Former Waratahs assistant is a wanted man, but he’s open to a return to Sydney


Cron said he does not hold any grudges about how he exited NSW. He hoped for a guarantee of a head coaching role, but was not provided with that by then chief executive Andrew Hore.

In the end, Gibson did not stick around for 2020. Hore then unveiled Penney as NSW coach just days before resigning, prompting Waratahs chairman Roger Davis to launch a blistering attack on the Kiwi administrator.

“At the Waratahs there was an offer … but timelines probably didn’t match up,” Cron said. “I wasn’t negative at all, that’s what happens in sport. Sometimes the timelines don’t match up for the organisation. I can’t hold any grudges, that’s not what it’s about. There was a lot of debate. It took me five months to decide. Even Steve [Hansen] had had enough at the end of it.

“The reason for me coming to Japan was working with Steve and a family decision. Steve made it really clear to me when he was talking about Japan he didn’t want to coach another team, he wanted to mentor a coach and he’d like me to be that person. That was very humbling.”

Hooper and Read, respective captains of the Wallabies and All Blacks in many Bledisloe Cup outings, have now joined forces in the Top League and love what Cron brings to the table as a head coach.

“He’s really cutting his teeth over here,” Hooper said. “I’ve certainly seen a growth in him since I last was coached by him. Being around Steve and Kieran and bouncing ideas off some of the other coaches up here … he is only going to improve more and more.”

Read said Cron’s ability to remain calm, while navigating translation and COVID-19 complications, was admirable.

Hansen is keen to extend Cron’s Japanese contract and deep down hopes one day he can move into the Kiwi system.

“If Steve has anything to do with it, he’s only going one way when he comes back, which I believe is to New Zealand,” Read said. “As a coach you can go anywhere. I’ve been really impressed with what he’s done up here and I think he’s got a big future. It’s going to be up to him and his family.”

Not so fast, says Hooper, who played under Cron at the Waratahs in 2018 and 2019.

“You know my answer – [I am] the opposite to Kieran,” Hooper said. “He loves Sydney.”

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Toyota Verblitz have won their first two games of the Top League season, yet Hooper and Read haven’t started in the same team because of rules that state only two international players can take the field at once.

However, there was a moment of friendly fire when the pair eventually made it onto the park together.

“We got to be on the field in the first game and Hoops still follows around a black jersey because he came into a ruck and split my eye,” Read said. “I think he’s on auto-pilot.”

Hooper laughed it off as an “accident” and later said he was enjoying his six-month Japanese sabbatical.

“It’s been refreshing,” said Hooper, who is expecting to return to Australia in late May before two weeks of quarantine before the international season, starting with a likely series against France.

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Sydney fishermen catch monster 400kg shark


A group of Sydney fishermen have landed a 394.5-kilogram tiger shark during a competition, sparking a public backlash and earning the ire of environmentalists.

Critics pointed out the importance of sharks to marine ecosystems, with some calling for an outright ban on shark fishing tournaments.

Monster shark caught near Pork Hacking during a fishing competition. (Facebook)

The Port Hacking Game Fishing Club has since pulled down its Facebook page, where pictures of the catch were first posted, after receiving what the head of Game Fishing New South Wales described as “threats and abusive messages”.

One photo shows the crew of the Dark Horse dwarfed by the enormous shark, its head alone almost the size of the outboard motor as it hangs partially off the back of the boat.

Captain Paul Barning and his crew were among a number of Port Hacking Game Fishing Club members taking part in the state championships.

A second image shows another two giant sharks onboard another boat during the same competition.

Second image posted by Ibby Dardas on Facebook shows another two sharks caught during the same competition. (Facebook)

“These guys go out and chase sharks in tournaments … most of the sharks get released — the odd one gets weighed in if it’s a bit of a record,” Scotty Lyons from Southern Sydney Fishing Tours said.

The tiger shark isn’t a protected species in New South Wales but they are listed as “near threatened”, meaning an angler can catch one per day under current fishing laws.

Environmental educator and WildAware founder Malin Frick said sharks were the most important apex predator in the ocean.

“They are the top predator so the killing of sharks will eventually make the ocean’s ecosystem collapse,” she said.

The enormous shark has since been given to scientists for research.

9News understands it was caught 16 nautical miles offshore in Port Hacking.

