Although a city girl in reality, I'm a hippy at heart and love nothing more than driving along the winding roads of the Northern Rivers hinterland of NSW.
From the Rainbow Region of the Lismore and Nimbin valleys to little pockets in the hills behind Byron Bay (incidentally one such town is called The Pocket), there is a smorgasbord of experiences and good food around every bend.
Standing in the queue at the hippy-ish Poinciana Cafe in Mullumbimby, a woman tells me how much she loves the food of the region and claims to have actually tasted the difference (and freshness) since moving from Sydney.
There's no question the area is blessed by nature; the rich volcanic soils produce excellent coffee, avocados, tropical fruits and macadamias, and a circuit of village farmers' markets make sure that produce is readily available.
Although Byron Bay usually grabs the culinary headlines, there are plenty of other places to dine in the hinterland, especially for those who like the adventure of navigating the web of country roads. Getting lost in the hills is a delight in this part of the world; you may turn up unexpectedly in Federal, Possum Creek, Bexhill, The Channon, Clunes, Dunoon, Billinudgel or Uki, just to name a few bucolic beauties.
People have been known to ride their horses to lunch.
Eltham, 20 kilometres from Byron and population of 350, has two great places to eat. Owners of the Friendly Inn (the only pub for miles) know they have to serve good food if they want to compete with the famous beach town.
Publicans of the 100-year-old inn, Les and Lorraine Barlow, are committed to making Eltham the go-to place for folks taking a country drive. They have 12 beers on tap and source much of their food locally.
Hydroponic lettuces and micro herbs come from "Peter the Farmer" at nearby Booyong, small goods are from Salumi of Mullumbimby, olives are from the nearby Summerland groves and honey comes from Eureka, just over the hill. The food is top-notch from the Penang curry to the chef's version of roast lamb, with mint-infused meat falling off the bone and topped with yoghurt.
A few kilometres down the road is the Eltham Valley Pantry, a restaurant and art gallery in a restored 120-year-old farmhouse. Set amid a pecan tree orchard, the old house with wraparound verandah was moved totally intact from Coraki about 30 kilometres away.
It's buzzing on a Sunday, but still laid-back enough that people not only turn up with their brood of kids and dogs, but have been known to ride their horses to lunch.
New owners, chef Ian Nickson and Aymie Rochford, use local market produce and Nickson smokes a variety of products using hickory from the pecans. Try the quinoa salad with the house-smoked goat's cheese or the smoked mushroom risotto.
From Eltham, it's a five-minute drive to Clunes, a hamlet of 600 people and home to one of those vanishing gems of country life – the general store. Here organic ice-blocks and vegies vie for sale, while at night it's a pizza place with live music. Eight kilometres down the road at Bexhill (which boasts one of the handful of "open-air cathedrals" in Australia), the general store has an exotic flavour.
Here, the Indian owner turns out a tasty range of curries and pakoras, which I snap up for dinner as I am spending the night in a self-catering cottage in the ever-so-hippy Eternity Springs Art Farm in the Channon, home of the famous markets.
Although officially called the Channon Art Market, there is plenty of fresh produce on offer at this local institution, which opened its first tie-dyed stalls back in 1976. I buy some organic chai spice and am glad to know that after 40 years of trading, the market still maintains its original "Make It, Bake It, Grow It" principle.
From market to very upmarket, my last foodie stop is Harvest Cafe in the village of Newrybar. Patrons come from far and wide (it's only a 40-minute drive from the Gold Coast) to take a seat on the wrap-around balcony overlooking the cafe's wood-fired bakery and vegetable gardens, to feast on local Bangalow pork and other seasonal treats.
The attached food emporium is definitely worth a browse. The shelves are stacked with goodies, which make perfect culinary souvenirs of the hinterland – coffee, teas, jams, cheeses, spices and whatever takes your fancy.
pacificcoast.com.au
Byron Bay and the region are about an eight to 10-hour drive from Sydney. Rex Airlines flies daily to Lismore; Virgin Australia and Jetstar fly daily to Ballina.
Eternity Springs Art Farm has rooms in the main house, budget cabins and the two-bedroom Lotus Cottage, from $70 to $180 a couple or twin a night, with continental breakfast; see eternitysprings.com. The Eltham Friendly Inn has twin or double rooms, from $95 a room a night or $115 with an extra pull-out bed; see elthampub.com.au.
Eltham Valley Pantry, elthampantry.com.au. The Eltham Friendly Inn; elthampub.com.au. Harvest Cafe, harvestcafe.com.au. Bex Hill General Store, visitlismore.com.au/member/480. Clunes General Store, facebook.com/clunesstore. Channon Market, thechannonmarket.org.au.
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