Uki

Set by the Tweed River and dwarfed by the tallest mountain on the far NSW North Coast – the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Wollumbin (Mt Warning) – Uki is a picture-perfect village surrounded by the famed national parks of the Tweed region.

Things to do in Uki

There are plenty of activities to try around town, from bushwalking and cycling to boating. Go fishing and kayaking on Clarrie Hall Dam, a tranquil waterway close to town well stocked with Australian bass. Northern Rivers Sportfishing offers a kayak fishing tour on the dam and the river, which winds past Uki on its way to the sea.

National parks

Uki is the ideal base for exploring Wollumbin and other Gondwana Rainforests of Australia as well as conservation areas in the region, such as Border Ranges National Park, Nightcap National Park and Mebbin National Park. The best walking trails near Uki in the national parks include:

• Lyrebird track, Wollumbin
• Byrrill Creek walking track, Mebbin
• Falcorostrum loop walking track, Border Rangers
• Protesters Falls walking track, Nightcap

The village is in a green caldera along the crater of the eroded Tweed Volcano, which is now covered in rainforest and pastures. The shield volcano last erupted 20 million years ago and is one of the largest extinct shield volcanoes in the world. Wollumbin is the remnant core of the volcano.

Eat and drink

It’s easy to relax over a long lunch or dinner at nearby Mavis’s Kitchen, a former dairy farm at the foot of Wollumbin surrounded by rainforest. All food is grown organically (much of it in their own kitchen garden) and sourced locally. Or sit down to a hearty counter meal at classic country pub The Mt Warning Hotel.

On the third Sunday of the month head to the Uki Buttery Bazaar, a village market with stalls selling local arts and crafts and food at the heritage-listed Buttery Factory. Wander around town and explore historical sites and its quaint streetscape.

Getting there and where to stay

Getting to Uki is easy. It’s around nine hours’ drive from Sydney or 80min from Brisbane. You can fly into the Gold Coast Airport, a 45min drive away, or into Ballina Byron Gateway Airport, one hour away. Accommodation ranges from luxurious forest stays and cosy cabins to campsites at the base of Wollumbin.