Well they didn’t name the road “waterfall way” for nothing! On the drive from Bellingen up the mountain to dorrigo there are waterfalls literally pouring over the road. It is a really spectacular drive, with the waterfalls gushing on one side and views to the ocean on the other. I highly recommend making the trip up to the Dorrigo environment centre if you are visiting Bellingen, especially if you have kids. It’s really well thought out and makes the rainforest really accessible and interactive for kids (and adults!) with exhibitions full of native fauna, the local mineral formations and really detailed information about the geological history of the area.
From the rainforest centre you can take a heart stopping walk far above the forest canopy on the “sky walk”, a boardwalk that is (god-knows-how) suspended straight out over the side of a cliff so you walk above the treetops to the lookout where you feel like you’re floating in midair. The whole boardwalk platform kind of moves and sways and I heard pretty much everyone that was on it with us say “I’m scared” at least once. I had to agree with them, it is a touch unnerving being up so high, but the view out over the valley is just incredible!!
The valley was part of some volcano or another that erupted yonkers ago and as such the soil is just so rich and supports such a lushy lush rainforest, which is filled with walking trails so you can soak it up and go exploring to the various waterfalls in the national park. All the tracks are wheelchair and pram accessible which is pretty amazing and we passed lots of people in wheelchairs and walkers and it was just so great to see absolutely everyone being able to get some forest time. We only did a short walk through this one though because patches of the forest were absolutely filled with giant stinging trees, a type of tree whose leave are covered in these fine cactus-like hairs that on contact with your skin induce a burning or stinging sensation that can last days or in some cases, months! Ouch. They have a really important role in rainforest regeneration, probably the biggest one being how well they keep humans out! Point taken stinging tree, me and my inquisitive toddler will just leave you to it thanks! But the little half hour hike we did get in was absolutely gorgeous, most memorably the incredible vines that we used like Tarzan swings and had a great time on, Yilla loved it and learned to say “twisty-twisty!”
Our plan was to head straight from the environment centre back down the mountain and head south down the coast towards Sydney but fate had other ideas. Not very long after we had left the national park this sensation hit our nostrils as if a fire had been lit under our seats. And that’s pretty much what was happening. Ahhh the sweet smell of an engine being completely cooked. As fortune would have it (not!) we were on a cliff-side stretch of road with nowhere to pull over so zooming down the mountain we go, engine smoking, past the beautiful waterfalls without a second glance because I’m too pre-occupied with the mental vision of the van spontaneously combusting underneath us (being a van the engine is under the seats) until finally we could pull over and I quickly unclipped Yilla and called NRMA. They told me it would be an hour before they came. “Oh that’s fine NRMA, except we’re on a tiny shoulder on a dodgy stretch of road with no shade and trucks hurtling past and my daughter is all of a sudden desperately determined to run into the road and shapeshifts into a noodle everytime I try to hold her still. Yeah we’ll wait an hour, no problem!” So out come the distraction techniques. Out come the toothbrushes onto the road, the books, the pens, the whole kitten caboodle. The NRMA guy thought it was well funny when he pulled up, because we’d pretty much set up shop.
Luckily it was just a radiator hose missing. Dead rat found in engine. Suspected guilty. We topped up the water and gingerly made it back to Bello to see a mechanic, stopping at an awesome organic watermelon stall along the way. 3 organic watermelons for $5?!?!?!?
Conveniently the part we needed for the engine wouldn’t arrive till Friday so I guess we were meant to stay for the Bellingen farmers market! It’s held at the Showgrounds so we literally woke up with it on our doorstep (vanstep?) and it is such a beautiful market!
It’s so mellow and relaxed, and the quality of produce is really high with pretty much everything being local and organic, there’s live music and people riding horses in the background show ring. Such a perfect way to end our stay in Bello. The car is fixed, we’re stocked up with good food and we are on our way again! Goodbye for real this time beautiful paradise! See you on the return!
Food Oasis 