Take a detour from the postcard heroes to the unheralded star towns of the Northern Rivers.
The Northern Rivers region of NSW is full of cool towns many people haven’t even heard of. While its stars – such as Byron Bay – attract the plaudits (and the crowds), there are quieter alternatives just a few minutes’ drive away. Try these five towns for surprises just off the beaten path.
1. Lismore
Meet the Take Care team. (Credit: Tajette O’Halloran)
A 45-minute drive inland from Byron Bay, Lismore is the region’s cultural secret. Its streetscape reflects a century of farming history, but these heritage buildings are now home to mural-clad independent galleries and hip cafes that look as though they could be in a trendy city suburb. Lismore has all the energy of a university town, with a younger, arts-minded population.
At its heart is the Lismore Regional Gallery, one of NSW’s longest-running regional art spaces. After being extensively damaged by the 2022 floods, it was restored and reopened in September 2024. The gallery’s cafe, Take Care, is the place local artists come to hang out, with a menu showcasing the area’s fantastic produce.
Catch the local spirit at quirky annual events like the Lismore Lantern Parade, which celebrates the winter solstice, and LisAmore!, a celebration of Italian culture.
2. Lennox Head
Lennox Head beachfront. (Credit: Elise Hassey)
About 15 minutes south of Byron Bay, Lennox Head has the little Aussie surf town formula down pat, though a fancy food scene is emerging. Get to Pat Morton Lookout for big views over Seven Mile Beach while watching surfers below at Lennox Point (you might also get to see a hang glider launch).
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Seeking Shelter in Lennox Head. (Credit: Elise Hassey)
Shelter showcases the
region’s bounty. (Credit: Elise Hassey)
The dark and atmospheric Rhea
Food + Wine. (Credit: Ryan Baldwin)
Afterwards, try some of the region’s most talked-about tables in the Northern Rivers. Shelter Lennox is metres from the ocean – you can watch the waves while enjoying local produce with an Asian influence (try the fish cakes with poached eggs for brunch). And for laid-back tapas from a Michelin-trained chef, nothing beats Rhea Food + Wine.
3. Pottsville
Snacks and a well-chosen pour at Pipit. (Credit: Pipit Restaurant/Sabine Bannard)
Pipit’s dining room, where Ben Devlin cooks with passion, fire and Tweed Coast produce. (Credit: Pipit Restaurant/Sabine Bannard)
Surfers wander down the golden sands of Cabarita Beach. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Up on the Tweed Coast, 25 minutes south of the Gold Coast, Pottsville is about as idyllic a Northern Rivers beach town as it gets. The village sits beside Mooball Creek and the beach, so you can either surf the waves or swim in calm water. Black Drop Cafe has some of the best coffee on the Tweed Coast, while Pipit – under the guidance of ex-Noma chef and Byron boy, Ben Devlin – has put Pottsville and the Northern Rivers firmly on the regional food map.
Halcyon House in Cabarita Beach, home to Paper Daisy restaurant. (Credit: Destination NSW)
It’s an easy hop to Hastings Point, where you can spot whales from June to November. You can also head north to dreamy Cabarita Beach, which is protected by a picturesque headland. The beachside village is home to a celebrated dining scene led by hatted restaurant Paper Daisy.
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4. Alstonville
HOME is where the
hearth is. (Credit: Destination NSW)
The Alstonville
corner store feels like it’s from another era. (Credit: Natalie McComas)
Only a 14-minute drive inland from Ballina, Alstonville sits in a green plateau between the coast and the hinterland. It’s having a moment right now, though that doesn’t mean people even in Byron know about it – and that’s how locals want it to stay. Its village vibe, old-fashioned charm and surrounding green hills make it the place to avoid the tourism surge on the coast at holiday time.
There’s plenty here for visitors, such as HOME Alstonville on Main Street, a nostalgic local food store filled with homemade and homegrown food products. And check out Summerland Farm, a macadamia and avocado property on 96 hectares, which offers a stunning outlook from its award-winning restaurant.
5. Tweed Heads
Corduroy lines of swell roll into Duranbah (‘D-Bah’ to locals) at the mouth of the Tweed. (Credit: Destination NSW)
On the northern boundary of NSW, Tweed Heads is often overlooked as a gateway to the Gold Coast. A less than savoury reputation in the past didn’t help, either. But that’s changing (it was even recently named on Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel). Sitting beside its twin town, Coolangatta, Tweed Heads is developing a personality of its own, with an emerging food and lifestyle scene spreading fast – especially on Bay Street, which straddles the border.
But it’s the river that defines the Tweed. Hire a houseboat or get out on it any way you can to see how spectacular this volcanic region looks from the water. Afterwards, sample the new range of places to eat and drink. The Bread Social helped establish Bay Street as a foodie destination and it now rivals anywhere on the Gold Coast. Rob Roy Deli & Drinks offers treats and wines from all over the world, and newer arrival nice nice brings an uber-trendy, Asian-leaning brunch menu with an occasional Mexican pop-up restaurant.