The biggest sharks caught, tagged and studied around the world

Tiger sharks typically grow between three to four metres in length and can weigh anywhere between 385 to 600 kilograms.

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Sydney news: ICAC investigation into disgraced MP Daryl Maguire’s alleged dodgy dealings extended


Here’s what you need to know this morning.

The investigation into Daryl Maguire, a former MP and former partner of NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian, amid corruption allegations has been extended for a second time.

The Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) confirmed yesterday afternoon that its investigation into former Wagga Wagga Liberal MP was continuing.

Mr Maguire admitted to running a “cash for visa” scam for Chinese nationals and to seeking payment for property deals while he was an MP.

Ms Berejiklian admitted to the ICAC that she had been in a secret relationship with Mr Maguire since 2015 which continued after he was forced to resign from parliament in 2018.

The Premier, who is not accused of any wrongdoing, told the commission the relationship ended a few months before public hearings began

The NSW Liberal Party has for the first time adopted a code of conduct for members, with bullying, sexual harassment, vilification, physical violence and discrimination deemed unacceptable behaviour that could see perpetrators expelled.

The code was developed after a 2019 scandal that saw several Young Liberals expelled from the party after making lewd comments about women on an online chat group meant for election campaigning.

The Liberal party’s vice-president Mary-Lou Jarvis said the rape allegations that have rocked Federal Parliament have highlighted the “critical importance” of getting such a code in place.

“For example, a request for sex is regarded as inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour [and] sexually explicit posts on social networking sites,” she explained.

“It goes into quite a level of detail as to what is acceptable and unacceptable behaviour.”

A new refuge for the platypus is being built at Taronga’s Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo with a pledge from the zoo to save the native species from extinction.

Taronga’s chief executive Cameron Kerr said the platypus has been the zoo’s emblem since it opened its gates just over a century ago in 1916.

The state government will fund the new refuge, which will have the capacity to care for up to 65 platypuses at a time.

Mr Kerr said platypus numbers were in “serious decline” and hoped the refuge would help save the animal under threat from drought and bushfires.

Puppy prices could double in NSW as hobby breeders struggle amid a crackdown on rogue operators in the industry, experts have warned.

Hobby breeders, who may oversee only a couple of litters per year, claim they have become collateral damage in the NSW government’s decision to step up policing on large “puppy farms”.

Patricia Smith is one of two people in Australia who breeds Basset Fauve de Bretagne puppies but is worried she will not be able to continue.

Police are appealing for information after a man was stabbed in a barber shop in Punchbowl overnight.

Two men entered a barber on Arthur Street just after 6:00pm and assaulted the 33-year-old man, thought to be the owner.

He was treated for two puncture wounds at the scene before being taken to Liverpool Hospital.

The men were last seen getting into a car on Arthur Street and police have encouraged anyone who knows more to come forward.

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian will hold her weekly crisis cabinet meeting this morning and vaccines are expected to be on the agenda.

Ms Berejiklian has expressed frustration that the federal government has not provided clarity on the number of vaccines her state will get.

NSW is on track to deliver 35,000 Pfizer vaccines to quarantine and frontline workers in the first three weeks but the scope of doses beyond that is unclear.

With the arrival of the AstraZeneca vaccine on shore, it’s thought Ms Berejiklian may this morning outline the next phase of the state’s COVID-19 vaccine rollout.

Today marks the seven-day ultimatum given to the Sutherland Shire Council to save Jannali residents who were told to leave their homes to make way for a car park.

The NSW government wants to build a multi-storey commuter car park near Jannali train station but has been in a deadlock with Sutherland Shire Council over its proposed location for two years. 

Transport for NSW issued the council an ultimatum to hand over a shopping centre car park in seven days or nine homes will be demolished in Sydney’s south. 

Sutherland Shire Council is now calling on the state government to come back to the negotiating table after councillors voted in support of a plan which would allow the delivery of a commuter car park on council-owned land.

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Man charged after alleged stabbing assault in Neutral Bay, Sydney


A 25-year-old man and a 39-year-old man were walking along Park Avenue at Neutral Bay when they were allegedly confronted by two unknown men about 4pm on Sunday.

One of the men allegedly punched the 25-year-old man in the head and face several times, before allegedly stabbing him in the head, neck, back and chest.

A man has been charged after the alleged assault and stabbing. (9News)

The two men then fled the scene in a white Mazda.

The man was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to the Royal North Shore Hospital.

