Set between mountain and river in the Tweed Valley, the artful town of Murwillumbah was always destined to be cool.
Cradled in a caldera at the foot of Wollumbin (Mt Warning) and curling along beside the Tweed River, Murwillumbah is ahead of the game in terms of geographical assets.
But this 1840s-era town rises to meet its pretty landscape with an impressive assortment of Art Deco buildings – within which are housed an ever-increasing number of curated boutiques, cool artist studios and top-class eateries. Keep reading to discover the top things to do in Murwillumbah.
Could Murwillumbah be the Tweed’s coolest town?
Wollumbin (Mt Warning) overlooks the streets of Murwillumbah.
For a long while, the time-warp buildings huddled along Wollumbin and Murwillumbah streets languished in various degrees of disregard. But of course, treasures never stay buried for long, even in this hinterland hub set on cane and cattle country.
Wander the main street and you’ll find a mixed bag of amblers, from well-to-do country women to hip young parents, artsy types and even the occasional staff-toting wizard. It all adds to the charm as they pop in and out of the many wholefood stores, workwear retailers, barber shops and well-merchandised op shops.
Thanks in part to the Northern Rivers Rail Trail that starts here, Murwillumbah’s inherent beauty and elegantly dilapidated heritage are starting to draw people in from the coast.
As such, the town is in mid-gentrification mode and still feels like a cool tip-off in the way Redfern or Fitzroy once did. It’s a veritable crucible for hip status with its artist population, a somewhat gritty undercarriage and a CBD of untapped potential.
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Embrace creativity at M|Arts Precinct
The precinct is full of covetable finds.
A hip hood in its own right, this corner collection of artists’ workshops, boutiques and eateries feels more like something you’d find in Sydney’s Surry Hills than The Tweed hinterland.
A huge range is contained within the sprawling block, including local cheesemonger Kat Harvey Cheese, a two-storey fashion and homewares emporium, Empire Revival, The Bespoke Linen Co. and the Six & Four Wine Store that sells small-batch organic drops.
Feast on Italian fare at Pasta’bah
Pasta’bah has a pasta bar and deli tucked behind Mur’bah’s main street. (Credit: Sally Singh Creative)
Pasta’bah all began with eggs. The eggs from Fabian Fabbro and Jodie Vickers’ Woodland Valley Farm go into the beautiful homemade pasta, which the couple have peddled at local markets for years.
Now they have a pasta bar and deli tucked behind Mur’bah’s main street. Come in and fill your basket with continental goodies and grab a panuozzo (a Neapolitan-style street-food sandwich), bowl of pasta or a fresh cannolo that’s filled while you wait.
Indulge in Bistro Livi’s culinary delights
Indulge in exquisite dishes at Bistro Livi. (Credit: Jessie Prince)
Buffed to culinary perfection, this destination diner is set in a sunny corner of the M|Arts Precinct. Consistently setting the table with fare that’s a deft assembly of flavours gathered from local producers, the team here has easy-going hospitality in hand.
This is a place where you don’t have to look at the menu online before arriving – just trust that everything is good.
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Sample Sayu’s Japanese flavours
Sayu serves up modern Japanese fare.
The restaurant is decked out in moody tones.
Settle in for an arvo session.
Sake flows at this neighbourhood izakaya serving modern Japanese fare. The classic rib-stickers of gyoza, karaage and katsu do the work when you’re opting in for pints of cold Sapporo.
Step across concrete floors into a space defined by tactile stone and moody, minimal hues. Pull up to a wooden-slab table or settle in for an arvo session in a booth.
Find your next favourite read at Slow Books
Find a balanced collection of Japanese pop culture and modern fiction. (Credit: Sally Singh Creative)
This welcoming store is a bright, cosy place to discover a new favourite novel, sit with a pour-over coffee, browse the art or just inhale that delicious new-book scent.
Here you’ll find a balanced collection, with everything from gorgeous kids’ books to Japanese pop culture and modern fiction – all with covers begging to be judged for their design aesthetic.
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Working for many of Australia’s top publications, Lara Picone has had the distinct pleasure of writing, editing and curating content about the finer things in life for more than 15 years. Graduating from Macquarie University with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication, her editorial foundation began at Qantas: The Australian Way magazine, before moving on to learn the fast-paced ropes of a weekly magazine at Sunday Magazine and picking up the art of brand curation at donna hay magazine. Pivoting a near-problematic travel lust into a career move by combining it with storytelling and a curious appetite, her next role was as Deputy Editor of SBS Feast magazine and later Online Editor of SBS Food online. She then stepped into her dream job as Editor of Australian Traveller before becoming Online Editor for both International Traveller and Australian Traveller. Now as a freelancer, Lara always has her passport at-the-ready to take flight on assignment for the Australian Traveller team, as well as for publications such as Qantas Magazine, Escape and The Weekend Australian. As ever, her appetite is the first thing she packs.
The outback is calling, and the adventure is made all the easier with this hot new AAT Kings’ tour.
It’s the desert palette of rust-red earth and vast cobalt sky that calls you at first, for where better to get away from it all than the outback? Of course, once you start driving, taking note of all the weathered pubs, dusty tracks and tiny towns held together with humour, resilience and more corrugated iron than ever deemed possible, something else grabs a hold of you: the idea that far from the celebrated icons and landmarks associated with Australia, you’re finally immersed in an authentic slice of local life that few have ever experienced.
