Explore Australia

Heritage Museum: displays the region's past in historic buildings, such as a schoolroom, gaol and shepherd's hut; closed Mon–Tues; High St. Regional Art Gallery: touring and local exhibitions; open Mon–Fri, Sat–Sun afternoons; Weeroona Park, Marsh St.

Granite Belt Wine Region This is Queensland’s version of the Hunter Valley, also making successful semillon and shiraz. The region is called the Granite Belt because of the granite bed that lies beneath the northern extension of the New England Tableland. Vineyards are found at an altitude of around 800 metres, and although grapes were first planted in the 1960s, it is the recent vintages that have caused a stir. Ballandean Estate is known for an interesting German variety, sylvaner. Boireann is a relative newcomer growing Italian and French grapes, with a rapidly growing reputation for wines like shiraz viognier. Stop at the Stanthorpe Wine Centre for the wines of Summit Estate as well as others. Mt Marlay: excellent views; 1 km E. Storm King Dam: popular spot for picnics, canoeing, waterskiing, and fishing for Murray cod and silver perch; 26 km SE. Boonoo Boonoo National Park (NSW): spectacular waterfall; 60 km SE. Bald Rock National Park (NSW): incredible granite rock formation (second biggest monolith in the world); 65 km SE. Sundown National Park: rugged national park of gorges and high peaks. Go birdwatching to see the herons and azure kingfishers along the river or take the short Red Rock Gorge Lookout Track for spectacular views; 80 km SW. Heritage trail: a historical drive tour of surrounding towns; brochure from visitor centre.

Clarrie Hall Dam - Fishing Sub-region 135 km

Angling is a buzz when you are into a hot bite. It is also a buzz when discovering new territory or out hooking with other anglers, observing their methods and techniques on their home waters. So it was when I fished... Find out more

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Lake Wivenhoe 161 km

Impoundment fishing for native species in southern Queensland has enjoyed phenomenal growth and it all began at Lake Wivenhoe. Situated about 80 km west of Brisbane on the Brisbane Valley Highway, Wivenhoe has a surface... Find out more

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Lake Copeton 167 km

Lake Copeton has an excellent catchment area, fed by the Gwydir River and runoff from the New England Tablelands. The lake is about 46 km west of Inverell on the Gwydir Highway. Its dam wall was constructed primarily to... Find out more

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Coffs Harbour - Fishing Sub-region 217 km

My introduction to fishing north of Sydney was at Coffs Harbour, an area with a diverse range of options. The first time I fished here I was into land-based game and spent most of my time on the ledges of Mutton Bird... Find out more

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Mooloolaba 248 km

It’s 6am on the Mooloolaba waterfront behind Kawana Waters Hotel. The temperature is mild enough to be wearing shorts and a shirt. All is quiet amid the moored boats except for the eager anglers sitting around the... Find out more

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Tamborine Mountain Distillery 147 km

There is a multitude of chemical-free schnapps, gins and vodkas to try here, many of which come from the fruits grown on the farm. Try lemon myrtle vodka, the multifaceted choc’n’chili liqueur, forest... Find out more

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Diving and snorkelling around Byron Bay 164 km

Although there is not much in the way of shore dives or snorkelling around Byron Bay, the nearby Julian Rocks Marine Reserve is a top spot if you can get on a boat, with sea turtles, eagle rays, corals, grey nurse and... Find out more

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Mount Coot-tha Forest 165 km

The largest natural area in Brisbane, this 1500 hectares of open eucalypt forest holds more than 18 kilometres of walking tracks, 12 kilometres of mountain-biking tracks and a further 31 kilometres of multi-use tracks.... Find out more

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Rock climbing around Brisbane 169 km

Brisbane’s Kangaroo Point is perhaps the friendliest city rock-climbing spot in the country, with views over the Brisbane River, a range of climbs for absolute beginners and upwards, and established anchor points... Find out more

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Westlander 170 km

Take the overnight train ride from Brisbane to Charleville or Quilpie, travelling over the Great Dividing Range and through some of Queensland’s rich farming areas.... Find out more