He has since undergone surgery and remains in a stable condition.

The 39-year-old man escaped the alleged attack uninjured.

A crime scene was established and examined by specialist forensic officers.

The crime scene was forensically examined by officers. (9News)

Detectives arrested a 24-year-old man on Darley Street in Mona Vale about 11.30am yesterday, before raiding a nearby home.

A number of items, including a white Mazda, were seized during the search.

The 24-year-old man was taken to Manly Police Station and charged with wounding a person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He has been refused bail to appear at Manly Local Court today.

A manhunt remains underway to identify and find the second man.

Anyone with information that may assist North Shore detectives with their ongoing inquiries is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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Sydney mum finds snake curled up in child’s bedroom


A Sydney mum has described how she found a snake curled up next to the toys in her child’s bedroom.

Meg, from Cammeray on the North Shore, was tidying her daughter’s room on Friday night after putting her children to bed, when she spotted what she thought was a shoe lace.

But when she turned the light on, she realised it was actually a snake.

Sydney mum found a snake in her child's bedroom.
Sydney mum found a snake in her child’s bedroom. (Supplied)

“I thought it was a shoelace,” she told 2GB’s Ben Fordham.

“I thought ‘oh that’s a bit weird.

“I was actually going to pick it up and then I thought, ‘oh I’ll just turn the light on and see what it is.”

“It was actually a snake. I thought it couldn’t be a snake. Sure enough it was.”

In a video she took the snake seems to rear its head, as it slithers alongside toys including a Rubik’s Cube.

Sydney mum found a snake in her child's bedroom.
Sydney mum found a snake in her child’s bedroom. (Supplied)

She said after looking at photo online, she thinks it was a golden crown snake, which is venomous, but rarely bites.

Plucky Meg released the snake outside.

Spot the snake hiding in these Australian homes and backyards

“It was definitely a surprise visitor on a Friday night,” she said.

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Jamie Maclaren at double as depleted Melbourne City down woeful Western Sydney Wanderers


“We were literally in the tunnel when we made the change with [Naoki] Tsubaki coming in [for Berenguer]. But with the way we play, the way we do things, players are across it. I won’t say it was a simple change – it can be a disruptive time – but it’s full credit to Tsubaki, full credit to the team who stuck to what we said we wanted to do.

“Hopefully [Kisnorbo] enjoyed watching it on the TV back in the hotel room. We spoke to him before the game … the messages were the same, it just came from a different person.”

The Wanderers, in stark contrast, were woeful, slumping to consecutive losses – both at home – for the first time under coach Carl Robinson’s reign.

Simon Cox and Rostyn Griffiths battle for a high ball.Credit:Getty

After a promising start to the season Western Sydney has now won just once in their last five outings – a 2-0 triumph over bottom-placed Melbourne Victory – despite boasting arguably the strongest and deepest squad in the A-League, and appear to be regressing at a time when they should be building.

“It’s disappointing, without a doubt. There’s no point hiding away from it, because with two wins you’re in a good position, but two defeats and everyone thinks it’s the end of the world,” Robinson said.

“What I’ll say is, we’re the same team we were four days ago – let’s not get carried away here. I won’t get carried away.

“But you can’t defend like that. We’re in professional sports here. You can look for excuses … I won’t do that. Individually we need to be better, collectively we need to be better.”

Maclaren gave City a deserved lead in just the sixth minute, with City’s high press snuffing out an errant pass from Keanu Baccus as the Wanderers tried to play out from defence.

Craig Noone pounced immediately, feeding the ball to straight Maclaren who produced an expert left-footed finish past Daniel Margush.

The night didn’t get much better for Baccus, who was yellow carded for diving in an attempt to win the penalty and then substituted out of the match at half-time for Jordon Mutch.

City could and should have been further in front by that point, with Andrew Nabbout coming closest to extending their lead on the half-hour mark after a darting run down the right, but his shot slammed into the right post.

Maclaren eventually made it 2-0 in the 54th minute from the penalty spot after the video assistant referee spotted a handball by James Troisi, who was turning and lifted his arms to protect his face from being hit by the ball as it was crossed into the box.

Robinson fumed with the decision post-match, saying Troisi claimed the ball came off his leg first and that it wasn’t enough of a “clear and obvious” error for the VAR to step in, before complaining about general inconsistencies in refereeing across the A-League.

