Where to stay in Bellingen
A heritage town in the green Bellinger valley, a short drive inland from the coast. Bellingen is the arts and food hub of the hinterland and a handy base for the Waterfall Way, river swims and the beaches nearby. Here's where to stay in Bellingen, and what to do when you get there.
- Weather
- ·· Loading current conditions
- Best time to visit
- Spring and autumn are mild and green, and the river is at its best for a swim through the warmer months. Summer and the school holidays are the busiest, when the cafes fill up and you can wait a while for a table.
- Getting there
- About a five and a half hour drive north of Sydney. Leave the Pacific Highway near Urunga and follow the Waterfall Way a few minutes west into town. Coffs Harbour and its airport are around 30 minutes north.
- Location
- Mid North Coast, NSW · View on map
Why go
- The heritage main street, with the Hammond and Wheatley Emporium from 1909
- The Bellinger River, clear and calm for a summer swim
- A genuine arts and music town, with galleries, makers and live gigs
- A base for the Waterfall Way, the Dorrigo rainforest and the falls up the road
- Cafes, bakeries and a monthly market that draw a crowd
- Valley walks and lookouts, with the ranges close behind
- Beaches at Urunga and Mylestom about 20 minutes east
The top 7 places to stay in Bellingen
Bellingen has heritage hotel rooms in town, motels on the edge of the village, and a good spread of cottages, cabins and farm stays out in the valley. As a popular weekend and holiday spot it books out over summer, Easter and long weekends, so reserve early. Here are our picks, and the search further down compares everything else with live prices.
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- Our pick
Koompartoo Retreat
Best forcouples after a romantic weekend near town
Four handcrafted hardwood chalets in the trees on the southern edge of town, a ten minute walk from Hyde Street. Each has a queen bed, a kitchenette, an electric fireplace and a hanging chair on the verandah, and three of the four have a freestanding bath. Couples-focused, private and consistently rated near perfect. The pick for a romantic weekend that still lets you stroll in for coffee.
- Treetop chalets
- Walk to town
- Freestanding baths
The Lodge Bellingen
Best forhotel comfort and a good dinner
The only full-service place in town: a thirty room lodge on sixteen acres on the hill across the river, with a mineral pool, a heated spa, resident alpacas and Three Blue Ducks doing the food. Rooms run from studios to family rooms, a two bedroom retreat and glamping tents. It is a couple of minutes' drive from the village rather than a walk, and it has the biggest review base in Bellingen.
- Mineral pool
- Three Blue Ducks on site
- Valley views
Promised Land Retreat
Best forthe full hinterland escape
Three timber and glass chalets on a hundred acres out at Gleniffer, fifteen minutes north of town under the escarpment and a short walk from the Never Never swimming holes. Full kitchens, spa baths, decks with barbecues, plus a tennis court and mountain bikes. Come for the valley at dawn and river swims after breakfast; it suits couples and families alike.
- 100 acres
- Near the Never Never
- Spa baths
Studio 22 Bellingen
Best fora spotless self-contained base for two
A self-contained one bedroom studio a five minute walk from Hyde Street, with a full kitchen, a balcony and breakfast provisions left by the host. It is the highest-scored stay in town on Booking.com with real review volume, and guests keep reaching for the word spotless. A great mid-priced base for a couple.
- Full kitchen
- Walk to town
- Breakfast provisions
Bellingen Riverside Cottages
Best forfamilies with kids, canoes and the dog
Stand-alone self-contained cottages on riverfront acreage on the north bank, a three minute drive from town. Full kitchens, free canoes, river swimming off the lawn and dogs welcome, which nothing else this close to town offers. Made for families who want space for the kids and the dog to run.
- Riverfront
- Free canoes
- Full kitchens
The Belfry Guesthouse
Best forbudget beds and solo travellers
The old Bellingen YHA reborn as an award-winning independent guesthouse, one block off Hyde Street with verandahs looking over the river to the mountain. Private doubles, twins and small dorms share a big kitchen, a sauna and a yoga treehouse. The budget and solo pick, with a view that outclasses places at three times the price.
- River views
- Sauna
- Dorms and doubles
Federal Hotel
Best fora classic night on the main street
The 1901 pub in the middle of Hyde Street, with seven big character rooms upstairs and one of the region's better pub kitchens downstairs. Rooms are simple, some with ensuites, and there is live music most weekends, so expect some noise on a Friday or Saturday night and plan to be part of it. Book direct; the rooms are not on the booking sites.
