| Green Escape |
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A verdant patchwork of river bends and rainforest, the NSW mid north coast inspires music, poetry and many big city migrations The road that winds down the great Dividing Range, and links the towns of Dorrigo and Bellingen on the mid north coast of NSW, is one of the most scenic in Australia. Its name, Waterfall Way, is a good clue to the sort of scenery you you'll pass as you descend through the rainforest to the town of Bellingen near the coast. The 12,000-hectare Dorrigo National Park not only divides the two towns but also links them by water. Streams plunge from the Dorrigo Plateau down to the fertile Bellingen Vally. The park's lush vegetation is part of the region now called the Gondwana rain forests of Australia and home to numerous flora and fauna species. Looking up form the forest floor, one stands in a green cathedral, the towering trees tracing lacework patterns against the sky. Set out from the Rainforest Centre and you'll hear the bush band: the golden whistler and grey shrike-thrush singing melody, the conga pigeon's single-note solo and the lyrebird on bass. Waterfalls are also synonymous with the area and one of the things Kathryn Wood, manager of the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre and Skywalk, rates as a favourite in the park . "I love watching the play of light on the water, especially the Crystal Shower Falls - the coolness, especially on a summer's day, is beautiful," she says. The famous Skywalk, a boarded walkway some 70 metres high, is another must-see, offering panoramic views across the treetops to McGraths Hump, the Bellingen Vally and, on a clear day, the ocean beyond. At the foot of the escarpment is Bellingen or 'Bello' as the locals call it. The town changed its name from Boat Harbour to Bellingen in 1870, but the river didn't quite follow suit, becoming the 'Bellingen' as a result of spelling mistake made by a colonial map drafter. Bellingen has attracted people searching for an alternative lifestyle since the 1970s. These days it's a melting pot; a town of around 3000 supporting traditional and non-traditional farming as well as shriving tourist industry. "The visitors have changed over the past 24 years," say Ann Rosewood, owner of clothing and homewards store Emporium. "People we first met as visitors now live here or have a property here. There's a younger generation of urban dwellers starting families and wanting a softer lifestyle, and they've been followed by other family members." The town has a tradition of world-class music festivals and has inspired writers such as Robert Gray, the lat Jack Iggulden and double Booker Prize-winner Peter Carey, who wrote his book Illywhacker here while living in a house now owned by journalist George Negus. A trip to Bellingen would''t be complete without a picnic in the promised land valley, just a short drive from town, and a dip in one of the swimming holes that dot the Never Never River. Take a copy of Robert Gray's poem A Day At Bellingen to read while you tuck into sourdough break from Hearth Fire Bakery, delicious mini baked ricottas from the Tuckshop Café, and organic fruit from the Bellingen markets. If you'd prefer to get off the beaten track and explore some less accessible waterways, take a tour with Bellingen Canoe Adventures. When its time for something more formal, dinner at No 2 Oak Street is a standout. The restaurant, which holds a chef's hat rating from the SMH Good Food Guide, serves fine local produce in a historic, candle-lit cottage. Bellingen is also well supplied with galleries, homewards shops, and second-hand stores -- the Vintage Nest on Hyde Street is famous for its pre-loved wares. Walk down Hyde Street and admire the grand historic buildings, especially the Hammond & Wheatley Commercial Emporium, all of which were build in the early 20th century, strong but mess tangible attractions inspire the locals. "I love that I can ride my bicycle home with good produce in the basket," says Ann rosewood. "And the fact that Bellingen come together as a community in matters that concern the future." Accommodation runs from dormitory-style pub rooms at the Federal Hotel to luxury self-contained villas like Aniseed, where you can watch the sun set over the Great Dividing Range from your hot tub. Thirty minutes' drive from Bellingen, at the top of the escarpment, Dorrigo offers a more pastoral feel with its broad streets and undulating, open landscape. Activities on offer here include trout fishing, four-wheel driving to the 30-metre danar Falls, or a wander along the town's main street, complete with a country pub, old-fashioned lolly shop, art gallery and vintage wares store. For the adventurous, there's white-water rafting in the Nymboi-Binderay Nation Park, where the plunging granite gorges surrounding the rugged Nymboida River provide a great stage for high adrenalin riders. There are several bed and breakfast options as well as self-contained accommodation -- Rose cottage, a heritage-listed weatherboard with a rose arbor in the back, can sleep up to five. Owner Susie Snodgrass and David Scott offer a gourmet breakfast full of local produce, including specialties from their provider store, Lick the Spoon. They also run the Red Dirt Distillery, which produces a distinctive potato vodka. This a region full of diversity, you can be in a paddock one minute and on a beach 40 minutes later. As chad Ray Urquhart, owner of Bellingen's No 2 Oak Street, describes the area: "If it were a dish, it would be earthy and spicy while also being simple and nutritious -- its comfort food with a surprising twist." |
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