Welcome to Hotel Addict, a monthly column where I check into Australia’s best hotels and share what makes them worthy of your wishlist.
The Tweed Coast is an underrated hidden gem in Australia. While Byron Bay draws the crowds, this idyllic pocket of the NSW north coast offers something a little more calm – more peaceful beaches, incredible food and a relaxed authenticity. The highlight stay is Halcyon House, a property which has long been regarded as one of the best hotels in Australia and has been drawing in design-savvy travellers for 10 years. When I first started working in media I remember the design community’s excitement around it. I decided to check in a decade later to see if it still lives up to the hype.
This idyllic coastal stay has been drawing in design-savvy travellers for 10 years.
My car pulls up to the blindingly white building nestled in Cabarita Beach, the waves just steps away. The once sleepy seaside town got a serious injection of cool with the opening of Halcyon House in 2015. Sisters Elisha and Siobhan Bickle originally purchased the old Hideaway motel with the intention of turning it into a family beach house, but instead converted it into the now luxury accommodation. It exudes sun-bleached glamour with retro mid-century energy thanks to palm trees, breeze blocks, verandahs and outdoor walkways with elegant archways.
The family beach house is adorned with graceful archways.
The hotel sits behind Cabarita Beach.
I arrive early and am ushered to the bar area next to the pool to enjoy a welcome drink – a gin and tonic made with the region’s iconic Ink Gin, which turns purple when you add tonic. I sip it a little too enthusiastically before heading up to my room.
My design tastes have never leaned towards maximalism, but when it’s done right, I can’t help but feel in awe. Elisha and Siobhan called upon interior designer Anna Spiro to create a stay that evokes an old beach hotel layered with antiques and art. Spiro’s signature style is layered, colourful and bold, and features a mix of eras and styles. Blues, greens, corals and warm yellows come alive in patterned wallpaper, tiling and upholstered furniture, against lime-washed timber flooring and bright white walls.
The eclectic interior design features bold blues, vibrant prints and antiques.
Spiro’s signature style is layered, colourful and bold.
There are just 22 uniquely styled rooms and suites, so the property never feels busy, and I notice throughout the stay how calm it is. I’m staying in a Pool King Balcony room, which, as the name suggests, has pool (and partial ocean) views. At 40 square metres it’s spacious and the floor-to-ceiling windows and doors make it feel even larger, flooding the room with natural light. There’s a big balcony with chairs to relax on and take in the sea breeze and views.
By the decade mark, most hotels are starting to show their age. Here, though, that’s not the case. Timeless design choices (even in the bathrooms) and upholstered furniture that can be reinvigorated keep the space feeling fresh.
Relax in style.
Patterned tiles elevate the bathrooms.
Check into the Halcyon House for an elevated coastal stay.
Stay for the artistic flair.
The only fault I can really find is that there isn’t a chair at the desk – a subtle reminder, perhaps, that you’re here to relax, not work, so I make a beeline for the swimming pool. This delightfully sunny spot is lined with navy blue daybeds and beach umbrellas for lazily lounging between dips and listening to the calming sounds of the wind in the pandanus trees and palms. Morning yoga, spa treatments and a morning cold plunge are also available to wellness enthusiasts. Onsite shop Halcyon Atelier offers a curated selection of high-end designer fashion, accessories and homewares from brands such as Lucy Folk, Cecile Copenhagen and Matteau.
Relax on plush daybeds under the palms. (Credit: Kara Roselund)
I have a pre-dinner coconut daiquiri (10/10) before eating at onsite restaurant Paper Daisy – a hatted restaurant that draws guests from well beyond the hotel. On the current menu, designed by Executive Chef Baxter Newstead (ex Noma Australia, Vue de Monde and Michelin-starred Ekstedt in Stockholm), are refined coastal plates with Aussie touches such as lobster, carrot, finger lime and brown butter; seared kangaroo with beetroot, fermented blueberries and saltbush; and strawberry gum lamington, coconut and preserved cherry. As I’ve done with all of my Hotel Addict hotel stays, I pair the delicious bites with a couple of glasses of Chablis.
Full and content, I sink into the comfiest king bed for a peaceful sleep.
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AI Prompt
Bay lobster with carrot and brown butter at the two-hatted Paper Daisy restaurant.
The signature cocktails are unmissable.
Dine on seasonal, coastal plates.
In the morning, I head to Cabarita Beach for a calm morning stroll before enjoying breakfast back at Paper Daisy. The seasonal menu offers dishes such as open egg omelette with green onion, cold smoked fish and soured dill cream and macadamia muesli with banana, lemon balm and natural yoghurt – what more could you want from the start of your day?
Halcyon House does a fantastic job of balancing classic Australian coastal stay nostalgia with luxury. While the rooms and restaurant have evolved over the years, what hasn’t changed is that it still feels like a beloved beach house that’s been carefully elevated, in one of Australia’s most overlooked corners.
Details
Address: 21 Cypress Cres, Cabarita Beach NSW 2488
Best for: Design-savvy travellers and honeymoons
Room rate: From $$ per night
Getting there: There are very limited Ubers in this area. Car hire or booking a taxi to the airport is necessary. There are two Audi A1’s available for guest hire and bicycles for hire.
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Rachael Thompson is a freelance travel journalist. With a background in design and travel media, Rachael is dedicated to curating content that is as much informational as it is beautiful. She began her career at Belle magazine, before taking up editorial roles at Homes to Love, Bed Threads and Australian Traveller/International Traveller. When she's not writing, editing or optimising content, Rachael enjoys exploring the city's newest restaurants, bars and hotels. Next on her Aussie travel wish list is Lord Howe Island.
Discover what makes this country town the perfect place to slow down, switch off and recharge.
