Wacky North Coast tourist attractions to see before you die
From a cannabis celebration to a crystal wonderland, clogs and a giant crustacean – the north of the state offers up some rather unique tourism drawcards.
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The NSW North Coast is home to some pretty unique characters – and has more than its fair share of odd tourist attractions to match.
From Coffs Harbour to Tweed Heads, it’s a patchwork of quirkiness.
There’s an art gallery dedicated to cartoons, a festival celebrating cannabis at Nimbin and an overgrown prawn sculpture at Ballina – just for a start.
The people behind the ventures are surely as unique as their weird enterprises.
When Muswellbrook builder Tom Hartsuyker decided to down his tools, he was planning to ease off and plan his retirement.
He ended up in Coffs Harbour and bought a caravan park – but Mr Hartsuyker dreamt of building something special on the adjoining vacant land.
In 1985, The Clog Barn came to be and a coffee shop was added a few years later.
A centrepiece of the piece-of-Holland in the heart of Coffs is a miniature Dutch village out the back of the barn.
Tom’s son John Hartsuyker, said: “His idea was to charge admission, but people wouldn’t pay so we decided to make it free and that turned the business upside down.”
“We found you more than make it up in bums on seats and sales (in the souvenir shop and cafe).”
It was a bold move by Tom to throw the dice on a Dutch theme park.
“But he looked at Cockington Green (Gardens) in Canberra – which has an English theme – and thought if he did it right it would work,” John said.
That the Clog Barn is still a tourist magnet in 2023 is testament to that.
“We had a few years where it was a bit average, but Christmas and January this year was insane,” John said.
To this day it remains a family-run business.
John’s brother Luke Hartsuyker – a former local federal MP and Commonwealth minister – potters about the site, while daughter Alison Brooks is hands on with digital marketing.
“I was 21 when I came here – I was young,” John said, now aged 60.
His dad Tom remains ever present.
“He still works here every day at the age of 90,” John said.
NORTH COAST’S UNUSUAL TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Tropical Fruit World
Formerly known as Avocadoland, this tourist attraction near Cudgen in the state’s north has been operating since 1983.
The 200-acre Tweed Shire property boasts hundreds of species of tropical fruit from all over the world.
Three generations of the Brinsmead family have been involved in the continued success of the commercial farm and visitor delight.
Enjoy guided tours, dining and specialist shopping.
There’s a farmers’ market on Saturdays (8-11am), which showcases local producers and acts as a one-stop artisan food shop for the community.
National Cartoon Gallery
The National Cartoon Gallery is housed in an authentic underground Second World War bunker which has been converted into a unique exhibition space.
The gallery at Coffs Harbour is home to more than 25,000 cartoons from leading Australian and international artists, including private donations and bequeaths of rare works.
Operating as a not-for-profit, registered charity, the gallery includes a cafe, souvenir shop, cinema and meeting room. Exhibitions change every couple of months.
The Big Prawn
The North Coast is home to a selection of oversized icons – and perhaps The Big Banana at Coffs is the most well known.
But there’s also the overgrown crustacean sitting pretty at Ballina.
The Big Prawn is as cheesy as they come, and lords over the Bunnings carpark.
But heck, it’s free to visit, and a must-do selfie shot for any trip to the mouth of the Richmond River.
Ballina Shire Council approved the demolition of the Big Prawn in 2009 – but thankfully it wasn’t to be.
Bunnings purchased the site in 2011 and the company decided to refurbish the Big Prawn.
MardiGrass festival
Where else but Nimbin, would you find this celebration of all things marijuana.
This year’s event will be held on May 5-7, and includes favourites like the Hemp Olympix, a great Green Cabaret, Pot Poetry and Pot Art, and a Kombi Konvoy.
A Hemposium will provoke thought, and this year’s guest speakers include the new Victorian Legalise Cannabis MPs Rachel Payne and David Ettershank.
MardiGrass 2023 will be followed by the Aquarius Festival from May 12 to 21.
Beginning in 1993, MardiGrass is held annually.
Organisers say its aim is to protest drug laws, educate people on the various uses of cannabis (medicinal, industrial, recreational and spiritual) and to celebrate the culture of Nimbin.
Carobana
Take a self-guided tour of the carob factory at Korora, Coffs Harbour, where they make Rocky Road, coconut rough, rum and raisin fudge, ginger, honeycomb and nut brittles.
Seen as a healthier alternative to chocolate, carob has been cultivated for more than 4000 years.
Entry to the factory is free and visitors can watch skilled confectioners in action.
Carobana’s location is available for birthday parties, anniversaries, corporate celebrations, weddings, and other special occasions.
Ian Hamey and his wife Jean are the founders and owners of Carobana and remain very much involved with the business.
Treasures of Turkey
It’s a retail store at Tweed Heads South, but it’s also the place to go to learn how to make a unique mosaic Turkish lamp.
Punters select from an array of small glass cuttings, placing them onto a frame piece by piece.
As well as getting crafty, locals and visitors can select from Turkish-inspired rugs, mugs, plates, lamps and more.
Coffs Harbour Butterfly House
Featuring an enchanting outdoor maze and a newly built dinosaur forest (complete with six life-size animatronic dinosaurs that move and roar), Coffs Harbour Butterfly House has long been a go-to for residents and visitors.
The main event though is the live Australian butterflies inside a huge glasshouse. The best time to view them is between 10am and 2pm, when the beautiful bugs are most active.
Visitors can get up close and personal, strolling among hundreds of butterflies in the indoor subtropical rainforest setting.
Crystal Castle and Shambhala Gardens
Nestled in the Byron Bay hinterland, guests can pose between two of the tallest crystals on Earth, or sit and reflect in an ancient amethyst cave known as the Dragon Egg.
A stroll through the tranquil 10-hectare Shambhala Gardens and rainforest is a must.
‘Crystal Sound Healing’ sessions are held daily at noon and 3pm, and you can also touch the World Peace Stupa – blessed by the Dalai Lama.
Allow plenty of time to experience the property. A couple from Neutral Bay noted in the visitors’ book: “Wow. OMG. Awesome. We’ve been here 6hrs and I don’t want to leave.”
The Clog Barn
Dutch-born Tom Hartsuyker, his wife Rita and his two sons John and Luke started the venture with a caravan park in 1984.
Today it is a niche attraction with a souvenir shop brimming with clogs, German cuckoo clocks, wooden tulips, windmills and an amazing miniature village replete with water features out the back.
All models are replicas of actual buildings in Holland that have been handmade by Tom over the past 40 years – and he’s not done yet.
There’s also a cafe where you can get your Dutch pancake on – a weekend favourite with locals.
Did we miss an unusual attraction? Let us know by leaving a comment below.
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