Why Bangalow is the next celebrity haven after Byron Bay

A quiet village in the hills behind Byron Bay is quickly growing into a buzzing drawcard for tourists and celebrities escaping big city life.

It’s easy to see why celebrities love to live in Bangalow.

The small Byron Shire town is home to just over 2000 people, but its exclusive shops, weekend markets, community events and proximity to beaches without Byron traffic are boosting its popularity.

Located just 14km west of Byron Bay and only 20km from Ballina airport, its proximity to the Pacific Highway makes it a more gentle gateway to the Byron hinterland than Byron itself and a great stop on the way west.

The main, heritage-style street of Bangalow is a bustling centre for tourists and locals.

CoreLogic data shows there were 60 properties sold at Bangalow over the past year, with prices starting from $885,000.

Add celebrities to the mix, giving the place a touch of glamour, and the town’s appeal becomes clear.

Here are some of the celebrities who call Bangalow home.

Kerry O’Brien

Former ABC journalist Kerry O'Brien settled in a secluded property on the edge of Byron and Ballina shires.

The pin up boy of Australian Baby Boomers, award-winning journalist Kerry O’Brien moved to Bangalow just after leaving his role as the ABC’s 7.30 presenter in 2010.

Mr O’Brien has settled in a secluded property on the edge of Byron and Ballina shires outside of Bangalow where he penned his memoir before presenting it to the world in 2018.

He is a regularly seen at a local cafe reading the newspaper and talking to friends and visitors.

He joined the ABC in 1972 as a reporter on the groundbreaking current affairs show This Day Tonight, leaving only briefly to join Ten for its Page One program.

Mr O’Brien won a public vote in 2001 to be named most preferred and most credible journalist in Australia, across all media.

Pete Murray

Singer songwriter Pete Murray has lived in Eureka, Suffolk Park and Newrybar, and being so close to Bangalow, he is always in town for coffee, a bit of exercise or a bit of socialising.

Mr Murray briefly owned a cafe in Byron Bay in 2013, named after his kelpie dog Miss Frankie Brown.

He burst onto the music scene when he debuted his first album Feeler in 2003.

He has had three albums reach number 1 on the Australian charts.

Several of his songs have also reached the top 40 in Australia.

Murray was part of the 2021 cast of SAS Australia.

His latest EP, The Night, was released in March 2021.

Nell Schofield

Actor, curator, presenter and journalist Nell Schofield.

You may remember Nell Schofield from the quintessential Aussie 1981 coming-of-age film Puberty Blues.

She played Debbie Vickers in the unforgettable adaptation of the novel by Gabrielle Carey, directed by Bruce Beresford.

Ms Schofield is also a director and cinematographer (Broke Back Mountain Bikes, 2011).

Born and raised in London, Ms Schofield has been an actor, curator, presenter and journalist.

She produced TED Byron Bay 2021 and has worked as an environmentalist with organisations such as Solar Citizens and The Sunrise Project.

These days Ms Schofield is a radio presenter on local community radio, and she has also curated art exhibitions at Bangalow gallery Nimbella.

Olivia Newton John

Olivia Newton John.

She’s the one that we want.

Ever since opening her award-winning retreat Gaia in Brooklet in 2005, the Australian singer and actor has been a constant presence in Bangalow.

Located only 8km south of the town, it is the first place where international and interstate visitor escape to for an actual latte and some Wi-Fi after days of green tea, massage and meditation.

The Grease star has had many celebrities visit her in the Northern Rivers, with many checking out restaurants in Byron Bay and Ballina.

The four-time Grammy winner bought a property near Alstonville in 1980 that she then turned into a 55-hectare holding, but her connection to Gaia brought her closer to the coast in recent years.

Ms Newton John sold her Alstonville home in 2019 and last month confirmed Gaia (which she co-owned with Gregg Cave) had also been sold to Andrew and Nicole Forrest. 

 Matty J and Laura Byrne

Matty 'J' Johnson and Bachelor winner Laura Byrne have recently bought a home in Bangalow. Picture: Julian Smith

They were the loved-up couple from season 5 of The Bachelor in 2017 but now they are busy Byron Shire parents.

He was a broken-hearted Bachelorette 2016 cast member when he met the jewellery designer.

They were engaged in 2019, created a home together in Bondi, Sydney, and have shared images of their adorable children on social media.

Matty ‘J’ Johnson and Laura Byrne are Bangalow’s newest celebrity residents.

The couple was seen posing for photos outside their new $1.87m home a couple of weeks ago, with their children, Marie-Mae and Lola.

Courtney Adamo

Co-founder of Babyccino Kids and mother of five Courtney Adamo uses the platform to share her family’s adventures.

Lifestyle blogger Courtney Adamo and her husband Michael left London in 2015 and settled in Bangalow after a year travelling the world with their children.

The couple renovated the 120-year-old home and now Mrs Adamo creates community e-courses for women and mothers, while continuing with her parenting blogging.

In 2019, the American-British now-Byron entrepreneur featured in a Vanity Fair piece about “surfing mamas” of Byron Bay, which criticised her and her friends for selling a consumer-free life while using paid sponsored posts and paid collaborations.

She responded to the article a year later, voicing her disappointment about the piece.

Abbie Chatfield

Sexual wellness exponent and social media influencer Abbie Chatfield.

The 26-year old sexual wellness exponent became famous as the runner-up on The Bachelor’s 2019 series.

Ms Chatfield was also the winner of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!

Her social media influencing career has been a success, having built an empire with more than 330,000 followers on Instagram.

She moved from Sydney and spend $1.4 million on a recently built timber cottage just outside Bangalow.

Ms Chatfield told her fans in July that she wanted to leave Sydney for good.

She recently confirmed she is joining the ninth season of reality series Below Deck Australia.

Last September, she received threats after posting a pro-vaccination video.

Ms Chatfield revealed the abuse reminded her of the backlash she received from the public after exiting Matt Agnew’s season of the Bachelor in 2019.

Originally published as Why Bangalow is the next celebrity haven after Byron Bay