The Northern Rivers Region is located in north-eastern New South Wales., encompassing the seven local government areas of Ballina Shire, Byron Shire, the Clarence Valley Council area, the Kyogle Council area, Lismore City, the Richmond Valley Council area and Tweed Shire. The Region encompasses a total land area of 20,700 square kilometres, including national parks, nature reserves, rainforests, beaches and coastline. The Northern Rivers Region is a rural, rural-residential and residential area, with some commercial and industrial land use in townships. Regional centres are located at Ballina, Grafton, Lismore and Tweed Heads, with small towns at Alstonville, Bangalow, Bogangar, Brunswick Heads, Byron Bay, Casino, Evans Head, Iluka, Kingscliff, Kyogle, Lennox Head, Maclean, Mullumbimby, Murwillumbah, Nimbin, Ocean Shores, Pottsville, Suffolk Park, Wollongbar and Yamba, and many small villages and hamlets. Rural land is used largely for dairy and beef farming, timber production and crop, fruit, nut, coffee and sugar cane growing. Fishing and tourism are also important industries.

NOTE: The land use shown in the map is derived from ABS Mesh Block categories. Mesh Blocks broadly identify land use and are not designed to provide definitive land use. It is purely an indicator of the main planned land use for a Mesh Blocks. For more information please refer to ABS Mesh Block categories.