WHERE CLAY MEETS COUNTRY

THE NORTH COAST MUD TRAIL

This August, the North Coast Mud Trail returns for its 14th year, expanding into a four-day journey through ceramics, creativity and connection across the Northern Rivers on Bunjalung Country (Byron, Ballina and Lismore Shires).

Known for its open studio weekend, the Mud Trail now extends beyond its traditional format, with two additional days of hands-on workshops on Friday and Monday. The expanded program offers a more immersive way to engage with the region’s ceramic community — moving between observing, participating and collecting.

Across the weekend, the open studio Trail opens the doors to 35 ceramic artists across 26 studios, from hinterland workshops nestled in rural landscapes to coastal studios shaped by light and space. Visitors are invited into working environments where clay is shaped, fired and reimagined.

The North Coast Mud Trail offers a rare insight into process as much as outcome — with wood-fired kilns, sculptural experimentation, functional ware and live demonstrations unfolding across the weekend. Works are available directly from artists, creating a direct connection between maker and audience.

The workshop program adds a more intimate dimension, with small-group sessions led by practising ceramic artists. Techniques include wheel throwing, hand-building, surface decoration and alternative firing methods, offering a hands-on way to engage with clay in a studio setting.

More than an event, the Mud Trail traces a path through the Northern Rivers itself — where country roads, studios and landscapes shape the experience as much as the work on display.

www.northcoastceramics.com.