FROM MY TRAVELS
Bexhill & the Northern Rivers
Last updated: September 2026
The water in my Bexhill Quarry photograph is an almost ridiculous blue-green. I also learnt that day that a quarry isn’t a casual swimming spot. These days I’d do it differently, using public stops around Bexhill and Lismore: countryside views at the Open Air Cathedral if it’s open, lunch in town and an afternoon looking at local art.
Route overview
Stops are approximate. Dashed lines show the order, not the roads. Optional stops are swaps, not extras.
Select a stop below to locate it. Drag to pan; use the controls or arrow keys to explore.
Before you go
- Tap and go works almost everywhere. Keep a little cash for small stalls and watch for card surcharges.
- Public-transport ticketing differs by state. Check the local ticket system. One city’s travel card won’t always work in the next.
- Uber and taxis are easy in the cities. For national parks, small towns and early pickups, book both directions. Don’t count on finding a car out there.
- English is spoken everywhere. Download the day’s map and save the exact trailhead or meeting point, especially outside town.
- Get a local SIM or an eSIM and check coverage along your route. Having signal in town doesn’t mean you’ll have it in a gorge, on an island or on a mountain road.
- Save your last connection and accommodation address offline. On driving days, sort out fuel, food and the way back before you leave town.
Sorting out the practical bits? See the tools I use when I travel for data, bookings, gear and China payment tips.
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A route for your visit
Adjust the pace to suit you.
Check the countryside stop before leaving Lismore
Start in Lismore and check whether Bexhill’s Open Air Cathedral is open to visitors that day. If it is, drive out for the outlook and a quiet pause. If a service, event or closure prevents access, keep the morning in town. Don’t substitute quarry access or an unofficial gate just to recreate an old photograph.
Bexhill’s Open Air Cathedral is an open-air place of reflection overlooking the Northern Rivers landscape. The view and the quiet are the whole point here.
Lismore is a regional centre with a strong arts and community identity. Add a local exhibition or café so you see the town as well as the hills.
Late morning · Open Air Cathedral
Visit Bexhill’s Open Air Cathedral at Inspiration Point if public access is available. Allow 30–45 minutes for the valley outlook and a quiet pause. This is a place to appreciate the landscape, so keep noise low and respect any service, event or access notice.
At Inspiration Point, give the valley view a few minutes, not just a quick photo. It’s all about the open setting, so go wide and let the landscape fill the frame. Keep any visit respectful of people using the site for worship or an event. This is a separate stop from the quarry in my photograph; don’t use one map pin as a substitute for the other.
Lunch · Lismore centre
Return to central Lismore for a compact lunch-and-browse stop. A café meal gives you time to decide what’s open and interesting that afternoon. Look for local art, small shops and the town itself. You don’t need another swimming-hole photo. Spend the afternoon here. A second long country drive isn’t worth it.
An exhibition rather than another long drive
After lunch in Lismore, choose one confirmed open gallery or heritage stop from the local visitor listings. Allow an hour or ninety minutes, then leave time for a final café stop before returning. A market can replace the exhibition when its dates line up. Neither needs to become the start of a much longer national-park detour. Lismore Regional Gallery is a useful specific place to check for a current exhibition.
What to budget
Prices checked September 2026. These are for the named ticket or service. Check your date and what’s included before you pay.
- Bexhill Open Air Cathedral: AUD 0 admission — Free public visit as listed by NSW tourism; respect services and private events. The road trip and food are separate costs. Price source
Budget AUD 20–40 per person for a simple meal. That’s a rough guide. Drinks and nicer restaurants cost more. Price transfers separately, especially private drivers, boats and airport trips.
A few photo tips
- Use the designated cathedral viewpoint in softer light, with the valley as the subject; avoid interrupting ceremonies or private use.
- In Lismore, look for street and gallery details where photography is permitted. Cloudy light is useful for building façades.
If the weather changes
Stay in Lismore for an open exhibition and lunch, and skip the countryside drive if access or weather is poor.
The final day and your flight
Morning flight: save this outing for another day and go straight from your overnight base to the airport on your booking. If you’re staying out of town and the transfer is tight, move closer the night before.
Afternoon flight: Keep to a local meal and the direct transfer; do not add a countryside detour. Leave time for luggage collection, the complete journey to the airport on your booking and the airline’s check-in guidance; shorten the outing before reducing that buffer.
Booking checks
Confirm the Open Air Cathedral’s access and any gallery opening times through current local listings. Keep out of the quarry and use the public countryside stops instead.
Visitor information and official links
Useful booking links (optional)
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