.  Crabs, starfish, fish, shells and more were on offer as we climbed and searched the rocky coastline on the point.

After an hour or so exploring we made it to the base of the point and made our way up the stairs to the base of the lighthouse.  There are guided tours of the lighthouse on weekends and public holidays.  They start at around 10.00am and run every half hour until 3.00pm.

There are plenty of parks and covered public eating areas, along with restaurants and takeaway outlets.  The Norah Head Sports Club has meals, a courtesy bus and plenty of cold beer on tap!  Toukley is also only five minutes away for those that cannot find food to their liking.  Soldiers Beach is a patrolled beach with a good surf break (so I’m told).

Accommodation at Norah Head ranges from holiday apartment rental to the Norah Head Holiday Park, the latter containing a variety of options from camping to on site cabins.

My family thoroughly enjoyed our stay at Norah Head and found it an excellent place to explore.  As a bonus it is also only minutes away from places like Toukley, Budgewoi, The Entrance and all the other towns on the great lakes of the Central Coast.  The only real advice I would give is that you have all your sun safety gear well prepared, including hats, sunshirts and plenty of sunscreen.  With all the sites, parks and water in the area, we spent most of our waking hours outdoors.  The one benefit of all that excercise was that the kids went to bed without any arguments at all.  The downside was that their parents were also too tired to take advantage and went to bed soon after.