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Cycling and mountain-biking around Brisbane 170 km

Brisbane has a growing network of great cycling trails and some excellent rides for tourists – a five-to-20-kilometre ride along the shores of the Brisbane River comes highly recommended. There is also a great ride... Find out more

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Birdwatching - Port Macquarie to Lismore 175 km

There are a couple of top birdwatching spots in the New England area. One of the most spectacular is an all-weather bird hide among masses of waterbirds at Quipolly Dam, about 18 kilometres north-east of Quirindi. Mother... Find out more

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Armidale Bicentennial Arboretum 207 km

Armidale Bicentennial Arboretum, a dozen blocks from the centre of town, has thousands of native plants, walking tracks, picnic shelters and aquatic gardens with a waterfall.... Find out more

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Cycling around Armidale and Coffs Harbour 215 km

A 5-kilometre bicycle track leads from Harris Park in Armidale to the University of New England. Bikes can be hired from Armidale Bicycle Centre or the University’s Sports Union. The 26-kilometre-return ride from... Find out more

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Cycling the Sunshine Coast and hinterland 229 km

Join a half-day or longer guided bike tour with Bicycle Tours of Queensland, particularly the popular Sunshine Coast ride or Maleny to Glass House Mountains. A back-up bus is included if it all gets too much.... Find out more

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Brookwater Golf & Country Club 145 km

Brookwater opened to considerable fanfare in 2002, with many observers quick to draw comparisons with Augusta National, venerable home of the US Masters. The varied terrain, inventive bunkering and undulating putting... Find out more

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The Grand Golf Club 152 km

Think of the Gold Coast and flashing images spring to mind: beaches, theme parks, high-rise apartments, hordes of tourists. The Gold Coast hinterland has none of these, and could be thousands of miles away. The... Find out more

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The Glades Golf & Spa 155 km

Ask Greg Norman’s former chief designer Bob Harrison to name one course that makes him feel proud when he sees the final result, and chances are he’ll say The Glades. Upon joining the Gold Coast golfing... Find out more

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Lakelands Golf Club 158 km

As a player, Jack Nicklaus was a regular visitor to Australia for more than two decades. He won six Australian Opens and inspired a generation of young Australians to take up golf. When his playing career began... Find out more

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The Links, Hope Island 164 km

When Hope Island opened for play in 1993 it was a unique addition to Australia’s golfing landscape. Here was a links-style layout seemingly uprooted from Scotland and transplanted on to the sunny northern... Find out more

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Sanctuary Cove Golf & Country Club (Pines course) 165 km

Sanctuary Cove’s Pines layout, designed by Arnold Palmer, has reigned for more than two decades as one of the Gold Coast’s best courses. At various stages during that time it has also ranked among the... Find out more

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Royal Queensland Golf Club 177 km

Of all the golf courses in this book, Royal Queensland has undergone the most dramatic changes in recent years. Originally opened in 1920, on reclaimed mangrove swampland on the north bank of the Brisbane River, ... Find out more

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North Lakes Resort Golf Club 192 km

Good course designers have tricks up their sleeves when it comes to spurring golfers to rise to the challenge. They can visually intimidate you with large schemes of bunkers or water hazards encroaching on the best... Find out more

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Pacific Harbour Golf & Country Club 216 km

Challenging the best players without alienating casual and beginner golfers is the fine line every course designer treads in coming up with a new creation. One designer who does it better than most is Ross Watson. His... Find out more

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Bonville Golf Resort 217 km

Bonville is Australia’s most beautiful inland course. Carved from 250 hectares of flooded gums and blackbutt forest, with small pockets of subtropical rainforest, Bonville is often described as Australia’s... Find out more

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Vineyard Cafe

Attached to the Vineyard Cottages retreat, this cafe is in an old country church building. Open daily for cottage guests, and Friday and Saturday for non-guests, it serves fresh regional food, cooked simply and well, and... Find out more

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Mondo Organics, West End 167 km

