A Road Tripper's Guide to the Manning Valley

Many road trippers heading north from Sydney aim for major hubs, such as Port Stephens, Port Macquarie and Coffs Harbour. But, less than four hours away, there's a less-famous patch of coastline, national parks and green pastures called the Manning Valley. The area's lush beauty is down to its unusual waterway, the Manning River. It's one of the only major rivers in Australia that hasn't been dammed. Plus, it's a double delta, so it meets the sea in not one, but two places.

Stick to the shore for empty beaches, impressive walks and a designer hotel dedicated to David Bowie, Nick Cave and Dave Grohl. Pop inland to sample at farmers' markets, groom alpacas and meet flying foxes in NSW's last bit of floodplain rainforest. Here's your guide to road tripping the Manning Valley.

Surfhouse Merewether

DAY ONE: INDIGENOUS HISTORY, SPARKLING LAKES AND WINE TASTING

Road trips aren't for rushing. Break up yours with a couple of stops. Firstly, there's Newcastle — one-time steel capital of Australia, now creative hub by the sea — where laneways are dotted with street art, independent shops and cute cafes. Swing by The Tea Project for a just-right cuppa, Sprocket for locally-roasted coffee and The Edwards for mountainous cheese platters. Cashed up and wanting ocean views and oysters? You'll get them at Surfhouse Merewether. Find loads more Newie tips over here.

Another hour on the road lands you in the Great Lakes region. If time's on your side, pretty Myall Lake and its eponymous national park are a worthy diversion. To take a journey into indigenous history, visit Dark Point, which, in 2002, was declared an Aboriginal Site of Significance. For more than 4000 years, the Worimi people met here for seafood feasts — look out for middens. You'll also be treated to spectacular views of Broughton Island, the only spot in New South Wales where you can camp the night among a sea bird colony.

Continue along the Pacific Highway to Wootton to visit Great Lakes Paddocks Winery. You're welcome to sprawl out on the grounds for hours, trying the latest in verdelho and sparkling shiraz. Keep an eye out for live music events too.

Rudi's Farmers Market

DAY TWO: FARMER'S MARKETS, RAINFOREST AND A MUSIC DESIGN HOTEL

Another 30 minutes north lands you in Taree, on the banks of Manning River. Start with a visit to  Mentges Meats, where Rudi Mentges continues a 700-year-old family tradition, started on the Rhine, of turning local cuts into gourmet kranski, wurst and ham. Every Thursday morning, Rudi's Farmers' Markets takes over with a cornucopia of home-grown veggies, home-made jams, honey, raw cakes and fresh flowers. It's one of many farmers' and artisans' markets in the Manning Valley.

Find out how tasty that produce can get when treated by a multi-awarding winning cafe. Bent on Food is in Wingham, a laidback town ten kilometres inland, which hosts the Wingham Akoostik Festival every October. Cafe owner Donna Carrier is a big fan of local farmers, as proven by the super-fresh, piled-up dishes, overseen by head chef Simon Livingston. Tuck into a spinach tortilla with chicken, feta, sun-dried tomatoes, roasted pumpkin and house-made basil pesto or local scotch fillet with house-made beetroot relish, cheese, lettuce, horseradish cream, Turkish bread and beer-battered chips. The cafe doubles up as a grocery shop, so you can take some valley goodness home with you.

Bent on Food

The Wingham Brush Nature Reserve, which harbours the only floodplain rainforest left in New South Wales, is lovely for a shady afternoon stroll. There are a variety of walks, but the easiest is the 1.9-kilometre boardwalk, along which you'll meet flying foxes, brush turkeys, white cedars and a massive Moreton Bay fig tree.

Tinonee Road winds south out of Wingham, passing through The Bight and Mondrook. Now that you've indulged in local produce, it's time to find out what the artists have been getting up to. Make an appointment at Artisans on the Hill, to see art works, handcrafted jewellery, wood turning and more. Workshops are held occasionally.

Boogie Woogie Beach House

Tonight's digs are The Boogie Woogie Beach House, found 20 minutes east in the beachside town of Old Bar. This extraordinary designer hotel was "born from the love of music and not wanting to go home after a great night out". There are five unique rooms, four of which are dedicated to legendary musicians, namely David Bowie, Dave Grohl, Nick Cave and Louis Armstrong. Can't decide? Go for the fifth: The Mixtape. Whether you take a spa with Ziggy Stardust or shower with Nick Cave, you can count on a luxurious therapeutic mattress, a record player (with vinyls supplied), free wifi, a mini-bar and a HD flatscreen TV.

Downstairs, Flow Bar hosts live music on Fridays and Sundays, and serves up consistently excellent food. In the morning, go for The Frenchie (brioche, Rudi's smoked bacon, lemon mascarpone, toasted pecans, wild berry compote, maple syrup).

Black Head Beach

DAY THREE: BEACHSIDE RESORT, OCEAN POOL, COASTAL WALKS

South of Old Bar is a series of gold sand beaches, backdropped by dunes and national park. The safest for swimming is sheltered Black Head Beach, where you can jump in patrolled surf or laze about in a stunning ocean pool. Should you work up an appetite, drop into Gobblegutz Cafe in Hallidays Point for coffee and tasty gourmet wrap. Don't let the shopping centre surrounds deter you — the food is good and hearty.

Next up, it's time for some explorations on foot. There's a network of walking trails to help you do just that. For coastal rainforest, secluded beaches, caves and and rock formations, head into Black Head Reserve. You'll pass by a tranquil lagoon and, chances are, find yourself sharing the path with brush turkeys. Check out other tracks nearby over here.

Ramada Resort

Tonight, you're sleeping over at Ramada Resort, right behind 5.5-kilometre-long Diamond Beach. To get as close to the water as possible, go for a one-bedroom apartment with water views, a two-bedroom apartment or a beach house. Whichever you choose, you'll score plenty of space and a spa bath. When the surf's too rough, take a windy stroll or stick to the resort, where you can dip in the pool, hit the tennis court or relax in the day spa.

Jasmine Crittenden travelled to the Manning Valley as a guest of Destination NSW. Images: Peter Saw.