Twenty things that will surprise first-time visitors to Byron Bay

As the next best thing to being barefoot, Birkenstocks are de rigueur in these parts. Step onto the beach and you’ll see the comfortable cork sandals lined up in the sand; go to a yoga class and they’ll be in a row at the door. If you want to look the part, there are plenty of local places to purchase a pair, including Barefoot Blvd, Cobblers at Byron, Platypus Shoes and Sole Bros.

Traffic jams

When you go to a regional area it’s not unreasonable to expect a slower, less stressful pace of life. Unfortunately, that’s not always the case on the roads in Byron Bay, especially during school holidays. During peak season, it’s not unusual to encounter bumper-to-bumper traffic on the road from the motorway into town. Finding a parking spot can also be as elusive as it is in Bondi or St Kilda in summer.

The hippies have been priced out of town

Byron Bay has long been known as a hippies’ paradise, with proponents of the counterculture and alternative lifestyle movement settling in the area around the time of the 1973 Aquarius Festival in the hinterland town of Nimbin. But house prices and rents have soared in recent years, partly as a result of Sydneysiders and Melburnians escaping COVID-19 lockdowns. Sadly, most of the hippies have moved inland to Mullumbimby and beyond.

It’s home to some of the world’s tallest crystals… from Uruguay

If amethysts and agates are your thing, Crystal Castle and Shambhala Gardens has you sorted. The hinterland attraction has two five-metre-high geodes (hollow rocks lined with crystals) on display. Known as the Crystal Guardians, they were imported from Uruguay alongside a crystal cave nicknamed the Dragon Egg that you can climb into for a selfie. You can also get a photo of your aura taken while you’re there.

The number of places you can do yoga

Yogis abound in Byron Bay, with more than a dozen yoga schools, private studios, retreats, gyms and teacher training schools offering the chance to chant “om” and do the downward dog – not to mention instructors who will come to your hotel or holiday rental for a one-on-one class. You can do shakti shaking with Red Tent Yoga, bikram yoga at Heat, and vinyasa, yin and hatha in a large “tentple” at Bamboo Yoga School Byron Bay. Byron Yoga Retreat Centre offers free classes taught by trainee teachers.

It’s really dog-friendly

People like to take their pooches with them just about everywhere in Byron. Dogs are allowed to run around off-leash at Belongil Beach South, just north of Main Beach, and at Tallow Beach at Suffolk Park. There are also loads of dog-friendly cafes and restaurants. Canine companions can be seen lazing on the deck of bohemian-style eatery Treehouse, The Byron Bay General Store and Bayleaf Cafe where staff keep a bag of treats on hand.

The hinterland is just as beautiful as the coast

While it’s fair to say most people are attracted to Byron Bay for its beaches, once you’re there you discover the hinterland is just as beautiful. Do yourself a favour and take a drive west to take in the lush scenery, check out the farmer’s markets in towns like Bangalow and Mullumbimby, and hike to waterfalls such as Minyon Falls and Killen Falls. There are also some great restaurants hidden in these hills, including Federal Doma Cafe, Frida’s Field and The Hut.

How many cool things there are for kids

Perhaps it’s due to the abundance of space, but children are particularly well catered for in the Byron Shire. Harvest at Newrybar has a cubby house ‘mini village’ where kids can play as their parents eat, while The Farm also has a playground. There’s a circus school with an indoor climbing wall and play space that’s great for rainy days, a fairy trail at Brunswick Heads and a fire engine playground at Suffolk Park.

The number of quality restaurants

There are so many acclaimed restaurants in these parts, the hardest thing for foodies is deciding which ones to visit this trip and which to save for next time. Top chefs have descended on the region in droves, citing the proximity to quality produce and their ability to engage directly with farmers and producers as their main motive. Livi in Murwillumbah and Raes on Wategos in Byron Bay are among the most highly regarded.

The wildlife

As well as whales passing by on their annual migration, a resident pod of dolphins can regularly be seen frolicking in the waves off the coast. It’s not uncommon to spot a koala snoozing in a gum tree at The Pass, while platypus reside in several hinterland creeks. If you want to see native animals in the wild, book a Vision Walks Eco-Tour, otherwise you can see them at Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary (formerly Macadamia Castle) at Knockrow.

How healthy it is

If you’re craving a Coca-Cola or a skim-milk cap, you could well find yourself out of luck. A lot of small business owners in the area won’t even tarnish their kombucha-laden fridges with sugary, caffeinated soft drinks. And while city slickers might think they are doing the right thing by choosing non-fat milk, it’s shunned in many cafes because it has more of the sweet stuff than full cream milk.

Potholes

The potholes in Byron Bay are so bad there’s even a Facebook page dedicated to them. The issue was exacerbated by the 2022 floods, which severely damaged roads across the region. Byron Shire Council does its best to repair them, but every time it rains, they just seem to appear again. Be prepared to run the gauntlet when you’re out and about exploring.

Its industrial estate is awesome

Want to know where the coolest of the cool people hang out? Head about a kilometre north of town to the Byron Arts and Industry Estate. Browse the luxury boutiques and art galleries at Habitat – a development within a development – before ordering an acai smoothie and some organic sourdough from super cute cafe Folk, or sipping a pale ale in the beer garden at Stone and Wood’s flagship brewery.

Locals love linen

Denizens will argue that the tropical climate makes it essential to wear the breathable fabric. It also appeals to the environmentally conscious folk that inhabit the region because it’s made from flax plants, which can grow without pesticides or fertiliser, and it’s biodegradable. Just don’t look at the price tag when shopping in boutiques like Dreamers and Drifters and Bell and Ford.

It’s home to the world’s first solar train

A year after opening Elements of Byron resort north of town in 2016, former coal mining magnate Brian Flannery and his wife Peggy launched the world’s first solar train to make it easy for guests to get into Byron and back. It’s a pleasant 10-minute journey between the town centre and North Beach Station, which provides access to North Byron Hotel and the Byron Arts and Industry Estate, on the restored 1949-era two-carriage heritage train.

The number of homeless people

There are more homeless people in Byron Bay than there are in Sydney’s CBD, according to the NSW Government 2023 Street Count. Some camp in the sand dunes, others sleep in bushland and parks, and countless more live out of their cars. Fletcher Street Cottage opened in 2022 to provide food, showers and washing machines for those in need, with the help of a hefty donation from local Chris Hemsworth and his wife Elsa Pataky.

Its Indigenous history

Before European settlement, the Arakwal-Bundjalung people lived in the Byron Bay region for more than 20,000 years. The area’s Indigenous history went largely unrecognised until a group of Aunties made the first Native Title application on behalf of their people in 1994. There’s a cafe named after them at Broken Head, with Arakwal-Bundjalung woman Delta Kay from Explore Byron Bay also offering tours sharing her knowledge of bush tucker, natural medicine and traditional culture.