Four Northern Rivers towns named in top 100 by Australian Traveller

FOUR Northern Rivers towns have made it onto Australian Traveller magazine’s list of the 100 best towns to visit in 2026.

Byron Bay ranked third on the list, behind Bicheno in Tasmania and Port Douglas in Queensland. Yamba came in at number 14, Murwillumbah ranked 59th, and Ballina rounded out the list in 100th place.

Byron Bay was also recognised as Australia’s best wellness town, praised for its luxury bathhouses and wellness spas, including Osprey Spa at Elements of Byron resort.

 

Ballina earned additional recognition as one of Australia’s top 10 emerging towns to visit.

Panellist Paul Hamras, managing director of Solstice Media and chair of the Adelaide Fringe Festival, described Ballina as a quieter alternative to Byron Bay with a stunning coastline and thriving creative scene.

“Underrated, as it is often thought of as the transit centre for the Northern Rivers region,” he said.

 

According to the magazine, some of Ballina’s standout attractions include the newly renovated Shaws Bay Hotel and Italian restaurant Capiche.

Murwillumbah was recognised for its vibrant arts scene, weekend farmers’ markets and natural attractions, including Wollumbin and the Tweed River.

 

The rankings were determined by a national panel of well-known Australians, tourism experts and industry figures. They included longtime Getaway presenter Catriona Rowntree, Wadjarri/Yamatji actor and Going Places television host Ernie Dingo, and pastry chef Anna Polyviou, alongside representatives from tourism brands including AAT Kings and Accor.

Following a broad nomination process, panel members scored shortlisted towns from one to 10 based on how strongly they believed Australians should visit them. Judges only voted on destinations they felt sufficiently familiar with, with the final rankings determined by the highest average scores.