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Craig Tansley has been a travel writer for over 20 years, winning numerous awards along the way. A long-time sucker for adventure, he loves to write about the experiences to be had on islands, on the sea, in forests or deserts; or anywhere in nature across Australia, and the world.
Bate Bay’s sweep of beaches has been crowned Australia’s best for 2026, placing Sutherland Shire in the spotlight as a top coastal destination just south of Sydney’s CBD.
The beaches fringing Bate Bay – Cronulla, North Cronulla, Wanda, Elouera and Greenhills – have topped Tourism Australia’s 2026 list of best Australian beaches (as curated by Beach Ambassador Brad Farmer). For locals, it’s less revelation, more recognition.
The mood shifts from the moment you step off the T4 train service from Central to Cronulla and catch a glimpse of the ocean. At dawn, the Esplanade is already buzzing with regulars, and by mid-morning, parents have staked out a toasty spot on Cronulla Beach where excited toddlers clamber over rocks, and the Jellybean swim squad at Oak Park have donned their bright pink caps while singing Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin’.
By the afternoon, towels are being collected from across the sand as visitors wander back to Cronulla in loose formation.
Dive into the world’s best beaches.
That’s the thing about Bate Bay beaches. This isn’t a story about a single beach. This long, uninterrupted sweep of sand and sea, where you can walk for kilometres without breaking stride, is not just enjoyed over summer; it’s a year-round destination. Here, Cronulla’s buzz gives way to Wanda’s wild edges, before stretching out to the quieter reaches of Greenhills.
But while Bate Bay’s beaches may have taken top honours in the 2026 Best Australian Beaches list, they’re only part of the drawcard. Sutherland Shire stacks up as a full-spectrum coastal escape, where good food, national park adventures and on-the-water experiences sit within easy reach of the shoreline. Whether you’re planning a long weekend or stretching out a stay, here’s how to make the most of Cronulla beyond the sand, sea and surf.
Beyond the beaches
Dining
Enjoy a sundowner by the sea at Pippis Cronulla.
The Sutherland Shire dining scene delivers from early morning to late at night with a mix of vibrant cafes, bars and pubs. Start your day at Grind Espresso, where the coffee comes strong and fast. From there, drift towards HAM for pastries, best eaten buttery warm.
By midday, locals linger across sun-lit tables. Loaf and Next Door appeal to the surfers who come in for snacks after chasing waves. Blackwood’s Pantry and The Press are also popular for breakfast and lunch, while Pilgrim’s continues to hold a special place in the hearts of vegans.
Newer arrivals signal where Cronulla is heading: Homer Rogue Taverna is being hailed as one of the best restaurants in Cronulla, with the confidence that comes from understanding what locals want. Ask a local to reveal their favourite restaurant for a special occasion, and it’ll likely be Pino’s Vino e Cucina al Mare, Yalla Sawa or Alphabet Street. Summer Salt, Sealevel, Benny’s, Bobbys and Pippis are a few of the best waterfront restaurants in the Shire.
A short ferry ride from Cronulla, Bundeena offers a counterpoint to Cronulla’s mighty surf beaches. If Cronulla is the Shire’s social heart, Bundeena – or Bundenesia, as it’s affectionately known – is the place to go to exhale and unwind.
Hop on the ferry from Cronulla, and within 30 minutes, you’ll be inhaling the eucalyptus-scented air. Check the creative pulse of the local community by timing your visit with the Bundeena Maianbar Art Trail on the first Sunday of every month.
One of the best things to do in Bundeena is paddle into Cabbage Tree Basin with Bundeena Kayaks. Follow the five-kilometre Jibbon Beach Loop Track that leads past quiet coves to ancient Indigenous rock art, or simply find a stretch of pearl-white sand to relax on.
Pristine walking trails
Cool off with a coastal stroll.
Beyond the coastline, Sutherland Shire offers myriad ways to shift gears. Royal National Park – the oldest national park in Australia – sits just minutes from the surf. Clifftop walks trace the edge of the continent, the rugged bushland is threaded with creeks and hidden waterfalls, and a network of tracks rewards those willing to go a little further.
Take the Coast Track, where the land drops cleanly into the ocean over sheer cliffs that have been stacked together like giant Jenga. Or veer inland, where pockets of forest cool the air and filter the light. It’s a reminder of how close nature sits to the bustle of suburbs in the Sutherland Shire.
Enjoy whale watching
Spot whales from May to October. (Credit: The Edit Suite)
Twist your binoculars until the ocean is in focus, stretched like a creased blue sheet all around.Come May, the East Coast becomes the humpback highway. Thousands of whales migrate along this stretch of coastline each year, their movements tracked by keen eyes from vantage points like the Cape Solander platform in Kamay Botany Bay National Park, one of the best places for whale watching in Australia. There’s something quietly thrilling about seeing that first telltale spout or the arc of a breaching body against the vastness of the sea. From June to October, whale-watching cruises depart from Cronulla, offering a closer look at the migration.
Awards come and go. But places like Cronulla endure because they belong as much to the visitors as they do the early-morning swimmers, walkers and surfers.
