Things to do and see in Ballina (Page 1 of 3)

Rolling green hills, lush pastures and tropical plantations lead to 32kilometres of sweeping unspoilt white sand beaches, the tranquil Richmond River and Ballina Shire. Discover the astonishing natural beauty of pristine waterways, wander through quiet country hinterland and escape to the peace and relaxation.
There's always something to do in Ballina with an Olympic pool and water slide, golf, tennis, lawn bowls, walking, roller skating, boating, sailing and fishing. Savour the splendour of Ballina's fresh seafood from the Fishermen's Co-op, or dine in one of a number of fine restaurants that feature innovative regional cuisine.

Thursday Plantation	Kayaking Tours	The Big Prawn	beaches
Main Street	Court House	Maritime Museum	Fenwick House
Pioneer Memorial	Rotary Lookout	Light House	Macadamia Castle
Macadamia Magic	River Cruises	Father Mac's Puddings	Northern Rivers Brewing
Water Sports	Bike Hire	Ballina Ocean Tours	Ocean Pirate
Light Wing Flights	Skydiving	Horse Riding	Learn to Surf

Visit the Ballina Information Centre while staying at Leisure-Lee.
The range of information available is quite remarkable. Brochures and pamphlets include 'Services & Facilities', 'Dining Out Guide', 'Market Days in the District', 'Arts and Crafts', 'Golf on the Far North Coast', 'Parks and Picnic Areas in Ballina', 'Viewing Spots of Ballina Dolphins', 'Ballina Cycle/Walking Track', 'Ballina River Drive' and 'Self Driving Tours'.

Thursday Plantation Laboratories
Take a guided tour of the plantation which is located only five minutes (3 kms) from Ballina on the Pacific Highway, this unusual plantation focuses on Tea Tree products and how to use them in the larger context of a theme park environment where there are rainforest walks and other attractions.

Phone: 02 6686 7273 Email: info@thursdayplantation.com
http://www.thursdayplantation.com.au/

Ph: (02) 6685 3722
Email :
bookings@ballinakayaks.com

Web Site :
http://www.ballinakayaks.com/

Kayaking Tours
7 days per week, Summer & Winter
Guided Eco Tours through Ballina's unique waterways.

Be amazed as we paddle alongside Bottlenose Dolphins, Explore Mangrove Forests, Watch Sea Eagles, Hang-out with the Pelicans, Catch some waves or just relax and enjoy the captivating scenery - A major international bird migration path.
• Refreshments provided
• Sit on top double kayaks
• No experience necessary
• Safe and friendly environment

The Big Prawn
If you have a fascination with 'Big Australia' then The Big Prawn is worth a stop. It has the usual array of gift shops and eateries to entice the traveller to part with some money. Otherwise it is just a very strange and exotic building.

The Beaches
The beaches to the east of Ballina are exceptional. No visit to the area is complete without trying the surf at Lighthouse Beach, Shelly Beach and/or Angels Beach. They all stand in sharp contrast to the urban quality of the town centre. Here the Pacific Ocean breaks on beautiful sandy beaches and there are nearly always ideal surfing conditions.
Photo ©Colin Cooksey

The Main Street of Ballina
The main street of Ballina (it is an extension of the Pacific Highway from the south) has a number of particularly attractive buildings - the Post Office and the Court House - as well as a superb tourist information office which is combined with two museums. There is the FNC Family History Group and the Naval Museum as well as a Maritime Museum. There is the MV Florrie which was built at Brisbane Waters in 1880 and traded on the Richmond River as a passenger vessel and tug. At the time of her retirement in 1975 she was the longest working vessel in Australia. In front of this collection of museums and information centres is the MV Richmond which operated on the Richmond River for nearly 50 years.

Photo ©Colin Cooksey

Ballina Court House
This beautiful Court House was built in 1867 and now is a central feature of the town's main street. Located between the Post Office and the Police Station it is part of an impressive combination of public buildings.

Ballina Naval & Maritime Museum
Located behind the Ballina Information Centre. Perhaps the most famous exhibit at the Ballina Maritime Museum is the 12-metre long and 6-metre wide Las Balsas which landed at Ballina on 21 November, 1973. The balsa wood raft floated across the Pacific from Ecuador, a journey of 3760 nautical miles which it achieved in 178 days. It was originally planning to land at Mooloolaba in Queensland but coastal currents swept it south to Ballina. By the early 1980s more than 15,000 people a year were stopping in Ballina to see the raft. Exhibited are The Royal Australian Navy and Navies of other countries, and The Merchant Navy. It is open seven days from 9.00 a.m. - 4.00 p.m. Admission by donation. Phone: (02) 6681 1002.

Fenwick House
Beyond the Maritime Museum the road crosses the mouth of North Creek on Missingham Bridge near Leisure-Lee. On the far side are two attractions: Fenwick House and the Pioneer Memorial Park. Fenwick House was built by Captain Thomas Fenwick in the style of a Scottish manor house. It is characterised by an English mahogany staircase, a slate roof and stained-glass windows. It is a prominent landmark and it even has images of Capt. Fenwick & his wife set in stain-glass windows!

This is but a brief look at a few of the highlights of Ballina.

See more above in the index ...