Taking bookings for New Year's Eve — and now open for 2027 retreat & group bookings.
Our environmental commitment
The land
Sanctuary Burringbar is as much a regeneration project as it is a place to stay — every guest, retreat and workshop supports the work of restoring this land.
What's included
Regenerating the land, one season at a time
Along Cudgera Creek, through the syntropic gardens and the native nursery, Sanctuary Burringbar is being gently restored — chemical-free, guided by people who've spent decades doing this work. Guests are welcome to explore self-guided, or join a workshop to learn the practice itself.
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The three big reasons guests explore beyond the gate
While you're here
This isn't a "things to do nearby" filler list — these are genuinely the main draws of staying in Burringbar. Jump straight to one:
01 — Right at the doorstep
The Northern Rivers Rail Trail
One of the biggest reasons people plan a stay in Burringbar: the Tweed section of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail runs 24km from Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek, following the old North Coast railway line through Stokers Siding, Burringbar and Mooball — passing straight through the village, minutes from our gate.
Along the way you'll cross 18 historic railway bridges (5 of them heritage-listed) and pass through 2 tunnels, on a mix of sealed and compacted-gravel path built for walkers, runners, cyclists and horse riders alike. It's flat, shaded, and works equally well for a gentle morning stroll or a proper training ride.
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Opened December 2022, jointly funded by the NSW and Australian Governments
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Winner — Gold and Silver, 2025 NSW Tourism Awards and Australian Tourism Awards
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Fully accredited for wheelchair, low-vision, low-hearing and cognitive/autism access
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Part of a growing 130km network eventually linking Murwillumbah to Byron Bay, Bangalow, Lismore and Casino
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02 — The water at the heart of it
Cudgera Creek
The creek that gives the whole area its name runs right past the property. "Cudgera" comes from the Yugambeh–Bundjalung language of the Bundjalung people — the traditional
A walk along Cudgera Creek Road takes in dense subtropical bushland, native wildlife and birdlife, and the kind of quiet you don't get on the coast. Creeks through this part of the Northern Rivers are known platypus and native fish habitat, and the water itself feeds into the same catchment as our own chemical-free natural pond.
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A short, flat walk directly from the property — no car required
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Best explored early morning or late afternoon, when wildlife is most active
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Part of the same waterway system that feeds our on-site natural pond
03 — A subtropical rainforest soundtrack
Bird Watching
The Byron Bay hinterland is one of the richest birdwatching regions in NSW — the subtropical rainforest remnants around Burringbar sit within the same habitat corridor as the Big Scrub, once Australia's largest subtropical rainforest.
Kookaburras are the regulars you'll hear first, but the wider habitat here is known for rainbow lorikeets, king parrots, green catbirds, noisy pittas, eastern whipbirds and Lewin's honeyeaters — species that draw dedicated birders to this stretch of the Northern Rivers specifically. BirdLife Northern Rivers, the regional branch of BirdLife Australia, runs regular outings not far from here.
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No permit or booking needed — bring binoculars and start walking
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Early morning gives the best activity and the coolest walking conditions
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Sits within the same subtropical rainforest habitat as the Big Scrub
Workshops & events
Learn with us
Seasonal, hands-on sessions led by specialists in land care, regeneration and creative practice.