New South Wales - Australia 2004 - page 210

2-minute drive from the town center, and has a secluded, privileged air about it
in the nicest of ways. Inside it's all Mediterranean blue and white, which com-
plements perfectly the waves hitting the sand. The menu changes daily, but you
may find the likes of grilled Atlantic salmon, red curry of roast beef filet, braised
lamb shanks, and yellowfin tuna. If you have any special dietary requirements,
tell the chef, and he will go out of his way to please you. Next door to the restau-
rant, but part of the same establishment, is Rae's on Watago's, an exclusive five-
star guesthouse offering luxury accommodations. There are seven rooms and
prices start from A$350 (US$228) for a double suite to A$990 (US$644) for the
penthouse suite.
Watago's Beach, Byron Bay. & 02/6685 5366. Fax [phone]. www.raes.com.au. Reservations recom-
mended. Dinner main courses A$35-A$50 (US$23-US$33), lunch A$30-A$35 (US$20-US$23). AE, DC, MC,
V. Daily 7-10pm; Sat-Sun noon-3pm.
Raving Prawn SEAFOOD Fish cover the walls at this excellent place, but
there's more than that on the menu. You can tuck into veal, chicken, or vege-
tarian dishes if you want to, but I wouldn't miss out on the fabulous signature
dish, the jewfish (a kind of grouper) with an herb-mustard crust. The forest-
berry tart is the best dessert on the menu.
Feros Arcade (between Jonson and Lawson sts.). & 02/6685 6737. Reservations recommended. Main
courses A$19-A$27 (US$12-US$18). AE, DC, MC, V. Tues-Sat 6-10pm (until around 9pm in winter). Open
daily during school holidays.
MURWILLUMBAH
321km (199 miles) N of Coffs Harbour; 893km (554 miles) N of Sydney; 30km (19 miles) S of Queensland
border
The main town of the Tweed Valley, Murwillumbah is a good base for touring
the surrounding area, which includes Mount Warning, picturesque country
towns, and countryside dominated by sugar cane and banana.
ESSENTIALS
GETTING THERE Murwillumbah is inland from the Pacific Highway. The
nearest airport is at Coolangatta, 34km (21 miles) away, over the Queensland
border. Countrylink trains ( & 13 22 42 in Australia) link Murwillumbah with
Sydney, taking around 13 hours. Greyhound Pioneer buses ( & 13 20 30 in
Australia) run from Sydney to Murwillumbah; the trip takes 14 1 ⁄ 2 hours.
VISITOR INFORMATION The Murwillumbah Visitors Centre, at the
corner of the Pacific Highway and Alma Street, Murwillumbah, NSW 2484
( & 02/6672 1340 ), is worth visiting before heading out to see more of the
Tweed Valley or the beaches to the east. Another option is the Tweed Heads Vis-
itors Centre, at the corner of Bay and Wharf streets, Tweed Heads, NSW 2485
( & 07/5536 4244 ). Both are open Monday through Friday from 9am to 5pm,
and Saturday from 9am to 1pm.
SEEING THE AREA
If you're looking for a Big Avocado to go with your Coffs Harbour Big Banana,
then head for Tropical Fruit World, on the Pacific Highway ( & 02/6677
7222 ), 15km (9 1 ⁄ 2 miles) north of Murwillumbah and 15km (9 1 ⁄ 2 miles) south
of Coolangatta. The Tweed Valley's top attraction grows some 400 varieties of
tropical fruit, which can be discovered on an interesting 1 1 ⁄ 2 -hour tractor-train
tour of the 81-hectare (200-acre) tropical fruit plantation, as well as on four-
wheel-drive rainforest drives and riverboat rides. It's open daily from 10am to