WORK FROM... ANYWHERE

Sure, working from home has its perks, but somewhere between the silence and the same four walls, it can start to feel a little isolating. Throw in some patchy wifi (the Northern Rivers is notorious for it) and a looming washing pile and it's time to get out of the house.

If you're a freelancer or remote worker craving a change of scenery, a friendly face, the bonus of a decent coffee, and a background buzz that gives you an energy boost, we've done the legwork. From laptop-friendly cafes to dedicated co-working spaces, here are our favourite spots to get out of the house, plugged in, and working alongside good company.

LAPTOP, LONG BLACK, REPEAT

The cafes doing double duty as your unofficial office

WOODS | BANGALOW

Tucked off the main street in Bangalow’s beautiful Lumber Yard precinct, Woods has become a favourite laptop base for the freelance crowd, and it’s easy to see why. The alfresco setting gives you that sweet spot of natural light and fresh air without the midday glare, and the friendly service and excellent coffee make it easy to settle in for a solid morning of work. Reliable wifi keeps the day flowing, while Chef Sam’s dishes are built around health and wellbeing — seasonal flavours, plenty of locally grown produce, and plates that feel wholesome without slowing you down. Breakfast into lunch is their rhythm, which suits freelance life perfectly: start early, settle in, and let a “taste bomb” of something fresh carry you through the 11am slump.

If you’re planning a meeting, workshop or business lunch away from the cafe, Woods also offers offsite catering, curating thoughtful, produce-driven menus for special events and corporate gatherings.

Open 7 days, 7.30am-2.30pm | @woodsbangalow

THE FARM | BYRON BAY

A workday with 80 acres of room to breathe. The fresh country air at The Farm makes remote work feel like less of a chore. Settle in amongst the gardens of a working farm, where chickens cluck, birds chatter and the breeze moves through the trees, with farmers tending the land and animals grazing in the paddocks nearby. Free Wifi keeps the work moving, while good coffee, breakfast and pastries from the Three Blue Ducks have you covered for fuelling up along the way. Between work, wander through the macadamia orchard, see what's growing in the fields or grab a gelato, and let the day roll naturally into lunch. Bringing the team? There are also spaces available for meetings, workshops and off-sites. Just off the highway in Ewingsdale, it's easy to reach but feels a world away from four walls. Open-air, laid-back and wonderfully rural, The Farm turns your admin session into a mini retreat.

Open 7 days | thefarm.com.au

CABA SOCIAL | CABARITA BEACH

Adopted as Cabarita's unofficial living room, Caba Social makes it easy to set up for an hour or so undisturbed. Set on the main street of Cabarita Beach, this family-owned favourite has a nothing-is-rushed sensibility, with staff happy to greet you and take your order while you tap out emails over a chai or smoothie. The food does the

heavy lifting too: baked treats and nourishing plates that change with the seasons mean you're never stuck for a coffee-break snack or an easy lunch. Owners Liv and Andy have built a warm, community-embedded space with an easy energy that makes hours disappear at a corner table. Open every day of the week, it quickly becomes your regular, and the perfect solution when you need company and a friendly face along with getting out of the house.

Open 7 days | @cabasocial

GEORGE'S DELI | KINGSCLIFF

You won't find a better view for your inbox than at George's Deli, planted directly across from Kingscliff Beach. Run by owners Johnny and Jerrika, the menu is a joyful mash-up of Filipino flavours and classic American deli, think homemade pastrami Reubens, loaded toasties, and doughnuts filled with ube. It's a spot built for a working breakfast or a lunchtime client catch-up, with everything sourced locally and made fresh in-house so the food is never an afterthought, whether you're ducking in for a flat white or settling in for longer. The welcome is warm and unhurried, making solo laptop sessions feel like less of a chore. It's casual, colourful, and proof a change of scenery doesn't need to be complicated, with the beach right there when you need a reset. Drop in, say g'day, and let the ocean fuel your creative inspiration for the day.

Mon-Thu 7am-2pm, Fri-Sun 7am-2.30pm | @georges.kingscliff

DAYO | TWEED HEADS

Need an instant mood lift for a Monday morning? Sitting right on the Tweed River, Dayo is easily the most photogenic office you'll ever clock into. Owned by the same family behind George's Deli, this bright, roomy riverside spot is built for spreading out with a laptop, hosting a working lunch, or having a proper meeting without feeling like you're crashing someone's brunch date. Picnic tables by the water, a sun-soaked balcony, and a leafy courtyard under jacarandas mean there's a setting to suit any work mood. The food is a colourful celebration of Filipino heritage, fresh local produce, and playful twists. Highlights include a spicy Longganisa scramble, K-POP chicken waffles, and strawberry-matcha French toast, alongside a lineup of Instagram-ready drinks, from iced matcha to the signature ube latte. Add strong Ground Control coffee and a warm welcome, and Dayo turns even the driest Monday admin session into something worth looking forward to.

Open 7 days, 7am-2pm | @dayo.tweed

POTTSVILLE TAVERN | POTTSVILLE

Okay, bear with us: we know a tavern isn't the obvious pick for a workday, but after its fresh refurb, Pottsville Tavern has become one of our go-to spots for getting things done. High-speed wifi and a quiet mid-week corner mean you can settle in properly, and the comfy chairs make it easy to forget you're discussing KPIs and budgets. It's spacious enough to take a client call without hovering over someone else's table, and the food and drink menu means you're never far from a decent coffee or a proper lunch if the meeting runs long. And, honestly, a Friday afternoon glass of wine is as good an incentive as any to power through the last stretch of the week. We've tried it ourselves: it's an easy, unexpected locale for work and play.

Open 7 days, 10am-10pm | pottsvilletavern.com.au

THE CO-WORKING CREW

When a corner table won't cut it: dedicated desks, room for a client call, decent wifi, and people who aren't your cat.

YOUR SPACE | TWEED HEADS

Set on Wharf Street in the heart of Tweed Heads, Your Space is proof a boutique co-working set-up can still punch well above its weight. Full members get business-grade NBN, 24/7 access, in-house IT support, work lockers and a fully equipped kitchen, complete with fridge, freezer, oven and dishwasher, stocked with complimentary tea and coffee, plus free use of the meeting rooms when they're not booked. The boardroom, Alexandria, seats up to 12 with full plug-and-play AV for client presentations, while the smaller breakout room, Florence, suits quieter calls or meetings for up to six. There's also a private outdoor garden for taking calls away from the desk, and a relaxed breakout lounge when you need a change of scene. Only five minutes from the beach and close to Gold Coast Airport, it's a straightforward, well-equipped option for anyone after an office setup without signing on for the long haul.

your-space.net.au

FLEKS WORKSPACES | BURLEIGH HEADS

Tucked in the heart of Burleigh Heads, Fleks Workspaces proves a great place to work doesn't have to mean the kitchen table or a soulless corporate tower. Boutique in scale and personally run by owner Nikol, it's built for freelancers, remote workers and growing businesses after somewhere better to plug in. The flexibility is the drawcard: drop in for a casual hot desk, settle into a dedicated desk, or take a private office as your team grows, with the meeting room and boardroom available by the hour if you need to impress a client. Members get fast wifi, free on-site parking, 24/7 access and great coffee, alongside a close-knit community of Gold Coast professionals with regular networking and social events. For home-based businesses, a virtual office membership adds a prestigious Burleigh address with mail handling included. Owner-operated and endlessly welcoming, Fleks is where work actually gets easier.

fleks.com.au