Celebrate your mum all weekend long, starting with a drive through the picturesque hinterland. Sate those hunger cravings with a hearty breakfast at Relish, where you can devour fresh crumpets and English muffins made in-house, or tuck into a spicy chilli scramble. Allow the feast to settle by feasting your eyes on artwork displayed in the open studios and galleries of this year’s Murwillumbah Arts Trail. Just down the street from Relish you can check out the Small Works Gallery’s Birds Nest exhibition featuring local artists. Then wander around the corner to the Country Women’s Association Hall to view the sketchbook exhibition. If Mum is keen to see more, take a short walk or drive to the Murwillumbah showground for the group art exhibition featuring 16 artists from pottery to weaving and art.
When you’re feeling peckish, it’s time to head to Apex for lunch, where the panoramic views of the hinterland are as pretty as a picture. Enjoy a fresh nourish bowl bursting with local produce of roast pumpkin, miso mushrooms, feta, zucchini, pickles, edamame, leeks and kale, or try the kare kare peanut pork belly with twice cooked crispy pork belly, lemon grass, bok choy green beans in a peanut coconut sauce.
Delve deeper into the art scene in Murwillumbah by discovering the Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley Art Centre to view world renowned masterpieces including Haystacks, Midday by Claude Monet on long term loan from the National Gallery of Australia as part of the Sharing the National Collection Initiative. Take a walk or bike ride on the Northern Rivers Rail Trail, and spy with your little eye around the head of the rail trail at the Murwillumbah Station, celebrating contemporary works by by Amelia Batchelor, Annie Long, Dave Hickson, John Walters, and Rae Saheli.
Saturday afternoon is when Murwillumbah comes to life with Slam Poetry at the Citadel at 4:00 pm. M|Arts Precinct will also be hosting a vibrant evening, featuring art and live music after dark. Soak up the atmosphere sipping on a cocktail at M|Arts Bar before picking up dinner at Pasta’bah where you’ll find homemade pasta approved by Nonna. You and Mum might want to keep the good times going long into the night, but when you’re ready to call it a day, you can have sweet dreams at the comforting Chesson Lodge in Uki.
As the sun rises on Mother’s Day Sunday, set off early for a coffee at Bastion Lane and check out the exhibition at the Uki historic church. Follow the Murwillimbah Arts Trail map for a self-guided tour of open studios but be sure to see the 100-year-old Belle Riverhouse where you’ll find the work of eight artists including local Bundjalung artits, Jason King. Afterwards, head to Husk to see the exhibition on display from organic abstract artist, Natalie Yates, an exploration of organic forms found in nature and topography. While at Husk you can learn how the famous Ink Gin is made, and then have long lunch with grazing boards and share plates that compliment the curated cocktail menu.
As the day drifts on, settle in for an afternoon of tastings at Kat Harvey Cheese that you can take home with you followed by a stroll around town to immerse yourself in the art deco architecture. Before heading home, fill up on country hospitality at Johnny Francos where nibbles such as duck and lychee salad with native spices and prawn cigars with harissa yoghurt await. Finish off with Franco’s signature pizza made with chorizo, artichoke, roasted peppers, goat’s cheese and capsicum marmalade.
The Murwillumbah Arts Trail will be held from May 11–12, 2024. For more information, head to the Murwillumbah Arts Trail website.
This article was created in partnership with our friends at Tweed Tourism.
