Blessed with extraordinary variety, the Tweed combines five of Australia's World Heritage Listed National Parks, kilometres of brilliant beaches, world-class entertainment and a huge choice of accommodation styles to make a magnificent holiday destination. What's more, the Tweed is conveniently close to Gold Coast Airport and just thirty minutes from the Gold Coast's fabulous theme parks.
The Tweed has a warm sub-tropical climate, abounds with rich bio-diverse rainforests and has majestic Mt Warning and its surrounding national park standing sentinel. Mt Warning, known as Wollumbin (meaning Cloud Catcher) by the local aboriginal community, is the remnant core of the largest extinct shield volcano in the southern hemisphere, second largest in the world. The World Heritage listed national parks circle the rim of the old crater - Lamington, Border Ranges, Nightcap and Springbrook - and Australia's largest remnant of subtropical rainforest blankets the ridges creating a unique micro-environment for rare birds, endangered animals and the bright blue crayfish, found nowhere else in the world. There are a number of accessible graded walking tracks through these parks but the ultimate challenge is the 4.4km hike to the summit of Mt Warning rewarding you with unsurpassed views over the crater and down the coast to Byron Bay.
Browse through historic villages' art and craft galleries and settle into a country pub for lunch. The Tweed's friendly accommodation ranges from charming bed & breakfasts, farmstays and motels to secluded rainforest retreats. The Tweed's beauty is reflected in the artwork its creative inhabitants produce. There are galleries to visit in Chillingham, Murwillumbah and Uki while Uki, Tyalgum and Tumbulgum are a treat for antique hunters and history buffs. The Tweed River Art Gallery has a significant collection and is the home of the rich Doug Moran Prize. For an indispensable glimpse into the district's deep indigenous culture and stories, visit the Minjungbal Aboriginal Cultural Museum.
The Tweed Coast's 37 kilometres of unspoiled, uncrowded beaches are broken only by tranquil villages. There are top surfing spots as well as beach and rock fishing locations while the seaside villages from Fingal to Wooyung have ideal family beaches. Scuba dive some of the coast's best locations, like famous Cook Island, to see magnificent marine life, or join an offshore fishing charter for some deep-sea action.
Cast a line into the picturesque Tweed River or try your hand at crabbing. The Tweed's estuaries also offer great fishing all year round and the calm waters of the Terranora Inlet have abundant bird and aquatic life. Take a relaxing river cruise and see the birdlife on Stotts Island. The river's gentle waters are ideal for overnight houseboat stays as well as water-skiing. Fishing charters and boat hire are also available.
Gateway to New South Wales for visitors from the north and the entrance to Queensland for southerners, the Twin Towns of Tweed Heads and Coolangatta offer a variety of entertainment and accommodation for all ages and interests: world-class clubs with dancing and dining, gambling venues, environmental theme parks, farmstays, retreats, holiday parks, seaside and river stopovers. Taste rare and delicious locally grown tropical fruits and delight in the region's many quaint cafes and range of fine cuisine.
But most of all, sit back, watch the sunset glow and decide how much excitement or serenity you want in your holiday because it's all here in the Tweed.
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