| Holidays for Couples |
Coffs CoastRestaurants, rafting & romance in Russel Crowe country. … But the surprise ticket is the fact that he region is also emerging as one of Australia’s cultural hotspots. “A lot of people used to think this area was pretty dead culturally a few years ago,” Steve Bush, director of the John Gordon Gallery, says “But it’s really coming into its own – we showcase local artists and at every opening we get over 300 people. There are a lot of people moving here every year from Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, awareness is really growing.” Simone Nye from Lake Russel Gallery agrees. “Even in just a few years, this area has changed,” she says. “The art here is fantastic, there’s a lot to great local artists. People used to say Coffs was ‘Byron for beginner’, but it’s more than that now.” Culture is also prevalent in the adorable inland town of Bellingen. Any town that attracts former Sydneysiders George Negus, David Helfgott and Peter Carey, and is home to one the country’s most energetic jazz festivals, must have something going for it. We drive through the town on a sunny weekday morning and it’s positively radiating charm; its heritage streetscapes and colourful shopfronts leave most Australian towns in its wake. There are more craft shops than cafés here, but the café’s are gorgeous – you must try Lodge 241, with its side deck that looks out across the Bellinger valley. The area is reminiscent of Nimbin, perhaps combined with a little bit of Maleny, and it’s quite possible to get your aura cleansed, your future read and your planets aligned all within one block of shops. We intended to stop for half an hour but stayed half a day. Notable restaurants include the award winning No 2 Oak Street; well worth a visit… Holidays for Couples Spring Summer 2004/2005 Vol 8 No 10 By Craig Tansley |
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