“We had the head of the referees down to us, because I wanted to speak to him about a number of incidents – not just this year but in previous years,” Robinson said.

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“And he was good, he was very good, he told us everything probably I want to hear. But … the clear and obvious we talk about, there was a decision today, the referee’s stood seven yards away and the VAR gets involved. Is it clear and obvious? It has to be 100 per cent, which is stated. It was not 100 per cent.

“So again, I’ll call him tomorrow and he’ll tell me the same thing, tell me what I want to hear. I’ve been in the game for a long time … it’s actually making me not enjoy football and that’s a shame.”

The inevitable second-half surge from the Wanderers, after the introduction of Bernie Ibini and Bruce Kamau off the bench, was well contained by City.

The hosts’ best chance came in the 71st minute, when Kamau headed Thomas Aquilina’s volley-cum-cross on target, but Thomas Glover produced a terrific reaction save to keep it out.

The Wanderers face Western United – led by in-form veterans Alessandro Diamanti and Besart Berisha – on Sunday, while City have a derby against Melbourne Victory to come on Saturday night.

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Two Sydney police officers badly injured after separate incidents


A Sydney police sergeant is in hospital and a senior constable is recovering from facial fractures following two separate and disturbing incidents at the weekend.

During a brawl on a Sydenham street overnight, 21-year-old Andrew Cook allegedly attempted to punch an officer. He was arrested.

Minutes later his cousin, 33-year-old Tavite Mafi was booted from a nearby pub.

When police told him he couldn’t get back into the bar, he allegedly responded by punching a senior constable, breaking multiple bones in the officer’s face.

Meanwhile, 20km across the city, a second officer was seriously injured in a dog attack.

Police attended a property in Georges Hall in the city’s south-west about 1.30am on Sunday after reports of a domestic incident.

A 52-year-old man had allegedly barricaded himself in the garage with a dog.

He was arrested and the dog ran into the street.

It was secured by a 59-year-old woman also at the property, but as a police sergeant was speaking to her, the dog attacked and bit the officer on the face.

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Click or tap on the banner to find out how to download the 9News app for breaking and localised news alerts. (9News)

He was taken to hospital in a stable condition ahead of surgery.

“I just heard the other police saying ‘just cover your face, it’s going to be okay’,” witness Necah Kuyro told 9News.

The dog was seized by council officers.

“They got the dog, they put it on a rope … eventually one copper got it on a rope, sprayed it with mace,” witness Ronda Smith told 9News.

The 52-year-old man has been charged with common assault (DV), two counts of set on, urge dog to attack, bite, resist officer in execution of duty, and use offensive weapon with intent to commit indictable offence.

Both officers are now recovering. The sergeant is out of surgery and recovering in hospital; the constable is back home with a double facial fracture.

All three men involved across both incidents have been charged and all three granted bail.

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NRL 2021: French rugby star Frederic Michalak helping Sydney Roosters halfback Luke Keary


Frederic Michalak – the silky French magician, who played at four World Cups and helped knock the All Blacks out of one in 2007 – is the Roosters’ secret weapon in 2021 and has been tasked with helping Luke Keary make the transition to halfback.

The French great, who played 77 Tests for Les Bleus in the playmaking position, has returned to the club after a brief coaching development stint at Moore Park in 2020.

But with COVID continuing to run rampant throughout Europe, Michalak decided to return to Sydney late last year where his wife, Cindy, is from.

He has spent the past five weeks working with the Tricolours since touching down ahead of Christmas and will remain at the club for much of the year.

And already the rugby great has won over his students.



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Empty rental listings plummet across the capitals except for Sydney and Melbourne


Tenants in most capital cities will be hard pressed to get a good deal right now with the number of empty properties having plummeted across the country – except for the two biggest cities, new data shows.

While the number of vacant rental listings has fallen significantly in Brisbane, Darwin, Perth, Adelaide and Hobart over the past year, Sydney and Melbourne continue to bear the brunt of closed international borders that has left many inner-city apartments without tenants.

Data from Domain showed Melbourne’s vacancy rate sits at 4.7 per cent as of February 2021 — a massive spike from this time last year when the vacancy rate was 1.6 per cent.

The Victorian capital has the biggest proportion of empty rentals in Australia — the data revealed number of vacant rental listings has increased by a staggering 212 per cent.

