For another view of Australia, explore the rainforests and waterfalls

Mar 9, 2010, 8:25 GMT

Coffs Harbour, Australia - Red earth and the shimmering heat coming off the sandstone cliffs: This is a typical image of Australia.

But 'down under' can also be something quite different - for example, in the northern part of New South Wales.

Those who turn off the coastal road from Sydney to Brisbane at Coffs Harbour will soon find a landscape of green forests and, every few kilometres, waterfalls. The thematic route called Waterfall Way connects the Pacific Ocean with the rural hinterland.

The first surfers are already in the water before 6 am. A dozen or so of the Eastern Grey kangaroos grazing at the 'Look-at-me-now Headland' aren't at all alarmed by the few walkers and joggers going past nearby.

It's the peaceful way that a new day begins in the headland north of Coffs Harbour. The place is said to have derived its name from an incident in 1890, when a woman was watching a horse race and her dress became dirty as the horses raced by, to which she exclaimed in anguish, 'Look at me now!'

But as quietly as the early morning is, things won't stay that calm in the region during the day. Coffs Harbour is a major holiday resort and, at the same time, a rapidly growing city.

Above all it is the climate - neither too hot nor too cool - which attracts residents and tourists alike. For those so inclined, they can take a completely conventional beach vacation in Coffs Harbour.

The recreational park Pet Porpoise Pool (PPP) and the so-called 'Big Banana' are the best-known tourism attractions. In the PPP, there are daily shows of reptiles and porpoises.

Meanwhile the 11-metre-long 'Big Banana,' built in 1964, was the first of what are by now more than 50 'big things' which stand out on the side of Australia's roads to advertise some holiday attraction nearby. In this case, the 'Big Banana' is part of an entertainment complex.

Those who would prefer to ignore such artificial attractions do not have far to travel. The Waterfall Way route starts just a bit south of Coffs Harbour and first leads to Bellingen, a town known throughout Australia for its alternative lifestyle.

The first hippies arrived in the 1960s to a town inhabited mainly by woodcutters and dairy farmers. Today, Bellingen lives quite nicely from tourism, with visitors attracted by the town's antiques stores, glassblowers' shops and art galleries.

Travelling further westwards along Waterfall Way, the going slows down. The road takes a serpentine path rising into the mountains, in a landscape dominated by a subtropical rainforest and the first smaller waterfalls.

Wide-open areas on both sides of the asphalt road belong to Dorrigo National Park, a nature preserve in which what remains of the original rainforests have been rescued.

Hiking trails lead from the visitors' centre into the thick green foliage. What is special about a region declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO is that several types of rainforest merge together, notes Kathryn Wood, a ranger at the visitors' centre.

These include subtropical as well as moderate-temperature and cool-temperature zones. She explains the various types of vegetation during guided tours.

But visitors can also head off on their own hikes. A popular destination is Crystal Shower Falls, which is one of the favourite photo settings in the park. The hiking trail actually leads behind the waterfall.

Those who prefer to look at trees from above can stay at the visitors' centre and explore the treetops by strolling along the 70- metre-long 'Skywalk,' which, 21 metres above the ground, gives people a chance to marvel at what is left of the primeval forests.

For those on day excursions, Dorrigo is usually the turning point in their tour before heading back to Coffs Harbour. But there are rewards awaiting those who continue onwards. The distances between towns get greater and greater.

And the colours also change: along with the greenery there are increasingly more yellow and ochre shades, as the landscape starts getting drier.

Nevertheless, starting from Dorrigo, the journey becomes a kind of 'water trek' as the waterfalls start appearing.

Very close by are the Dangar Falls, but clearly more impressive are the Ebor Falls in Guy Fawkes National Park, some 45 kilometres away. The water plunges downwards in two cascades, the upper one 27 metres tall and the lower one 63 metres.

Whoever makes it to this point is far removed from everything: a billboard advertises the nearest fast-food restaurant - 168 kilometres away.

But if it's a cup of coffee they want, then travellers need only to ride about an hour to reach the city of Armidale from the waterfalls. Along the way are two further attractions: the 'Point Lookout' and the Wollomombi Falls. Point Lookout, at an elevation of 1,563 metres, offers a panoramic view of the seemingly endless forests of New England National Park.

Wollomombi Falls, at more than 200 metres, is Australia's largest waterfall. The name, derived from the Aborigines' language, means 'the place where the waters meet' - which literally happens here when a second cascade, the Chandler Falls, also empties into the gorge.

Information: www.visitnsw.com, www.waterfallway.com, www.coffscoast.com.au, www.nationalparks.nsw.gov.au, www.gleninnestourism.com.