Ballina: Richmond River sunset cruise with guide & drinks

4.95

(19 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

“You never know what you’ll spot out here — dolphins if we’re lucky, or maybe just old Mick fishing for dinner,” our guide grinned as he helped us onto the boat at Lance Ferris Wharf. The sun wasn’t quite down yet, but the light was already soft and gold, making the water look almost syrupy. I’d never been to Ballina before — Byron Bay gets all the attention — so this felt like a bit of a secret, even though there were a few other folks waiting with us. Someone’s kid kept asking about crocodiles (nope), which made everyone laugh.

The Richmond River is quieter than I expected. You can hear birds in the mangroves — not just see them, but actually hear their wings when they take off. Our marine biologist guide pointed out some rare ones (I forgot the names, honestly), and explained how the creeks branch off around Ballina Island. There was this moment when we drifted close to the bank and I caught that earthy smell from the mud and leaves — it reminded me of camping as a kid. The snacks came out just after that: gluten-free muffins (surprisingly good) and these coconut cocoa things that stuck to my fingers.

I didn’t expect to learn much on a sunset river cruise near Byron Bay, but our guide slipped in bits of local history between jokes about pelicans stealing bait. At one point he handed me binoculars to spot something — turned out to be a dolphin fin slicing through the water. Not sure who was more excited, me or the little kid from earlier. The sun finally dipped behind the trees and everything went kind of quiet except for clinking glasses and someone humming softly near the front.

We headed back as dusk settled in, lights flickering on along Ballina’s shore. It felt like we’d been gone longer than two hours — in a good way. I still think about that view across the river, all orange and purple, and how easy it was to just sit back with a drink and let someone else steer for once.