The Honey Place, Urunga

Sweet nostalgia, great coffee and a giant beehive you can walk through.

If you grew up on the Mid North Coast of NSW, you probably know The Honey Place from highway glimpses and the promise of jars in the back seat on the way home. That was us. Mum would stop on the return leg from Coffs Harbour “for just a minute,” which meant we left with local honey and a car that smelled like warm toast. Fittingly, The Honey Place turned 40 in May 2023 and it is still buzzing along as a proper roadside classic. Yeah, I write like that and I still love it!

Today the big golden beehive still guards the entrance like the world’s happiest portal. Step through and you are greeted by friendly staff, the hum of a working beehive out the back and a small café that punches above its weight for coffee. It is part roadside icon, part living museum, and worth the detour.

What you will find inside

• A café serving genuinely good coffee and sweet treats to match your honey haul

• Shelves of bee-inspired goodies like tea towels, honey dippers, bags and those dangerously giftable bee backpacks

• A history-filled homestead section out the back, with panels and old photos to snoop through

• The star of the show, an active display beehive where you can open the doors and safely watch the bees at work

We visited on a warm spring day and the fern nursery was off limits, but old-timers like us will remember wandering through and buying plants. Either way, the garden corners still add to the charm.

Live hive

This is the bit kids remember. You can see the bees moving through the frames and get a real-world lesson in how nectar becomes honey. It is the perfect size for curious minds and attention spans, and it gives adults an excuse to stand very still and feel oddly calm.

Our bee-nerd haul

James and I (Trent) are unapologetic bee nerds. We love everything bees. We left with:

• Chilli Honey, a first for us and very much our vibe plus 3 more

• Magnets, because how else do you prove you went to an attraction

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• A trio of honey-sparkling drinks for the esky

About those drinks

• Sparkling Honey Nectar Drink. Non-alcoholic, crisp and refreshing. Made with 100 percent Australian honey, no added cane sugar, artificial colours or flavours.

• Sparkling Honey and Ginger. Lightly carbonated with a gingery kick. Also made with 100 percent Australian honey, no added cane sugar, artificial colours or flavours.

• Sparkling Honey and Lemon. Honey-sweet with a citrus lift, fizzy and clean. Same deal on ingredients.

Dog policy

Dogs are not permitted inside which is a bummer but respected, so we tag-teamed the visit. Quick coffee, swap the lead, repeat. The pups were content later at the water’s edge in Urunga.

Make a little day of it

The Honey Place sits about 30 minutes south of Coffs Harbour on the old highway. After your visit, roll into Urunga, grab a pie from the local bakery and head to the riverfront. We sat in the spring sun while the water lapped the treeline and sandy edge. Simple and perfect.

Why you should stop

• Four decades as a Mid North Coast icon
• Real education moment with the display hive
• Local honey to taste and take home
• Strong coffee for the next stretch of road
• A roadside classic with proper heart

Quick tips

• Take turns if you are travelling with dogs
• Snap the beehive entrance on the way in
• Try a few honey varieties before you buy
• Bring a cooler bag if you are continuing your drive

Come in and see the working display beehive and learn how bees do what they do. Taste your way through the range of natural Australian honey, enjoy a locally roasted coffee, chat with the beekeepers and find a gift that will actually get used. Then get your photo in front of the Big Beehive and claim your sweet stop on the way to or from Coffs Harbour.

Where is The Honey Place, Urunga