Ten hidden Byron Bay highlights that most visitors miss
It’s one of Australia’s most coveted holiday spots, but there’s more to Byron Bay than meets the eye. Check out some of these lesser-known attractions speckled throughout the Byron Shire.
Broken Head Nature Reserve
Whites Beach: well-known to local surfers, but hardly anyone else.Credit: Destination NSW
Looking for a beach away from the crowds? There are not one, not two, but three inviting patches of sand tucked between the rocky headlands of Broken Head Nature Reserve. Located around 10 minutes’ drive south of Byron Bay, the unpatrolled Whites Beach, Brays Beach and Kings Beach (where clothing is considered optional) are well-known to local surfers, but hardly anyone else. Be warned, though, they take a bit of effort to get to, requiring either a long walk or steep climb down a rock staircase. And with extremely limited parking available along Seven Mile Beach Road, it’s best to visit on a weekday, or when the surf is not up.
Brunswick Heads drumming circle
While Byron Bay’s legendary drumming circle has sadly become a thing of the past, the tradition is alive and well in another part of the Shire. Every Sunday afternoon, bohemians gather on the grass between the beach and the surf club at Brunswick Heads to tap their drums and other percussion instruments, as others dance barefoot to the beat. Tightrope walkers, jugglers and baton twirlers are often along for the ride, with fire twirlers lighting up the sky when darkness descends.
Spotting platypus
Can you spot the platy?Credit: iStock
The creeks around Byron Bay are home to countless platypus, but you need to know where to go. Bangalow Weir Parklands and Rocky Creek Dam are among the best places to spot them. Sign up to the Australian Conservation Foundation’s Platy-Project to see where they hang out, or book a tour with eco-operator Vision Walks, who will pick you up from your hotel at the crack of dawn and take you to a secret hinterland location. While sightings aren’t guaranteed, you usually spot one or two, and if you don’t you can go again for free. See visionwalks.com.au
Julian Rocks Nguthungulli Nature Reserve
Julian Rocks is a diving dream.Credit: Destination NSW
There’s no doubt Byron Bay is famous for its beautiful beaches, but it’s not as recognised for diving and snorkelling. However the water around the rocky outcrop you see from Main Beach, Julian Rocks Nguthungulli Nature Reserve, is home to an array of marine life. Manta rays, leopard sharks, grey nurse sharks and sea turtles are among the creatures attracted to the site. Get amongst it by booking a tour with Wild Byron Sea Safaris from Brunswick Heads or Byron Bay Dive Centre. See wildbyron.com.au
Ti-Tree Lake Aboriginal Area
A place of spiritual and cultural significance for the Arakwal people, this large lake can be surprisingly hard to find. The easiest way to access it by following an inlet at the southern end of Tallow Beach at Suffolk Park, less than 10 minutes’ drive south of Byron. Follow the white sand track around the circumference to find your preferred picnic spot or place to cool off. If you see other people, try to give them a wide berth, as some locals prefer to swim au naturel here. See nationalparks.nsw.gov.au
Minyon Falls
Sheer power: Minyon Falls is epic in size.Credit: Tourism Australia
Created during a volcanic eruption more than 20 million years ago, this powerful waterfall in Nightcap National Park is the largest in the region. Water from Repentance Creek plunges down the rhyolite cliff for more than 100 metres and pools in the gorge below. It’s a refreshing place for a dip on a hot day, with sensational views from the lookout at the top. Around 45 minutes’ drive from Byron Bay, there’s not much else around, so pack lunch to enjoy at one of the picnic tables at the base. See discoverballina.com.au
Christmas Beach
“How do you get there?” is a question you’ll often hear while lying on Torakina Beach in Brunswick Heads, as visitors gaze longingly towards the small stretch of sand on the northern side of the Brunswick River. Basically, you drive through suburbia from Ocean Shores to New Brighton, park your car, then walk along the leaf-littered track to Christmas Beach, part of Brunswick Heads Nature Reserve. Also known as Harry’s Hill Beach after a man who once ran a ferry service across the river, it offers a magical view back towards the volcanic peaks of the hinterland as you lie back floating in the water. See visitnsw.com
Billinudgel Hotel
The sprawling beer garden at Billinudgel Hotel is a local hit.
Sure the Eltham Hotel, Beach Hotel Byron Bay and Hotel Brunswick are all great Aussie pubs, but the family-run Billinudgel Hotel offers a truly authentic experience for people looking for something a bit more under the radar. Don’t be fooled by the 1890s building’s modest exterior – venture out the back and you’ll find a huge beer garden and rustic shed, with a food truck on the weekends and friendly locals at the front bar ready to have a joke and a yarn. It’s also known for its Nudge Nudge Wink Wink dance parties, held on the first Saturday of every month. See billinudgelhotel.com.au
Killen Falls
Swap the surf for a dip at Killen Falls.Credit: Destination NSW
Set amidst a lush rainforest, Killen Falls is a favoured swimming spot for locals on days when it’s too rough or windy for the beach. Water from Emigrant Creek Dam, around half an hour’s drive south-west of Byron Bay at Tintenbar, trickles along the rocky creek before thundering over an escarpment and forming a large pool. It’s an at times steep one-kilometre return walk to get there and can be slippery after rain. Once you arrive, there’s a large cave to explore and you might even come across a turtle cruising nearby. See discoverballina.com.au
Woods
The former hardware store has been transformed into a charming, weatherboard cafe.
Hidden away in the arts precinct behind Bangalow’s main street, it’s little wonder most visitors trawling the town’s upmarket boutiques and galleries miss this delightful cafe. Line up at the counter in the cute weatherboard building, which formerly housed a hardware store, and order a smoothie, coffee or kombucha to wash down your bircher bowl or ‘Green Eggs and Ham’. Then settle in at a table on the verandah or in the shade under a sprawling panama tree in the courtyard. See woodsbangalow.com.au
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