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

Few regional Aussie beach towns can boast the level of fame of Byron Bay. Blame the Hemsworth effect. Blame Byron Baes. Blame the decades of hippies, top chefs, influencers and celebrities who have put down roots. But this pocket of the NSW North Coast still has a few tricks up its sleeve for first-timers.

The Crystal Guardians in the Byron Bay hinterland are among the tallest crystals in the known world.

It used to smell so bad tourists didn’t want to go there

Before the hippies and surfers discovered Byron Bay in the 1960s and ’70s, it was best known for its abattoir and whaling industry. The meat processing facility operated just north of town at Belongil Beach on and off until the early ’80s, with the smell of the carcasses combined with the boiling blubber of whales in the 1950s and early ’60s putting many tourists off visiting. These days whale watching is a popular winter pastime.

There’s no McDonald’s

Byron Bay is one of the few places left on the planet without a McDonald’s. Locals keen to protect the town’s character fought off an attempt by the multinational to open an outlet there in the 1990s. They also stopped KFC from setting up shop. If you’re really hankering for a Big Mac, you’ll have to drive around half an hour south to Ballina. A few other chains, including Betty’s Burgers, Subway and Guzman y Gomez, have snuck in.

It’s part of a collapsed volcano

The summit track to extinct volcano Wollumbin (Mount Warning) remains closed.Credit: Destination NSW

When walking along the beach in Byron Bay, the jagged outline of Wollumbin (Mount Warning) is a constant fixture on the horizon. The mountain is all that remains of an ancient shield volcano that erupted more than 20 million years ago and sent lava flowing throughout the region, carving out the land. While you used to be able to climb to the summit, it’s been closed as it’s a sacred place for the local Indigenous people.

Everyone wears Birkenstocks

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

Parking can be challenging during the peak school-holiday period.Credit: Destination NSW

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

Crystal Castle, home to giant imported crystals, has become a major hinterland attraction.

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

Strike a pose in a “tentple” at Bamboo Yoga School.Credit: Destination NSW

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

Heavenly hinterland: there’s more to Byron than surf and sand.Credit: Destination NSW

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

Visit a koala at the Wildlife Sanctuary in Knockrow.Credit: Destination NSW

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

Browse boutique retail stores and art at Habitat Collective.Credit: Andy Macpherson

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

The 1949-era heritage carriages have been restored and reimagined.Credit: James Chuang

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

Explore Byron Bay offers bush tucker tours.

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.