A humble Byron Bay home has sold for above $2 million after 68 years in the same family

A long-time resident who grew up on the main street into Byron Bay, with family connections to Norco and the local meatworks, has sold their childhood home.

Lyle Hambly has sold the Byron Bay home at 54 Shirley St which his family has owned for about 60 years. Picture: Liana Boss

A Byron Bay home that had been in the same family for 68 years has been snapped up for a cool sum.

Lyle Hambly and his sisters have jointly owned the home at 54 Shirley Street, which their parents bought in 1953.

“They moved in just after they got married,” Mr Hambly said.

Mr Hambly’s family was strongly rooted on the Northern Rivers at the time; his grandparents all ended up in Clunes.

Despite fond memories of growing up on the main street into the coastal town, Mr Hambly said it was time for a change.

Lyle Hambly has sold the Byron Bay home at 54 Shirley St which his family has owned for about 60 years. Picture: Liana Boss

And it’s a good time for property owners wanting a change; Byron’s property prices have been through the roof.

Byron Bay was a very different place when the senior Hamblys built their lives there.

“(My dad) worked at Norco for about I think 24 years, then he worked at Walkers (meatworks) for roughly 14,” Mr Hambly said.

He said his father also spent time working at the bowling club, the top pub, was a milkman on the weekend and used to mow lawns for work as well.

“When he was at Norco he used to shovel coal of a night time,” he said.

Lyle Hambly has sold the Byron Bay home at 54 Shirley St which his family has owned for about 60 years. Picture: Liana Boss

“Mum and dad, they were famous for making scones for the Uniting Church.”

He said they were “quiet people”, but even at his mother’s funeral the scones rated a mention.

Mr Hambly said his own working life was in surfboard factories for 20 years, before he moved on to stone fruit farms.

The dominant industries of Byron Bay in 2021 were a far cry from those of years gone by, when whaling was prominent in the town.

COVID aside, the town has been reeling in millions of tourists a year and for Mr Hambly, the popularity and changing tone of the town has contributed to his decision to move south to the quieter coastal town of Iluka.

Lyle Hambly has sold the Byron Bay home at 54 Shirley St which his family has owned for about 60 years. Picture: Liana Boss

Although there’s a delayed settlement in place, Mr Hambly said the home’s asking price was $2.7 to $2.9 million.

“It fell in between that,” he said.

He said the steep growth in house prices in the region was another contributor to the family’s decision to sell now.

“It’s been going stupid,” he said.

“That’s one of the reasons I put it on the market, just because of the big money getting thrown around.

“The time was just right, I think.”

The property was sold by Janice and Neil Cameron of Byron Bay Real Estate Agency.