Australia’s first organic restaurant when it opened in 2000, Mondo Organics serves a range of organic meats, including beef, chicken, duck and lamb, and the fish is chosen for the sustainability of the catch. The... Find out more

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Mt Tamborine Brewery 148 km

As we went to press, one of Queensland’s more ambitious craft-brewing operations was about to come to fruition at Mount Tamborine, in the Gold Coast hinterland. The 24-hectolitre microbrewery is the original plant... Find out more

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Burleigh Brewing Company 157 km

Queensland has generally suffered from a dearth of craft breweries so the Burleigh Brewing Company is a welcome and relatively recent addition. Co-owner/brewer Brennan Fielding boasts considerable experience as a... Find out more

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Stone and Wood Brewing 162 km

The popular coastal holiday destination of Byron Bay is the location for one of the country’s newest and most exciting craft breweries – Stone & Wood. The partners behind the venture include a trio of... Find out more

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Foster's Group (Yatala Brewery) 162 km

This brewery site, located at Yatala, midway between Brisbane and the Gold Coast, was established by the Power Brewing Company, which launched Powers Bitter in 1988. Four years later a joint venture between Powers and... Find out more

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Castlemaine Perkins (Fourex) Brewery 169 km

The pages of Australian brewing history are littered with take-overs and acquisitions, and while Castlemaine Perkins sounds like a merger, it was, in reality, yet another buy-out. As the name suggests, the Castlemaine... Find out more

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Sunshine Coast Brewery 246 km

Queensland’s longest-running microbrewery has been operating from an industrial estate on the outskirts of Maroochydore since 1998. It was established by Jim Robinson and Queensland craft-beer pioneer Graham Howard... Find out more

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Bald Rock Creek camping area 19 km

Bald Rock Creek camping area is the first turning on the left as you enter the national park from the New England Hwy, and can be reached by conventional vehicle. The area is semi-grassed, has no designated sites and... Find out more

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Castle Rock camping area 19 km

Just 400 m from Bald Rock Creek, the forest setting at Castle Rock is suitable for walk-in or vehicle-based camping and there’s plenty of room for large groups. You need to come equipped with firewood and potable... Find out more

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Bush camping 23 km

Self-sufficient and experienced walkers can make use of the remote walk-in bush campsites throughout the park. Open fires are prohibited and camping permits are required. You’ll need to lodge a bush camping form in... Find out more

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Bald Rock camping area 24 km

To get to Bald Rock, follow the Mt Lindesay Hwy north about 30 km from Tenterfield, then take the park access road to the end. From the camping area you can take the short but strenuous Bungoona Walk (3 km, 2–3... Find out more

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Cypress Pine camping area 29 km

The national park is 24 km north-east of Tenterfield via Mt Lindesay Hwy and Woodenbong Rd. Cypress Pine camping area is on the main park access road. There are several walks to do in the region – if you’re... Find out more

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Burrows Waterhole camping area 34 km

This site has a maximum capacity of 60 people, with a maximum group size of 6. It is reached from the park’s eastern boundary, 18 km from the park entrance gate and signposted along the Sundown National Park access... Find out more

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Basket Swamp picnic and camping area 35 km

This is a basic site with toilets, tables and wood fireplaces. A track nearby leads to the Basket Swamp Falls, which are the main attraction for visitors to the forest. Nearby Basket Swamp National Park contains Woollool... Find out more

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Walk-in bush camping 36 km

Bush campsites throughout the park are for experienced and self-sufficient walkers only; check conditions before setting out. Advance bookings must be made with a ranger to avoid overcrowded tracks.... Find out more

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Rocklands Camping Reserve 43 km

This 8 ha campground is a little more secluded than nearby Washpool Camping Reserve, making it suitable for tents and camper-trailers but not caravans. It is 18 km west of Washpool on Rocklands Rd, off Glen Rd. Campers... Find out more

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Broadwater camping area 45 km

