One Day No Car - ART, The Tweed

Before hitting any exciting Tweed activities, best start your day with a bit of action and (most importantly) a bit of fuel. Casuarina’s Osteria is a scenic 45 minute walk away, and has a menu that will make you weak at the knees. Or was that just from the walk there? Either way, you won’t be left wanting, with choices that range from sweet corn fritters with pickled jalapeno and avocado, to cocoa waffle parfait with caramel corn and salted caramel sauce. More than that, the Osteria vibe is exactly what you need to get your morning started perfectly, a seaside community hub with a focus on local produce, sustainable practices and damn good food. And after all of that damn good food, you can always catch a taxi back to Kingscliff. We wouldn’t blame you if your eyes are too big for your stomach.

Outdoor activities are everywhere and so diverse in the Tweed, but this stand-up paddleboarding on Cudgen Creek is a stand-out. See what we did there? Watersports Guru run this activity, providing you with everything you need to have a cracker day out on the water. And by ‘everything,’ we pretty much mean just a paddle board. Yep, it’s a pretty low-maintenance activity for some high-level fun. ‘Creek’ undersells the water here. It should be called ‘tropical paradise that’s nothing like a creek’. The water is super clear. With over 9 km of flat water, not to mention the picture-perfect and incredibly quiet surroundings, cruising down Cudgen Creek on a paddleboard will make you feel as if you are part of nature. And not bad-looking nature at that, with the wide, calm water, mangrove and tree swamp backdrop, ospreys and sea eagles flying above, and even the occasional sighting of pelicans or dolphins.

Whether you are a SUP expert (if you don’t know what that means, fair to say you’re not), or a paddleboarding rookie, Watersports Guru will give you the time of your life, and just the kind of adventure you need to keep you invigorate you for the rest of your stay in the Tweed. Contact the Watersports Guru to secure your spot for a Friday morning post-ART paddle, because they will max out at 20 people per lesson - and make sure you mention you’re at ART! Hope you packed a towel, because unless you’re a total pro there’s a good chance you’ll come out of this one a little damper than when you started.

Phone: 0430 082 890

Or email: fun@watersportsguru.com

For a madly memorable wildlife encounter in the Tweed, Cook Island (no, not those Cook Islands) should be top of your list. Just 600m out from Fingal Head, Cook Island is a volcanic outcrop that may be lacking in size above water, but is certainly not lacking anything when it comes to what lies below the waves. Home to a huge population of green turtles, as well as clownfish, octopus, puffer fish (do you think maybe Finding Nemo was cast here?), and plenty of other species who live amongst the colourful coral, Cook Island is a too-good-to-be-true marine paradise. But the turtles are the real stars here, popping up every which way you turn to be included in your underwater selfies and play around with you.

Watersports Guru run daily tours to Cook Island, where, after a 15-minute boat ride across the big old blue, you will be free to roam below sea level with all your undersea friends. They provide wetsuits and all the necessary snorkelling gear, as well as handy access to a snorkelling instructor in case you are an absolute rookie, so just bring along your swimmers and a towel and jump on in. And no, you can’t take a turtle home as a pet.

There is a max of nine people for these tours, and they are weather dependent. You have to book ahead (at least a few days). Tours depart 8am (so you could still catch a midday domestic flight from Coolangatta - win!), or at 10.30am. Contact the Watersports Guru to lock in your turtle-swimming experience, making sure you mention you’re at ART.

Phone: 0430 082 890

Or email: fun@watersportsguru.com

Here’s another wildlife encounter, but this time with a twist… You’ll be harvesting the creatures you come across and enjoying it for lunch! A little bit ruthless perhaps, but oh-so worth it. Tweed Eco Cruises’ Pot to Plate Adventure will take you on a journey along the traditional hunting steps of the region’s first inhabitants, led by Bundjalung Nation descendant Luther Cora, ‘The Black Cockatoo’, and professional crabber Nathan Hall. Cruise up the Tweed on a 4-hour tour, with everything but the kitchen sink included. We’re talking yabbie pumping, mud crab trapping, mangrove exploring, and more seafood feasting than you can imagine. This is the best of the best of Tweed seafood cuisine, from freshly-shucked oysters and ocean prawns to, of course, your own just-been-trapped mud crabs. The ‘Pot to Plate’ name makes sense now, right?

But not only is this a great chance to widen your palate, it’s also one of the best places to enrich your knowledge of Bundjalung and regional Tweed history. Your guide, the Black Cockatoo (please report back to us if you find out the meaning behind his nickname, we’re a little bit curious), will bring this history to life, literally tracing the footsteps of his ancestors as he takes you into the heart of the Terranora Lakes. These tours are limited to an intimate 10 people, so get in early to avoid missing out.

Phone: (07) 5536 8800

Email: info@tweedecocruises.com

Or book online.

Tweed Eco Cruises also offer a cheaper, shorter version of the Pot to Plate Adventure, which could be a good option if you only have time for a morning or afternoon activity on either side of ART. The Crabs and Yabbies Tour also cruises up the Tweed and into the yabbie and crab territory of the Terranora Lakes, a prime location to experience the goodness of Tweed crustacean cuisine. But the tour is as much about the sights and scenery as it is the feasting, as the 3 hour experience will take you through the most idyllic surroundings of the river’s nature and wildlife. Not only that, you will also have the opportunity to watch professional crabbers at work in the shallows, as well as your own chance to have a go at yabbie pumping like the pro you are.

Pay the extra bucks to have either a half mud crab and prawns or a full mud crab for lunch. That’s what you’re here for, isn’t it? And as the crab is coming literally from the pot to your plate, you probably won’t find any fresher, anywhere. Get in contact with Tweed Eco Cruises to book your spot on this creek-cruising, crab-crunching adventure.

Phone: (07) 5536 8800

Email: info@tweedecocruises.com

Or book online.