When chef and co-owner of Three Blue Ducks Darren Robertson first saw The Lodge in Bellingen, he knew the Mid North Coast venue would be a good fit for the brand.

This week, the long-awaited opening date of July 13 was confirmed by the hospitality group in The Lodge, a luxury destination venue located halfway between Coffs Harbour and Nambucca Heads.

“Bellingen is only two and a half hours from where most of us are located. We regularly do the road trip from Byron to Sydney and Bello is a location that has caught our eye. It makes sense geographically. It’s the perfect place to pull up,” Robertson says.

“Why Bellingen? It reminds me a bit of Bangalow back in the day. If you look at all the places where our restaurants are located, you’ll see that they are fun places we want to spend time in. Bellingen ticks those boxes, too. It’s a cool place,” he says.

Robertson says he is looking forward to bringing local producers onboard and showcasing the bounty of the Mid North Coast when the eatery opens over the next few months. He says the restaurant will follow the same food philosophy that underpins the group’s dining venues in Byron Bay, Rosebery, Brisbane, Melbourne and Nimbo. That is, to cook simple, honest food that is ‘ethically
sourced and tastes amazing’. The beverage list at Three Blue Ducks at The Lodge will also be well-thought-out with a list of local NSW wines and beers, as well as coffee from Single O.

“It’s a very ducky thing to utilise ingredients from the area and then to draw on influences from around the world. We’ve always cooked with Asian influences, and we are interested in introducing a bit of spice and Sri Lankan and Indonesian flavours to the menu, too. We want to cook great food that has inspired us on our travels and draw on techniques we’ve learned in French, Australian, UK and Japanese kitchens,” he says.

The team behind the Three Blue Ducks started with three mates (Mark Le Brooy, Chris Sorrell and Sam Reid-Boquist) and became six when Darren Robertson, Jeff Bennett and Andy Allen came onboard.

The Lodge is set across six hectares of crayon-green gardens and bookended by Bellingen’s rainforest and surf beaches.

“It’s very boutique. It has rolling hills, alpacas, and an outdoor dining area that overlooks Dorrigo Mountain. It’s peaceful. We want to create something that is interesting for locals for those passing through on road trips and for destination weddings and events,” he says.

Three Blue Ducks will open at 1381 Waterfall Way, Bellingen on July 13, 2023 for dinner on Monday and Thursday, lunch and dinner Friday to Sunday along with a breakfast service from 8-10:30am Saturday and Sunday. For more information, head to threeblueducks.com.