At first glance, the country town of Moree may look like just another charming highway town, with heritage buildings, a leafy town centre and classic pubs the locals love. However, this regional New South Wales town is Australia’s Artesian Spa Capital, a wellness hub with a rich Indigenous cultural history and a growing reputation as a destination for slow travel.
Moree is ideally located at the crossroads of the Gwydir and Newell highways (and is also easily reached by train and air), making it a refreshing destination, or stop, on any road trip. And these eight experiences show why.
1. Taste Moree on a Plate
Taste the best of regional produce and culinary talent. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Time your trip for Mother’s Day weekend in May, and you’ll find yourself in the middle of the popular annual food and wine festival, Moree on a Plate, celebrating regional produce and culinary talent from the region’s fertile plains.
Browse the stalls and sample olives, pecans, citrus fruits, honey, boutique wines and handmade condiments. You can also enjoy live cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs, a local barbecue competition, plein-air art, live music and a dedicated children’s activity area.
2. Experience artesian waters
Chill out in Moree’s famous artesian waters.
Moree’s famous artesian waters have attracted visitors for over 130 years. First discovered by accident in 1895, this mineral-rich, naturally heated water is drawn from deep within the Great Artesian Basin. Soak and slow down in the recently renovated pools at the Moree Artesian Aquatic Centre, where you can choose between the active pool with massaging water jets or the passive pool for a more relaxing experience.
For a longer soak, stay at one of the many motels within walking distance of the aquatic centre. Or book a stay with its own artesian pools.
Gwydir Thermal Pools Motel & Caravan Park has five on-site thermal pools and a broad range of accommodation, while the Phoenix Resort offers both indoor spas and outdoor thermal pools as well as recently upgraded self-contained apartments and motel rooms. Meanwhile, the Artesian Spa Motel is set on five acres of landscaped gardens and features swimming and thermal pools, including an indoor artesian spa and an on-site restaurant.
3. Enjoy an arty experience
Step inside the gorgeous Bank Art Museum Moree. (Credit: Destination NSW)
To connect with Moree’s artistic side, head to Bank Art Museum Moree (BAMM), an independent contemporary art gallery housed in a beautifully preserved, Federation-era bank dating back to 1910. Inside, a nationally significant collection celebrates the art and culture of the Gamilaroi/Kamilaroi people and other First Nations artists alongside regional Australian art, while changing exhibitions offer something new.
Follow the Moree Art Mural Trail through the CBD, and you’ll pass large-scale murals and small galleries reflecting stories of the town’s people, history and culture. While you’re exploring this open-air gallery, look out for the eclectic mix of Art Deco and early 20th-century architecture, including the Moree Courthouse and the striking Capitol Theatre facade.
4. Discover cotton country
Learn more about Moree’s cotton industry. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Surrounded by the black-soil plains of the Gwydir Valley, Moree is at the centre of one of Australia’s major cotton-growing areas. Visit between March and May, and you’ll see fields covered in the distinctive fluffy white cotton bolls being harvested by huge machinery.
Trace the cotton from paddock to fabric on the Cotton Farm and Gin tour, running from April to September. You’ll visit a cotton farm and a working cotton gin up close, where you’ll see the cotton fibres separated from the seeds. Tours run weekly and include transfers.
5. Explore the Moree Plains
Head out of town to explore the plains.
Outside of the city centre, Moree is surrounded by charming rural villages dotted around the plains. The quiet village of Boomi, around 90 kilometres north-west of Moree, offers historic early 20th-century architecture, its own artesian thermal waters at the Boomi Artesian Baths and vast outback skies.
Further west, the pioneer border town of Mungindi straddles the Barwon River between New South Wales and Queensland. Follow the 2.5-kilometre sculpture trail to take in the outdoor public art, and you’ll cross the state border twice.
6. Relax by the water
Spot the locals at Gwydir Wetlands.
Just a short drive away, the peaceful Tareelaroi Weir Recreation Area makes the most of the meandering Gwydir River. Set up camp along the riverside and enjoy picnicking, fishing and swimming.
A little further afield, the Gwydir Wetlands are home to 75 recorded waterbird species, including brolgas, magpie geese, egrets, spoonbills, ibis and black-necked storks, also known as jabirus. Watchers can settle into the hide at Waterbird Lagoon, or follow a short walking trail through the wetlands, keeping an eye out for rare species.
7. Immerse in local Indigenous culture
Learn about the history of the Gamilaroi People.
Moree lies on the traditional lands of the Gamilaroi People, whose connection to the land stretches back thousands of years. Today, visitors can learn about this history at Terry Hie Hie Aboriginal Area, which includes the 3.5 kilometre Yana-y Warruwi Walking Track.
Back in town, the Open Space Aboriginal Art Trail allows you to enjoy the Mehi River with a free, self-guided public art trail of work from local Indigenous artists and their personal connection to Country. Finish with a visit to the remarkable Dhiiyaan Aboriginal Centre, where more than 110,000 family genealogies are recorded. Browse artefacts, art and over 15,000 photographs. There are also changing exhibitions of historical photographs and local art.
8. Local cafe culture
Get amongst’s Moree’s vibrant cafe scene. (Credit: Destination NSW)
From relaxed country cafes to stylish modern eateries, Moree’s CBD has a surprisingly vibrant foodie scene. There are plenty of spots to choose from for a freshly brewed coffee, long lunch or tasty dinner, featuring menus showcasing local produce and loads of country charm.
If you’d rather dine in the great outdoors, grab a takeaway coffee or a picnic and head to leafy Jellicoe Park, a riverside oasis just a short walk from the centre of town. Pick a spot under the trees, enjoy the park’s art installations and keep watch for waterbirds along the river.
