Our Northern Rivers guide
from the SALT PM team
No matter if you’re here on holiday or scoping out your next investment, here’s how to make the most of the Tweed Coast.
Eat and drink
Relaxed cafés, local pubs and intimate restaurants shape an easygoing food scene.
Taverna
A boutique greek-inspired restaurant wrapped in bright bougainvillea on the exterior.
It’s the perfect place for a romantic dinner, special family outing or a long lunch that accidentally runs into the evening.
(Locals tip: They run a chef’s sustainable banquet on Sundays for $49pp)
Taverna
A boutique greek-inspired restaurant
Kingscliff
Beach Hotel
Good vibes, good views and the kind of pub where you can actually relax.
Perfect for a lazy afternoon, a post-beach feed or when you don’t want to think too hard about where to go.
Kingscliff Beach Hotel
Kingscliff’s historical local pub
Salt Mill
This is your go-to for coffee that never misses and simple food done well.
Trust me, grab a smoothie or a toastie and sit outside, it’s such a nice way to start the day.
The Salt Mill
A boutique little coffee shop
Beaches and swimming
Creeks, coves and open beaches make swimming part of daily life.
Cudgen Creek
If you want crystal-clear waters, head to Cudgen Creek at high tide.
It’s all paddle-boarders, snorkelers and locals packed together when the water comes up.
Cudgen Creek
A scenic barrier estuary
Dreamtime
Beach
Dreamtime sits under the watch of Fingal Head’s ancient basalt columns – 23-million-year-old lava stacked like a giant’s puzzle.
You’ll reach it by slipping through one of the last pockets of ‘littoral rainforest’ (literally look it up) on the Tweed Coast.
Dreamtime Beach
A beautiful, secluded coastal spot
Little Cove
Cabarita Beach
Caba Cove is a little pocket and a protected nook beside Norries Headland, framed by pandanus trees that make everything feel a bit more tropical.
The waves peel long and clean here, so you get those cruisy, consistent rides.
Little Cove Beach
A small and picturesque bay
Explore &
Experience
Local experiences invite you to get out and make a day of it.
Tropical Fruit World
Tropical Fruit World is a big working fruit farm in the hills, with more varieties than you’ll have ever tasted in one place.
Hop on the tractor tour, try fruit straight off the tree and finish up with something cold. It’s a good one for the whole family.
Tropical Fruit World
Taste it straight off the tree
Watersports
Guru
Watersports Guru is the easy way to get out on Cudgen Creek, with gear and a bit of local know-how sorted for you.
Hire a paddleboard or kayak, take it slow on the water and see the coast from a different angle. No experience needed, just a hat and some sunscreen
Watersports Guru
Paddle, swim, explore.
Husk
Distillery
Husk is a working distillery out in the Tweed Valley, where the sugarcane that goes into the rum is grown right there on the farm.
Pull up for a tasting, wander the grounds and learn how it all gets made. It’s an easy half day, and a good one for a wet afternoon.
Husk Distillery
Taste where it’s made
Walks and nature
Coastal paths and trails invite slow moments outdoors.
Caba Headland
The Caba Headland walk is one of those easy, high-reward trails where every corner gives you a new hit of ocean blue.
Wander past pandanus, climb the gentle rise and you’ll land on a lookout where the whole Tweed Coast stretches out.
Caba Headland
A picturesque coastal point
Northern Rivers Rail Trail
If you need a break from the coast, jump on the Northern Rivers Rail Trail and bike along the old train line through villages, bushland and long green valleys.
It’s peaceful and perfect for the whole family. Stop at Hosanna Farmstay and the Natural Wine Shop and Bar along the way.
Northern Rivers Rail Trail
Bike along the lush countryside
Fingal Lighthouse Walk
A gentle wander through coastal rainforest leads you to Fingal Head Lighthouse, one of the oldest on the coast and easily the cutest.
Stop at the lookout for views over the Giant’s Causeway-style rock formations and that glassy stretch of turquoise around Cook Island.
Fingal Lighthouse Walk
Wander through coastal rainforest