The northernmost starting point of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, the tiny town of Murwillumbah on the crook of the Tweed River is full of surprises – the Tweed Regional Gallery and its in-house eatery Apex Dining chief among them. After taking a peek into the beautifully cluttered mind of Margaret Olley at her recreated studio in the gallery, settle in on the open deck at Apex with views of the blue-tinged tropical mountain range, over an all-day menu that plates up local fare such as Tweed trawler prawns and herbs and veg from the surrounding hyper-productive food bowl. 2 Mistral Road, Murwillumbah; apexdining.com.au

This beloved local bistro has become a reason in and of itself to pedal your way to Murwillumbah. Tucked inside the art deco Murwillumbah Art Precinct, Bistro LIVI brings the polish you’d expect from the busiest city wine bar to a relaxed regional setting, where the dishes overflow with local produce and demand attention without needing to shout. Cnr Brisbane St &, Proudfoots Ln, Murwillumbah; bistrolivi.com

The twists of the Tweed River lead to still more gems, with Tweed River House standing stately watch beside it in South Murwillumbah. The riverfront lawn bar is given over to lighter bites and drinks, while the restaurant approaches local produce with a French sensibility, all best enjoyed on the verandah of this grand old Queenslander hugged by palm trees. 131 River St, South Murwillumbah, tweedriverhouse.com.au

What started as a pioneering paddock-to-bottle rum and gin distillery on the Messenger’s family farm in dreamy Tumbulgum is now an essential stop on any Tweed Valley tour. If you’d like to detour slightly from the Rail Trail with a stop off at Husk, Beyond Byron E Bikes offers self-guided e bike adventures out to the distillery from directly opposite the Northern Rivers Rail Trail in Mooball, with the option of a return transfer if you’d prefer to hang up your helmet and kick back on the lawn with rum made from the very cane fields surrounding you. 1152 Dulguigan Rd, North Tumbulgum; huskdistillers.com

Wisteria and vines cling to the verandah of this 120-year-old former bakery on the banks of the Tweed River. On Friday evenings, wood-fired pizza is served up on the front porch with its views of the sluggish waterway, while daytime trading offers high tea in the gardens and cafe fare created from what’s coming from the on-site kitchen gardens and surrounding farms. 106 Riverside Dr, Tumbulgum; houseofgabriel.com

Even if you’re not checking into the cabins, huts and campsites at this relaxed farmstay, a day pass will let you enjoy all that the lush Tweed Valley property offers – from swims in the dam, to whimsical picnic spots and cuddles with cute farm animals. Hosanna Cafe brews beans from Bastion Lane in the nearby village of Uki, and offers a simple, hearty menu of bowls, wraps, sandwiches and smoothies. Cycle past on a Saturday, though, and you’ll catch the weekly live music sessions on the lawn, when locals (and their barefooted children) throw down blankets for acoustic sets and wood-fired German-style ‘non-pizzas’ from popular local food truck Gunter’s Flammkuchen. 4 Tunnel Road, Stokers Siding; hosannafarmstay.com.au

An easy and very beautiful drive from Murwillumbah or Stokers Siding, Mavis’ Kitchen sits hugged by temperate rainforest off the winding road up to Wollumbin-Mt Warning. At the heart of a 25-acre former dairy farm, the restaurant spills out from its white-washed Queenslander into the happy kitchen gardens, which guide what lands on the plate during the languid lunch seatings. Guests of the on-site cabins are encouraged to help themselves to these vegie patches, for dinners cooked back in their rooms. 64 Mount Warning Rd, Uki; maviseskitchen.com.au

Inside The Burringbar Rainforest Nursery and run by the same green-thumbed couple, Station 22 is a leafy little interlude along the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. With seats scattered around open-sided pavilions, a wide lawn, frog-filled pond and beside a creek burbling through the property, the cafe serves up home-style plates using local produce and native ingredients – like congee and bhaji fritters strewn with fresh-grown greens – alongside Full Spectrum Coffee from Coffs Harbour down the coast. 380 Burringbar Rd, Upper Burringbar; station22cafe.com.au

A row of bikes is now a common sight propped up out front of Tweed Valley Whey’s cheesery outside of Murwillumbah, where it crafts awarded farmhouse cheeses. The Northern Rivers Rail Trail runs right past this family-owned farm gate, which offers cheese, gelato, yoghurt, kefir and gelato made with milk from the resident 70 head of cattle, as well as a cafe with cycling sustenance such as cheese toasties, loaded cheese boards, sponge cakes and afternoon tea with the freshest clotted cream you’re possibly ever going to try. 6091 Tweed Valley Way, Burringbar; tweedvalleycheeses.com.au

Trading all day within the Lismore Regional Gallery – an ambitious modern art gallery that has sprung back after the devastation of the 2022 floods – Take Care Food is run by local fermenting expert Flossie Privett and chef Nigel Park. Popular dinner services have taken off on Thursday and Friday nights, with services spilling out onto the grassy Quad in front of the gallery. A wholesome, hyper-seasonal menu rotates around Northern Rivers produce, occasionally drawing inspiration from current exhibits. takecarefood.com.au

What is a country adventure without hitting a country bakery for a meat pie? The Lismore region is way ahead of you, and created the The Great Pie Trail to point visitors towards flaky goodness across Lismore, Nimbin and countless pint-sized villages in between, from Dunoon and the Byron Gourmet Pies at its weatherboard general store, to the mushroom and Coopers Dark Ale pie at charming The Channon Tavern. There is quite possibly no better reward for a day of cycling… visitlismore.com.au/pie-trail

Cafe culture is alive and kicking in Lismore in no small part thanks to sibling venues The Bank Cafe and smaller spin-off Piggy Bank Cafe. The laid-back duo offers the ideal spot to fuel up with Allpress Coffee and a hearty bacon and egg roll at the start/end of the current Lismore to Casino leg of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Both on Molesworth Street, Lismore; thebankcafe.com.au

A chilled little wine bar on one of Lismore’s main streets, The Levee is a local community fixture. Check the small bar’s gig guide for local acts, and enjoy a sundowner after a day’s cycling with a cocktail featuring local spirits such as Husk’s Bam Bam Spiced Rum or Brookies Gin. 88 Magellan St, Lismore; theleveebar.com.au

Now with a sister restaurant on the coast in Ballina, 187 Cantina brings pink neons and classic margaritas to a Lismore laneway. Inside, against a backdrop of blush walls and arrayed cactus, 187 dishes up Mexican bites that veer from the more traditional, such as grilled corn elote and slow-cooked meats, to the decidedly less so (hello haloumi fingers). Nesbitt Lane, Lismore; 187cantina.com/lismore

With beans from a Murwillumbah roaster and seasonal specials that draw on influences from around the world and ingredients from very, very close to home, Teakwood is a wholesome brunch stop on the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. Sitting right next door to Burringbar Gallery, the local haunt recently changed hands – but the new owner has taken a gently, gently approaching, keeping the community vibe and even well-loved signature dishes. 6184 Tweed Valley Way, Burringbar; @teakwood_cafe