- On Hyde Street
- Live music
- Pub bistro
How we choose: guest ratings across booking sites, plus our own time in Bellingen. We visit every town we cover, and no place on this list has paid to be here.
Bellingen sits in the green valley of the Bellinger River, a short drive inland from the Mid North Coast. It is a heritage town with a strong arts streak, the kind of place where the main street still has its old awnings and the shops are run by makers, growers and the odd musician. The coast is close, but Bellingen has its own draw: the river, the rainforest up the road, and a slow, friendly pace.
Why stay in Bellingen
Bellingen makes a good base if you want both, the beaches of the Mid North Coast within easy reach and the cool green hinterland on the doorstep. You can swim the river in the morning, browse the galleries and cafes by day, and drive up the Waterfall Way to the rainforest in the afternoon. It is quieter and greener than the coastal towns, and a favourite for a weekend away.
The Bellinger River
The Bellinger runs clear and calm past the town, and through the warmer months it is one of the best freshwater swims around. The water is clean and the bottom is gravel and sand, with grassy banks and big trees for shade. There are easy spots to wade in close to town, and quieter pools further out in the valley.
An arts and music town
Bellingen has long drawn artists, makers and musicians, and it shows. The main street is lined with galleries, craft shops and cafes, and the noticeboards are stacked with gigs, workshops and markets. The grand Hammond and Wheatley Emporium, built in 1909, anchors the heritage streetscape and is worth a look in its own right. A monthly market brings even more life to the town.
The Waterfall Way and beyond
Bellingen is the gateway to the Waterfall Way, the road that climbs from the coast up to Dorrigo and on to the tablelands. Half an hour up the hill, Dorrigo National Park has ancient rainforest, walking tracks and a treetop skywalk over the canopy, and there are waterfalls dotted along the way. Closer to town there are valley walks, lookouts and the green back roads out towards Gleniffer and the Promised Land.
Things to do
- Swim the Bellinger River on a warm day
- Wander the heritage main street, galleries and craft shops
- Drive the Waterfall Way to Dorrigo for the rainforest and skywalk
- Chase the waterfalls further up the road
- Catch a gig, a market or a workshop in town
- Walk the valley tracks and lookouts
- Drop down to the beaches at Urunga or Mylestom, about 20 minutes east
Food and coffee
Bellingen takes its food and coffee seriously. The main street has a good run of cafes, bakeries and places to eat, with plenty of local produce on the menu. It gets busy in the holidays, so when the town is full you might wait a while for a table or a coffee. Worth it, but go early if you are in a hurry.
Getting there
Bellingen is about a five and a half hour drive north of Sydney. Leave the Pacific Highway near Urunga and follow the Waterfall Way a few minutes west into town. Coffs Harbour and its airport are around 30 minutes north, and the beaches at Urunga and Mylestom are 15 to 20 minutes east.
Good to know
Bellingen is busiest over summer, Easter and long weekends, when accommodation books out and the cafes fill up. The town has a supermarket and the usual shops, along with the galleries, makers and markets that give it its character.
Local tip: the river swims best on a warm afternoon, once the day has taken the chill off the water. Bring something to sit on for the grassy bank.
Walks and hikes near Bellingen
Coast, headland and rainforest tracks worth the boots, each with directions to the trailhead.
Bellingen Island
A short loop around the island reserve on the edge of town, home to a large colony of grey-headed flying foxes. Come late in the day and you will see thousands lift off the trees at dusk. It can be muddy after rain, and a bit on the nose under the roost, but the kids love it.
Getting to the startSignposted from the riverside near the Bellingen Showground, a few minutes from the main street. Park in town and walk in. View on map
Dorrigo Skywalk and Rainforest Centre
Up the Waterfall Way, the Rainforest Centre is the gateway to Dorrigo National Park and its World Heritage rainforest. The Skywalk runs out over the canopy for a view across the valley, and short loops nearby take you down among the strangler figs and tree ferns.
Getting to the startDrive about 30 minutes up the Waterfall Way to the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre on Dome Road, just past Dorrigo. Park at the centre. View on map
Wonga Walk
The pick of the walks at Dorrigo, a sealed loop through deep rainforest to two waterfalls. The track runs behind Crystal Shower Falls on a footbridge, passes Tristania Falls, and stays shady and green the whole way. There are some steps and short climbs, but it is well made and signed.
Getting to the startSame start as the Skywalk, at the Dorrigo Rainforest Centre on Dome Road. The loop begins on the Lyrebird Link track behind the centre. View on map
The Bellingen notice board
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