Beautiful Ballina is a place that inspires you to relax. The pace is deliberately sedate here, forgoing the hustle and bustle of larger cities to instead enjoy the moment and bask in the natural beauty all around. It’s simply impossible to stress out here, so rest and relaxation is the order of the day as you slow down a little and take a breath. You’ll find yourself never wanting to leave, as Ballina works its magic to leave your worries far behind you. Linger a little and enjoy Ballina’s chill vibes.
Slide into Fun
If you’re looking to make a big splash there’s only one place to go - the Ballina Memorial Pool and Waterslide. There’s a 50-metre heated pool outdoors here, and a 25-metre indoor pool, so whatever the weather, you’ll find somewhere nice to swim here. The little ones will love the wet-play splash areas, and there’s a toddler pool as well. The big tickets are the twin waterslides - one moderately gentle and one much faster and longer ride for the daredevils. There’s a well-stocked kiosk here for all your snacking needs, and some free barbeques in the picnic area if you want to cook your own lunch. It’s the perfect place to cool down and escape sunburn at the same time. There are lockers for all your gear and comfortable family friendly change rooms so you will be all set – and if you’ve forgotten your goggles, there’s a swim shop here too.
Food and Wine Festivities
Every October, Ballina hosts the Fine Food and Wine festival, considered a highlight of the local events calendar. The local restaurants try their hand at street food, and every gourmet producer for kilometres around descends to show off their wares. The wine, cider and beer makers congregate en masse to make this an unmissable event. You are sure to make many delicious discoveries as you check out all the stalls here. The event makes significant contributions to a wide range of local charities, too, so you know that every dollar you spend here not only keeps our local Aussie producers afloat, but has a big positive effect on the local community as well. It’s a win/win you will be delighted to participate in.
Thursday Every Day
The Thursday Plantation is one of the largest producers of Tea Tree and Eucalyptus Oils in the region, and their Visitor Centre is a delight to spend a few hours in. You can learn all about how they turned an inhospitable swamp into a lush eco-plantation that’s a great example of sustainable production. Take a tour of the plantation, and you’ll marvel at what they’ve achieved in their time here. There’s a gift shop with an expansive range of tea tree and eucalyptus oil products for you to take your pick from, and the Verandah Café is on hand to tempt you with delicious meals and some great barista brewed coffee. It’s a great place to spend some time with the whole family.