In Sydney, the only other city where the vacancy rate rose, the situation is on a smaller scale. The number of vacant rental listings has increased by 9.1 per cent over the past year and the vacancy rate edged up from 2.6 to 2.8 per cent.

Rental Vacancy Rates Australia

Rental Vacancy Rates Australia
LocationFeb-21Jan-21Feb-20MoM ∆YoY ∆
National1.9%1.9%1.7%–↑
Sydney2.8%2.9%2.6%↓↑
Melbourne4.7%4.6%1.6%↑↑
Brisbane1.4%1.6%2.1%↓↓
Perth0.7%0.7%1.8%–↓
Adelaide0.6%0.6%0.8%–↓
Hobart0.5%0.4%0.6%↑↓
ACT0.8%0.9%1.0%↓↓
Darwin0.8%0.8%3.2%–↓
Source: Domain

Domain senior research analyst Nicola Powell said the results highlighted the two cities’ rental market exposure to international migrants and students.

“In Sydney and Melbourne, the general rule of thumb is that the closer you get to the city, the higher the vacancy rate,” she said.

In Victoria, the top vacancy rate was in Melbourne city at 11.7 per cent, while in NSW the highest was in Parramatta at 4.9 per cent.

Dr Powell said while the worst was over for most landlords in Sydney and Melbourne, tenants elsewhere across the country could expect rent rises.

“Most of our capital cities remain tight and remain competitive for tenants and what we can expect is rents are going to rise,” she said.

Ray White Victoria and Tasmania chief executive Stephen Dullens said many Melbourne tenants had moved rental properties for a lifestyle change, which had seen outer suburbs fare better than inner city areas.

“When you look at areas like Southbank there’s lots of apartments, Airbnbs and short stays. When you move out of the suburbs it’s really tight,” he said.

“When you look at the Mornington Peninsula, it’s really tough. Once something is put up for lease, demand is through the roof.”

But many Melburnians had also left for regional towns, Mr Dullens said, where vacancy rates were much tighter than the city.

For renters in Perth and Darwin, the market has become much tougher over the past 12 months.

While Perth’s already low vacancy rate fell further in the 12 months to February this year, from 1.8 per cent to 0.7 per cent, it was a more dramatic turn around in Darwin, where the vacancy rate dropped from 3.2 per cent to 0.8 per cent in the same period.

To put that in perspective, the number of vacant rental listings in Darwin has plummeted by -74.6 per cent.

Darwin agents have reported they cannot keep up with the wave of rental applications that have hit the city as a result of tenants either being locked in or interstate travellers moving to the Northern Territory.

The situation for tenants is only likely to worsen once eviction bans are lifted, Dr Powell said.

“When we start to see the rental moratorium ends, we’re likely to see significant jumps in asking rents,” she said. “There would be many tenants who were paying below market rent.

“Tenants in a rising rental market who are paying below market rent will stay put until they have to move because they’re being protected by the legislation that stops hikes in nets and stops them being evicted.”

Brisbane is another city where the vacancy rate has tightened over the year, from 2.1 per cent to 1.4 per cent, thanks to a combination of tree changers from other states and migration from regional Queensland into the city, according to Haesley Cush, director of Living Here.

“Brisbane offers really incredible options. Affordability is so much better than other cities,” Mr Cush said. “We’ve also seen people from other parts of the state come back to the capital city for work.”

Like Sydney and Melbourne, more inner-city apartments have remained vacant than houses in the suburbs, Mr Cush said.

Inner Brisbane recorded the highest vacancy rate of 4.3 per cent followed by Sherwood-Indooroopilly at 3.7 per cent, the Domain data showed.

“The opportunity to be a bit more bullish as a tenant is starting to fade,” Mr Cush said. “Maybe in the low to mid-range [price of the market] you still have that power. I do feel the mid to high-end market is going to see an increase in rents.”

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Best things to do in Northern Rivers, NSW


Welcome to Open for Business.

Each week, news.com.au in partnership with Tourism Australia and the National Bushfire Recovery Agency will shine a spotlight on an Aussie region devastated by the 2020 bushfires. The video series will provide ideas on ways to help, where to visit and cafes not to miss on your next holiday at home.

The Northern Rivers region in NSW is the perfect all-rounder.

A destination that encompasses the picturesque regions of Clarence Valley and Richmond Valley, the Northern Rivers is home to lush hinterland, quaint towns, glorious rivers and valleys, and long stretches of spectacular Pacific Ocean coast.

