This NSW town is punching above its weight when it comes to food

From moreish meals to remarkable rainforests, Bellingen is the perfect escape.

Perhaps I've been watching too much Alone, the survival series where competitors are dumped in remote locations and left to fend for themselves, but the fungi sticking out from the side of a massive fallen tree are looking a lot like lunch.

I'm in the middle of the Dorrigo National Park, World Heritage-listed Gondawana rainforest. Trees stretch to the sky, their wide buttressed trunks jut out on the path, vines twist their way up, too, ferns abound on the rainforest floor. It's winter and it's quiet in the forest, but the occasional tune from a yellow robin, one of the oldest songbirds on earth, breaks the silence and reminds me that this place has been millions of years in the making. Thankfully, I don't have to resort to eating the woody mushrooms because just 30 minutes down the scenic Waterfall Way is a little town punching well above its weight when it comes to food.

Bellingen, population about 4000, is a town built on cattle, forestry and the dairy industry. Just 15 minutes from the coast, the region has become a magnet for enterprising hospitality types as chefs from the capital cities look for a change.

The latest to join the menu are the Three Blue Ducks team. With restaurants in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Byron Bay and Nimbo Fork Lodge near Gundagai, they've set up a new home in The Lodge Bellingen.

Ducks co-founder Darren Robertson looks right at home in the restaurant beside the roaring open fire. Why Bellingen? The idea of home is part of it. "All our ventures are in places we'd love to live, or love to holiday with our families," he says.

With chef Julien Vasseur at the helm in The Lodge kitchen there'll be a focus on local, ethically sourced produce on the Asian-inspired menu. The Bello Beef tartare takes a spin with the addition of fragrant chilli oil and togarashi; the pork belly bao buns are a couple of bites of salty heaven with an Oomite hoisin sauce and pickles.

There are plenty of native ingredients too; the coconut and kaffir rice pudding with pineapple and macadamia is nothing like your nan's rice pudding.

The Lodge is the perfect place to base yourself for your food adventures. Originally built in 1973, it was a "run-down, mission-brown motel", says co-owner Monique Parmenter who bought the property with her husband Anthony in 2017.

Rooms were renovated, a conference room was converted into a modern two-bedroom apartment, the pool area was given a new lease of life and two luxury glamping tents were installed on the side of a hill with views back across the mountains towards Dorrigo.

"Bellingen is such a special town and has a lovely community of people and is rich in history," says Parmenter. "We wanted to create a destination hotel with luxury accommodation for guests to stay and enjoy all the beauty Bellingen has to offer."

While you might be tempted to eat every meal at the Three Blue Ducks, it's worth heading into town to check out the options there. Start your day at Bellingen's longest running cafe Black Bear, where new owner Englishman Ed Woodley treats customers like friends, greeting them by name, preempting familiar orders. When he moved to the area he thought owning a cafe would be a good way to become part of the community. He recommends the chilli scramble for a late breakfast: eggs, fetta, rocket, roasted tomatoes and a house-made hash brown. It's got plenty of kick too. Not a mushroom in sight.

At dinner time head to Charlie's at Church. Chef Simon Jones was awarded a Michelin star in 2004 when he was working with Marco Pierre White in London. Now he and his partner Selena Quested are raising their young family in Dorrigo. The menu changes daily, depending on what local produce is available. Don't miss the bread which comes to the table all puffed up, before the steam inside escapes leaving a soft bread which matches perfectly with salty anchovies. While Charlie's is known locally for its pizzas, there's something more elegant on the menu tonight, a Moreton Bay bug lasagne - delicate, cylindrical layers of tender seafood and pasta that reinvent your perceptions of a familiar dish.

Another choice might be Osteria Fiume, where Fiona Richardson and Megs Black are also connecting with the community over food. They left the Blue Mountains in 2021, where they'd run the heritage Ambermere Inn. Now they want you to come as you are, share tables and stories, while filling your belly with their humble, Italian-inspired fare. And don't miss Hearthfire Bakery on Hyde Street in Bellingen and First Avenue in nearby Sawtell if you've headed towards the coast for the day. Owners Sally and Dave are passionate about bread but also about creating a sense of community. It's too hard to go past their sweet treats such as fig and macadamia brownies and caramel slice.

Thankfully, there's plenty of activity to be had in the area to burn off all these calories. Our rainforest walk is led by Mark Graham of Bellingen Nature Tours.

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Graham has lived and worked in the area as an ecologist for his entire career and whether you're looking to explore the depths of the rainforest or the peaks of the Great Escarpment, he'll tailor a tour to suit.

Getting there: Bellingen is a half-hour drive from Coffs Harbour, where the airport is serviced by Qantas, Rex and Link Airways. Dorrigo is a half-hour drive from Bellingen.

Staying there: The Lodge Bellingen has 30 rooms, in eight different types from studio queen to a luxury mountain two-bedroom retreat and two luxury glamping tents. From $265 per night, see thelodgebellingen.com.au

Explore more: visitnsw.com

The writer was a guest of The Lodge Bellingen and Destination NSW.