Tweed Heads Is A Real family Holiday Location close to the Gold Coast Australia

If you want glitz and glam, head a little north to Surfers Paradise and the Gold Coast. If you want to keep it real, Tweed Heads is your destination. Located in New South Wales, Australia and known affectionately by the locals simply as Tweed, the town offers a rich range of wonderful holiday experiences with all the comforts of modern living but without pretensions. Visitors can relax and unwind in their Tweed Heads accommodation nsw surrounded by the great natural beauty of the area.

A few travel guides criticize the town for its unattractive, over-developed and suburban-style architecture. No one, however, can find fault with the jaw-dropping, physical beauty of its geographic setting. Tweed is nestled along a beautiful stretch of coast, at the northern perimeter of the caldera of an ancient shield volcano and at the mouth of the picturesque Tweed River.

The Tweed River Valley has been nominated by Tourism Australia as being the heart of the Australian Green Cauldron and a must-see destination for visitors who want to discover the real Australia. Tweed is the capital of a section along the east coast of Australia known as the Tweed Coast. It is located about 55 miles (90 kilometers) south of Brisbane and about 20 miles (30 kilometers) south of Surfers Paradise. Tweed is the southern gateway to the Gold Coast. The town is a great base from which to enjoy a pantheon of pleasures. You can spend some time on a houseboat, go surfing, fishing, kayaking, canoeing, mountain bike riding, night clubbing or scuba diving, to name just a few of the activities.

The hinterland is dominated by Mount Warning located about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southwest of Tweed. Native Australians first named the mountain Wollumbin, meaning cloud catcher. It was named Mount warning by Captain James Cook in 1770. For several months of the year, the mountain is the first piece of Australian land to receive the morning sun. Its con-shaped summit is 1,157 meters above sea level. Geologically, this peak represents the central core of the largest extinct shield volcano in the southern hemisphere. It can be reached on foot along a well-maintained walking trail. At the base of the mountain, the early stages of the walking track passes through lush, World Heritage-listed rainforest.

The Minjunbal indigenous people were the first inhabitants of the region. The Minjunbal Aboriginal Cultural Center is located in the southern precinct of Tweed, adjacent to the Ukerebagh Island Nature Reserve. The center it is well worth a visit. It features an historical museum that highlights indigenous culture. An art gallery displays the work of contemporary local indigenous artists. A circular walking track starts from the center and leads into the reserve, including a boardwalk section through natural mangroves or wetlands. The track then leads east to the Tweed River before turning back to the center. Information boards positioned along the walk highlight particular aspects of the local flora, fauna, and indigenous culture. Mosquitoes can be a problem along the walk during certain times of the year and visitors are advised to carry mosquito repellent. This 30 to 45 minute walk can be enjoyed with or without a guide. A guide is available at minimal cost and may be booked by calling the center a few days in advance on +61(7)5524-2109.

The walk passes a Bora Ring or Bora Ground. This male sacred site is ceremonial ground used for various traditional ceremonies but particularly to mark the initiation of a boy into manhood. The Bora Ring has spiritual and cultural significance for the Minjungbal people linking them with their ancestors. Many different clans used to participate at the Bora Ring on Ukerebagh Island, some travelling as far as Mount Warning. It was last used ceremonially in 1910. These sites are mostly found in south east Australia. Their appearance varies depending on the specific tribe or culture but they comprise a circular, foot-hardened area of land surrounded by a raised embankment marked with arranged stones, rock engravings or other art works. Women are prohibited from entering a Bora Ring. The Bora Ring on Ukerebagh Island was last used ceremonially in 1910.

Visit the colorful and historic town of Murwillumbah about 15 miles (25 kilometers) to the south west about mid way between Tweed and Mount Warning. Geologically, the town is located at the center of the Mount Warning caldera. Murwillumbah is blessed with many nearby areas of lush World Heritage listed rainforest. The town gained prominence during the 1970s when many young people searching for an alternative lifestyle, often-labeled hippies, settled in and around the town. Their contribution remains evident in the town today with its individualistic mix of historic and art deco architecture; many interesting arts and crafts boutiques; tempting range of cafes and eateries. The journey from Tweed is easily completed by car, public bus or a leisurely boat trip along the Tweed River.

One of the least known attractions of the Tweed Coast is its many fabulous scuba dive spots, the best being located around Tweed. One of the most interesting is Cook Island. This spot is protected by law as a national aquatic reserve. It is about one mile south of the town directly east of Fingal Head. The rocky reef surrounding the island drops to a depth of no more than 70 feet (20 meters) making it a comfortable dive depth. The area is home for many reef fish, as well as various pelagic fish such as trevally and kingfish. A variety of sharks is present including blind sharks, bronze whalers and wobbigongs congregating in rock crevices. Leopard sharks visit in summer and grey nurse sharks come in winter. Turtles, stingrays and eagle rays are occasional visitors.

Public buses run frequently from Tweed Heads to the nearby coastal towns of Kingscliff and Cabarita Beach, both located in New South Wales.