Explore Australia

Heritage Centre and Tobacco Museum: located in the old police building (1893), with memorabilia that shows 100 years of the tobacco industry, as well as horse-drawn vehicles, mini shearing shed and the gaol; open Sat or by appt; Fleming St; (07) 4653 1410. Art Gallery: local and touring art exhibitions; open Tues–Sat; High St. Riverside Freezing and Rabbit Works: interpretive display on the rabbit skins factory and Aboriginal artefacts; open by appt; Mingoola Rd; (07) 4653 1453.

Beacon Lookout: regional views; 3 km SE on Stanthorpe Rd. Cunningham Weir: site where Allan Cunningham crossed the Dumaresq River in 1827; 31 km W off Texas–Yelarbon Rd. Glenlyon Dam: excellent fishing spot; 45 km SE. Inglewood: Texas's twin town at the centre of Australia's olive industry. Visit Inglewood Heritage Centre for local memorabilia (open 2nd and last Sat each month or by appt). Tour the local olive groves and follow the scenic drives in area; brochure available; 55 km N. Coolmunda Reservoir: picnics, boating and fishing; 75 km NE via Inglewood. Dumaresq River: winding river popular for canoeing and fishing, and hiking through wilderness areas along its banks.

Lake Copeton 118 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

---

Clarrie Hall Dam - Fishing Sub-region 213 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

---

Lake Wivenhoe 219 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

---

Birdwatching - Port Macquarie to Lismore 159 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

---

Armidale Bicentennial Arboretum 190 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

---

Tamborine Mountain Distillery 223 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

---

Mount Coot-tha Forest 233 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

---

Rock climbing around Brisbane 238 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

---

Westlander 238 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

---

Cycling and mountain-biking around Brisbane 238 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

---

Diving and snorkelling around Byron Bay 240 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

---

Cycling around Armidale and Coffs Harbour 247 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

---

Brookwater Golf & Country Club 215 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

---

The Grand Golf Club 229 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

---

The Glades Golf & Spa 232 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

---

Lakelands Golf Club 235 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

---

The Links, Hope Island 240 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

---

Sanctuary Cove Golf & Country Club (Pines course) 242 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

---

Royal Queensland Golf Club 246 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

---

Bonville Golf Resort 247 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

---

Mondo Organics, West End 236 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

---

Mt Tamborine Brewery 224 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

---

Burleigh Brewing Company 235 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

---

Foster's Group (Yatala Brewery) 237 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

---

Castlemaine Perkins (Fourex) Brewery 237 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

---

Stone and Wood Brewing 238 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

---

Bonshaw Weir camping area 18 km

Tall eucalypts, mirror-still water, and big, brazen blue skies are on offer at this camping site, up on the Qld–NSW border west of Tenterfield and 45 km north-east of Ashford. It’s on Bonshaw Rd, off the... Find out more

---

Glenlyon Dam Tourist Park 32 km

A popular destination for watersports, Glenlyon Dam is also a top spot for fishing for perch, eel-tailed catfish and Murray cod. The tourist park has laundry facilities, a kiosk, boat hire and fuel. Follow the signs... Find out more

---

Lemon Tree Flat camping area 37 km

To reach the camping area, follow Wallangra Rd north from Ashford and turn onto Limestone Rd. Parts of the road are unsealed, so if it’s been raining check with the parks office for road conditions. You can set up... Find out more

---

Broadwater camping area 41 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

---

Walk-in bush camping 46 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

---

Burrows Waterhole camping area 47 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

---

Lake Coolmunda Caravan Park 49 km

Waterskiing and fishing for silver perch, cod and catfish are popular pursuits on Coolmunda Dam, on the dam access road, 13 km east of Inglewood. The caravan park has drive-through campsites and an excellent range of... Find out more

---

Bengalla Reserve rest area 55 km

This rest area is about 34 km from Goondiwindi, with good river access for dropping in a line. You need to bring firewood and water. From the Goondiwindi post office, travel east on Marshall St to the large roundabout.... Find out more