Whether you’re a nature lover, foodie, beach bum, culture vulture or adrenaline junkie seeking adventure, there is something for every kind of holiday-maker in this spot, which is found about five hours from Brisbane, and less than an eight-hour road trip from Sydney.

RELATED: Incredible recovery from ‘wall of flames’

RELATED: 30-hour catastrophe took Aussie to ‘hell and back’

The Northern Rivers was devastated by last summer’s bushfires, which claimed many homes and businesses – close to 170 homes were lost in Clarence Valley alone, with many others badly damaged.

A year on, the forests and wildlife are regenerating, businesses are back, and the friendly locals are more than ready to welcome visitors to their stunning patch of Australia.

RELATED: What to see and do in Cobargo

Visitors can choose their own adventure in the Northern Rivers, with so many places to explore and activities to enjoy.

The region is home to charming towns and villages like dreamy Nimbin, underrated Byron rival Yamba, and the historical hub of Grafton, known for its classic cottages, country pubs and wondrous farmers markets.

The Grafton Heritage Trail shows off the town’s stunning Edwardian and Victorian architecture and if you visit in late spring, around late October to early November, you’ll be rewarded with more than 2000 vibrant purple jacarandas in bloom for the season.

Grafton is a great base from which to explore other highlights in the region, such as the nearby rivers, gorges and ancient rainforests of Nymboida National Park.

There are plenty of activities to enjoy along the Clarence River, including sailing, boating and waterskiing, and you can even hire a houseboat to take in the surroundings at your own pace.

Highlights include the Clarence Canoe and Kayak Trail, which covers more than 195km of river and is the longest mapped white-water trail in Australia.

RELATED: Where to find one of Australia’s best burgers

Picnic, bushwalk or camp in the World Heritage-listed Nightcap National Park, exploring the park’s waterfalls, creeks and escarpments. Here, you can take in the view of the Wollumbin shield volcano, a genuinely impressive landmark, which was formed more than 20 million years ago.

The volcano’s caldera – the bowl-shaped depression – is considered “possibly the best preserved erosion caldera in the world” by UNESCO.

That’s not the only claim to fame held by this naturally beautiful region.

The Iluka Rainforest walking track takes visitors through Iluka Nature Reserve, the largest remaining seashore rainforest in NSW.

For something really special, hit the surf at Angourie Beach and Yuraygir National Park, which is the longest stretch of undeveloped coastline in NSW.

For a touch of more recent history, take the infamous Protesters Falls walking track, named after a 1979 environmental protest in which protesters dramatically blocked the path of bulldozers to stop logging of rainforest at Terania Creek.

If you’re looking to pick up some souvenirs from your visit, the charming towns of the Northern Regions offer plenty of artisan shops and boutiques where you’ll find a treasure trove of unique gems.

Shop for clothes, accessories and homewares at The Corner Store in Yamba, while Revival Yamba is a must for music, surf and art lovers.

Spent time exploring the shelves for rare books at The Nook Yamba or shop for gifts at Nimbin favourites Hemping Around and the Nimbin Candle Factory.

There are also some local stores that are great for online shopping, if you want to support the region from afar: Willow Botanica specialises in curated, organic gifts while family-run Petal and Spice, based in Grafton, sells locally handmade and sustainable goods – and delivers Australia-wide.

All that exploring and adventure-seeking certainly works up an appetite, and fortunately there are plenty of excellent spots to quench your thirst or enjoy a memorable meal.

Sit back with a drink and soak up the atmosphere in the gardens of Ulmarra Hotel, a short drive northeast of Grafton: a quintessential Aussie pub that dates back 113 years.

In Nimbin, you can’t miss Dutch & Co for your morning coffee and Nimbin Bakery for something sweet, and later, some handmade pasta and woodfire pizza at Armonica.

A hot tip is to drop by Nimbin Farmers’ Market, held every Wednesday afternoon, to sample some of the region’s best fresh produce.

Head to coastal eatery Paradiso in Yamba for some fresh and locally sourced food delights, Beachwood Cafe for a long lunch of authentic Turkish food, and discover one of the prides of the region at Sanctus Brewing Co, where you’ll find an impressive selection of craft beer, just outside Yamba towards Maclean.

And there’s no better way to experience Yamba than pulling up a seat alongside the friendly locals and tuckering into some pub grub at the Pacific Hotel.

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