A Travelers guide to Lismore and the Far North coast of New South Wales

If you really want to get to know the Far North coast of NSW, then make Lismore your base for exploration. Centrally located and with a variety of transportation options, Lismore is near the beaches, National Parks and interesting historic towns of the north coast.

True, Lismore does not enjoy a worldwide reputation like neighboring Byron Bay. That's one of its attractions. It's a quintessentially Australian town with a real feeling of "fair dinkum" Aussie hospitality. Another one of Lismore's attractions is its central location. Only 40 kilometers (about 25 miles) from Byron Bay, it's a quick trip to the beach. It is also only a stone's throw from some of Australia's most magnificent National Parks, like Mt. Warning, the Border Ranges and Nightcap National Park.

If "getting there is half the fun," then a day trip from Lismore to some of the North Coast attractions is a good deal of fun and a great way to get to know the North Coast, too. For instance, if you set out from Lismore for a day at the beach at Byron Bay or Lennox Head, you will pass through the quaint town of Bangalow. Bangalow is a combination of lovely historical architecture and stylish and sophisticated tastes.

If you take the road in the direction of Nightcap and Border Ranges National Park, you will be rewarded every step of the way as you pass through rolling countryside. Take a small detour and drop in on another classic Australian town. Earlier during the 1960s, in spite of its scenic location, Nimbin was merely another unknown little country town. Then it was discovered by the organizers of the original Rainbow Festival. The Rainbow Festival attracted a huge number of young hippies to Nimbin, a lot of whom never left. They opened up shops, cafes and galleries along the main street of town and have been there ever since. A stopover to Nimbin is really a visit to the hippie era and nowadays this formerly sleepy little town is one of the most popular backpacker spots in northern New South Wales.

If you happen to be visiting in the Lismore region on the 2nd Sunday of any given month, then make the Channon Market your top priority. Established in 1976 as a way for the locals to sell their produce and crafts, it blossomed into among the most popular country markets in the country. It is now held in Coronation Park in the Channon after having outgrown its initial location long ago. Be ready for an excellent day out, exploring the 250 stalls that sell everything from handmade and exotic crafts to gourmet food from the four corners of the world. Throughout the day, everyone is invited to join in the fun as local musicians get together to play music and entertain the crowds.

At the end of the day when you come back to your Lismore accommodation, you have much more to look forward to. Downtown Lismore is an excellent spot for dining, window shopping and just wandering around getting to know the locals. You will discover many restaurants, galleries, gift shops and bookshops, all within easy walking distance of each other. Make your next trip to the North Coast a holiday to Lismore and see all that the Far North New South Wales has to offer.

Take a few days off, find Lismore accommodation, things to do and other travel related information about the area on bookitnow.com.au. Or visit our Australia blog for more Australian holiday ideas.