---

Pindari Dam camping area 60 km

Pindari Dam is 25 km east of Ashford on the Severn River, accessed via Pindari Dam Rd. The small camping area is perched just above the dam with lovely water views. It offers easy access to waterborne activities such as... Find out more

---

Blatherarm Creek camping area 69 km

From Deepwater, north of Glen Innes on the New England Hwy, turn west onto the Stannum Rd and follow the signs to the conservation area. The campground is via Blatherarm Rd off Silent Grove Rd. It’s not far from... Find out more

---

Country Style Tourist Accommodation Park 72 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

---

Girraween National Park 75 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

---

Top of the Town Caravan Park 80 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

---

Gundy Star Tourist Park 90 km

The park is located in a quiet part of town and has good facilities. There are some nice grassy areas with easy drive-through access.... Find out more

---

Glendon Caravan and Camping Grounds 91 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

---

Goondiwindi Tourist Park 93 km

This park has shown great improvement and we are happy to now include it as an Authors’ choice. Located 3 km north of town and best accessed from the Leichhardt Highway, it is well laid out and ideal for an... Find out more

---

Washpool Camping Reserve 100 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

---

Kahler’s Oasis Caravan Park 108 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

---

Rose City Caravan Park 113 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

---

Fossicker Caravan Park 113 km

Only 200 metres from the centre of town, this park is within easy walking distance of most town services. It is one of the best parks in Glen Innes. A minimum-length stay applies at Easter, long weekends and special... Find out more

---

Destiny Boonah 170 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

---

The Mouses House, Springbrook 218 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

---

Crystal Creek Rainforest Retreat 219 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

---

Emerald Valley Villa 225 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

---

Cottages on the Creek 228 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

---

Brisbane Marriott Hotel 239 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

---

Lily Pily Country House, Bellingen 244 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

---

Bluff Rock Rest Area 88 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

---

North Star Rest Area 91 km

85 km N of Moree (R) or 39 km S of Goondiwindi (L) Large area just off the highway among a few trees. GPS: S28 50.420 E150 13.536... Find out more

---

Dumboy Creek Rest Area 94 km

25 km E of Warialda (R) or 36 km W of Inverell (L) Large area adjacent to the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S29 38.380 E150 47.835... Find out more

---

Kooligur Rest Area 95 km

3 km E of Warialda (R) or 58 W of Inverell (L) Small area among some trees. Good shade. GPS: S29 32.961 E150 35.452... Find out more

---

Warialda Rest Area 97 km

78 km E of Moree (L) or 2 km W of Warialda (R) Large area around a few trees. Good shade. GPS: S29 32.759 E150 33.429... Find out more

---

Bells Rest Area 100 km

46 km E of Warialda (R) or 15 km W of Inverell (L) Large area adjacent to the highway. Good shade. GPS: S29 44.172 E150 57.717... Find out more

---

Runnymede Rest Area 103 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

---

Swan Brook Rest Area 105 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

---

Beardy Waters Rest Area 107 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

---

Beardy Waters Woodland Park Area 114 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

---

Gil Gil Creek Rest Area 117 km

39 km N of Moree (L) or 85 km S of Goondiwindi (R) Large area just off the highway. GPS: S29 09.864 E150 00.798  ... Find out more

---

Celtic Country Rest Area 117 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

---

Gum Flat Camp Area 125 km

T/O 25 km E of Moree (L) or 55 km W of Warialda (R) Secluded area 3 kilometres north of the highway on the riverbank. NOTE: Unsealed access. GPS: S29 27.930 E150 04.916 ... Find out more

---

Boundary Falls Camp Area 129 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

---

Bellbird Camp Area 131 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

---

Mulligans Hut Camp Area 137 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

---

Boolooroo Rest Area 138 km

8 km N of Moree (L) or 116 km S of Goondiwindi (R) Large area adjacent to the highway. Limited shade. GPS: S29 25.235 E149 54.285  ... Find out more

---

Moree Park Area 145 km

North side of town Parking area just off the highway. Good facilities. Limited shade. GPS: S29 27.301 E149 50.758  ... Find out more

---