These grassy sites on the banks of the Severn River are on Permanents Rd, signposted from Glenlyon Dam Rd. Visitors with caravans longer than 4 m are not recommended to attempt entering the site due to narrow sections of... Find out more

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Top of the Town Caravan Park 2 km

This good quality park is ideally located in town for a short stay or a longer period to explore the granite belt region. Facilities include a pool and barbecues. Bookings are recommended during the fruit-picking season... Find out more

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Country Style Tourist Accommodation Park 9 km

Adjacent to the highway, this park is 9 km south of Stanthorpe. The spacious, wellcared- for establishment is an ideal base from which to explore the region’s vineyards and national parks. Bookings are recommended... Find out more

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Girraween National Park 19 km

Girraween National Park has camping areas that provide space for caravans and motorhomes. The camping area is 10 km from the New England Highway along a sealed road. There is a minimal amount of unsealed road within the... Find out more

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Washpool Camping Reserve 46 km

Lake Leslie, a popular fishing destination, lies 14 km from town at the end of a sealed road. The park has numerous powered and unpowered sites spread across a large acreage alongside the dam. Normally a quiet peaceful... Find out more

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Kahler’s Oasis Caravan Park 48 km

Located on the south side of town, this is a spacious park with good amenities best suited to the touring caravans and motorhomes passing through the area.... Find out more

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Rose City Caravan Park 53 km

Located on the northern outskirts of town, this is a smaller, good quality, dog-friendly park. It is ideally located for an overnight stay but would be very comfortable for a longer period.... Find out more

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Glendon Caravan and Camping Grounds 58 km

This park is 38 km north-west of Warwick and 2 km south of the Cunningham Highway along a good unsealed road. Situated on a 1600-acre property, the well-shaded, quiet camping area boasts modern amenities, a shop, a golf... Find out more

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Lake Moogerah Caravan Park 91 km

In a picturesque setting on the shores of Lake Moogerah, nestled among the rugged peaks of the Scenic Rim, the park is 9 km south of Aratula along a sealed road. The lake is a popular destination for waterskiers.... Find out more

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Toowoomba Motor Village Caravan Park 118 km

Located on the southern approach to Toowoomba, this is an older establishment but has good facilities and amenities and is an ideal base for exploring the local area.... Find out more

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BIG4 Toowoomba Garden City Holiday Park 119 km

Colourful, manicured gardens greet you at the entrance of this high-quality park in a quiet spot, about 3 km from the city. The park has great amenities and is a good base for exploring this wonderful city and... Find out more

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Beverley Bush Cottages

There are two architect-designed bush cottages on this 110-hectare spread that includes Whiskey Gulley Wines vineyard and cattle property. The one- and two-bedroom cottages are very private but still within easy walking... Find out more

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Granite Gardens

Rose fanatics will not want to miss the 2000 varieties on display here, along with all the cottage garden favourites such as camellias, magnolias, geraniums and hundreds of bulbs. The 4-hectare property also has a... Find out more

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Destiny Boonah 97 km

Set on 80 hectares of Land for Wildlife property, this self-contained three-bedroom cottage is solar- and wind-powered. You are encouraged to bring a mountain bike or go bushwalking on the property, which is located near... Find out more

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The Mouses House, Springbrook 140 km

Set in a beautiful rainforest at more than 800 metres above sea level, this luxury resort has 11 self-contained chalets, hot tub, sauna, tennis court and bikes, a sensible environmental policy and eco-accreditation. It... Find out more

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Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat 141 km

Located near Murwillumbah and surrounded on three sides by World Heritage–listed national parks, this secluded couples-only resort on the Queensland border has minimal-impact, self-contained bungalows and cabins.... Find out more

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Emerald Valley Villa 149 km

Nestled in the hinterland some 25 minutes drive from Byron Bay, this is way up the high end of ecotourism in this country. You can rent your own five-star palace (they call it a villa), complete with pool, courtyard,... Find out more

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Cottages on the Creek 150 km

This 2-hectare establishment is managed as a Land for Wildlife property and the two, onebedroom spa cottages have composting toilets, protecting Currumbin Creek with its turtles, catfish, platypus and yabbies.... Find out more

