Beautiful Ballina is located in the Northern Rivers region of New south Wales, at the mouth of the Richmond River. It's close to Byron Bay, just 37km. When looking for cheap flights to Ballina, bear in mind the name of the airport you'll be landing at - Ballina/Byron Gateway Airport.
This part of New South Wales is known for its pristine beaches and its fantastic local produce that you can sample in any of the restaurants in Ballina.
The Ballina Naval and Maritime Museum on Regatta Avenue tells the story of this region and contains the original Las Balsas raft and the largest collection of Naval and Merchant Ships in Australia.
It really is best to be outside on the water though. Cruise along the Richmond River, kayak through the wetlands of North Creek or take a whale-watching trip from any of the coastal headlands. There's also good fishing to be had at Flat Rock and Angels Beach.
If you catch your own lunch you can find barbecue and picnic facilities along the waterfront. There's 25kms of cycleways and paths along which you can work it all off afterwards.