Ancient landscapes, proud pastoral histories, ghost towns, culinary powerhouses and a rich Indigenous heritage; there are plenty of facets to life on the land. The best way to experience all of the above with both ease and like-minded friends? AAT Kings’ new Outback New South Wales Adventurer, a 9-day small group tour. This Sydney-return itinerary is designed to connect travellers not only with iconic outback destinations, but with the characters, culture and experiences that bring each place to life.
Highlights? The Adventurer has more than a few, but here are eight to start.
1. Broken Hill
See the striking art at Living Desert and Sculptures. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Welcome to Broken Hill, where mining history, outback eccentricity and a surprisingly rich arts scene unite in a rusty desert landscape. In Australia’s first heritage-listed city, exploration is quickly rewarded. Begin with a guided walking tour taking in the city’s grand Victorian and Art Deco architecture. Later, enjoy visits to both the Broken Hill City Art Gallery and the Living Desert and Sculptures – the perfect place to enjoy the changing colours of an outback sunset. Of course, no visit to Broken Hill is complete without a stop at the historic Palace Hotel Broken Hill, famous for its role in The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Happily, it makes for the perfect spot for dinner.
2. White Cliffs
Strap on your hardhat and head underground. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Strap on your hardhat and start spending your imaginary fortunes; White Cliffs, Australia’s oldest commercial opal field, is begging you to come in search of rare pineapple opals. Admittedly, you’re much more likely to find white opals, but the true gems of White Cliffs – where much is built underground to escape the desert heat – are everywhere.
Here, you’ll descend 13.5 metres underground into a working mine to learn about the region’s heritage, and observe how miners continue the search for these prized gemstones. Perhaps you’ll even find a couple yourself?
3. Mungo National Park
Spend time in the striking, lunar-like landscape of Mungo National Park. (Credit: Destination NSW)
With its lunar-like landscape made up of ancient, dried lake basins and sculpted sand and clay formations, a drive into UNESCO World Heritage-listed Mungo National Park is somehow two things all at once: uniquely Australian with vast outback skies, and somehow otherworldly, as though you’ve been dropped off by spaceship. At its heart lies the iconic Walls of China, a 30-kilometre sand-and-clay lunette shaped by thousands of years of erosion.
Understanding more than 40,000 years of Barkindji, Mutthi Mutthi and Ngiyampaa history begins with a visit to the Visitor Centre, and concludes with a sunset tour led by local Aboriginal guides. A key experience? Learning about the discovery of Mungo Man and Mungo Lady. At 40,000+ years old, these are among the oldest human remains found anywhere in the world.
4. Kinchega National Park
Meet the locals of Kinchega National Park. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Some come to Kinchega National Park for its iconic Darling River landscapes full of birdlife and haunting river red gums; others visit for its rich First Nations and pastoral history. Your visit will encompass all of the above, with a guided tour (part of AAT Kings’ MAKE TRAVEL MATTER Experience) designed to give a deeper understanding of Barkindji cultural heritage, history and traditions.
Walk with local guide David as he shares ancestral knowledge and creation stories, and explains how native plants – through bush food and bush medicine – have sustained Indigenous communities for thousands of years. Then sit back and enjoy those views alongside native tea and sweet treats.
5. Griffith
Treat your tastebuds to ‘the food bowl of Australia’. (Credit: Destination NSW)
How can you say no to a visit to a destination widely regarded as ‘the food bowl of Australia’? Shaped by fertile farmland and home to approximately 75 per cent of New South Wales’ wine grapes, this is a day to roll up your sleeves and enjoy the best gastronomy the state has to offer. Think vineyards, cellar doors, cafes and restaurants largely shaped by its multicultural heart (Griffith is not only home to over 60 nationalities, but has the highest proportion of Italian ancestry anywhere in Australia).
6. Mudgee
Visit some of Mudgee’s best wineries. (Credit: Destination NSW)
Nestled by the Cudgegong River, Mudgee packs a big punch for a heritage country town, having carved a reputation for itself as one of the country’s leading (and award-winning) wine regions, a key epicurean destination, and a regional arts centre growing in both visibility and vibrancy.
Take a moment to enjoy the town’s 19th-century charm before heading to Lowe Family Wine Co. for a guided tasting of organic and biodynamic wine, followed by a relaxed lunch featuring a feast of homegrown and local produce. Will you walk away with bottles of Mudgee’s iconic reds under your arms? It’s a distinct possibility.
7. Silverton
See the living ghost town of Silverton.(Credit: Destination NSW)
A once-booming silver mining hub, the dystopian setting for Mad Max 2, and now a tranquil settlement that’s home to around 50 people; Silverton is considered a living ghost town and remains a sight to behold.
Take time to explore its heritage streets (and perhaps take a look at the quirky Mad Max 2 Museum) and the Silverton Hotel, an iconic outback pub, before a visit to Silverton Gaol & Historical Museum. It’s home to a wealth of colonial artefacts, early mining equipment and stories from the outback’s pioneering past which will serve to anchor you firmly in place.
8. Shear Outback
Get a glimpse behind the wool curtain. (Credit: Destination NSW)
If you ever find yourself singing, “click go the shears boys, click, click, click…”, you’ve come to the right place. Shear Outback, an award-winning tourist and education attraction located in Hay, brings to life the traditions and stories of one of the outback’s most enduring industries: sheep shearing.
Here, in the heart of the Riverina, you’ll enjoy live shearing demonstrations, meet the shearers, shedhands, sheepdogs and yes, sheep, who come together to show guests exactly what it takes to provide Australians with all that glorious wool.