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Brisbane Marriott Hotel 171 km

By no means the greenest accommodation in this book, the Marriott still deserves inclusion as one of the better options in large hotels. It gained the Green Globe Benchmarked Bronze status and is AAA-rated for its water-... Find out more

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Glass House Mountains Eco-Lodge 217 km

The simple, down-market rooms here include the use of old train carriages for a communal kitchen and group area. An old church has also been recycled, and all greywater and blackwater is used on site to irrigate the... Find out more

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Lily Pily Country House, Bellingen 221 km

The owners of this stylish B&B have spent seven years revegetating and securing wildlife corridors along the riparian zone here, planting some 4000 trees and 2000 reeds, resulting in an increase in bandicoots,... Find out more

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Bluff Rock Rest Area 56 km

80 km N of Glen Innes (R) or 12 km S of Tenterfield (L) Small area adjacent to the highway. Good facilities. Limited shade. GPS: S29 09.277 E152 00.108... Find out more

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Bellbird Camp Area 98 km

T/O 73 km E of Glen Innes (L) or 87 km W of Grafton (R) Small campground 4 kilometres north of the highway in a secluded bush setting deep in the forest of Washpool National Park. Good facilities and shade. NOTE:... Find out more

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Boundary Falls Camp Area 102 km

T/O 60 km E of Glen Innes (L) or 100 km W of Grafton (R) Small secluded campground 2 kilometres north of the highway in the forest of Gibraltar Range National Park. Good facilities and shade. NOTE: Unsealed access. ... Find out more

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Mulligans Hut Camp Area 104 km

T/O 69 km E of Glen Innes (R) or 91 km W of Grafton (L) Small secluded campground situated in a natural bush setting 9 kilometres south of the highway in Gibraltar Range National Park. Good facilities and shade. NOTE:... Find out more

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Beardy Waters Rest Area 113 km

10 km N of Glen Innes (L) or 82 km S of Tenterfield (R) Large grassed area well off the highway. Good facilities and some reasonable shade.  GPS: S29 39.7 59 E151 46.509... Find out more

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Mann River Rest Area 119 km

115 km E of Glen Innes (R) or 45 km W of Grafton (L) Small area with good views over the Mann River. Good facilities. Limited shade. GPS: S29 34.652 E152 33.417... Find out more

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Beardy Waters Woodland Park Area 119 km

6 km E of Glen Innes (R) or 154 km W of Grafton (L) Large grassed area well off the highway among the trees. Good facilities and shade. GPS: S29 43.568 E151 47.362... Find out more

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Celtic Country Rest Area 127 km

92 km N of Armidale (R) or 7 km S of Glen Innes (L) Large area adjacent to the highway. Good facilities. Limited shade. GPS: S29 47.244 E151 43.942  ... Find out more

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Swan Brook Rest Area 133 km

33 km E of Inverell (R) or 34 km W of Glen Innes (L) Large area just off the highway. Good facilities. GPS: S29 46.295 E151 26.149  ... Find out more

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Tabbimoble Creek Rest Area 143 km

65 km S of Ballina (L) southbound only Small area adjacent to the highway. GPS: S29 16.940 E153 12.911... Find out more

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New Italy Rest Area 144 km

56 km N of Tyndale (L) or 47 km S of Ballina (R) Large shady area adjacent to the highway near the museum and cafe. GPS: S29 09.205 E153 17.930... Find out more

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Woodburn Park Area 145 km

Middle of town Parking area on the highway beside the river. Good facilities. GPS: S29 04.297 E153 20.575 ... Find out more

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Tuckombil Road Rest Area 146 km

40 km S of Ballina (L) southbound only Large area just off the highway. GPS: S29 06.209 E153 20.400 ... Find out more

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Runnymede Rest Area 146 km

4 km E of Inverell (L) or 63 km W of Glenn Innes (R) Large area adjacent to the highway. Good shade. GPS: S29 46.860 E151 08.788... Find out more

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