Why Byron Bay is the perfect family getaway

Stunning beaches, lush rainforests, amazing surf and it is all on our doorstep — this is the perfect getaway for families.

Elements of Byron, positioned right next to Belongil Beach, is a haven in the middle of rainforest and tea tree creeks, lakes and ponds.

Byron Bay has come a long way from its days as a laid-back hippy haven and alternative beach paradise. It is now multi-million-dollar properties and the stuff of Instagram posts.

But this tourist mecca is also pretty perfect for a family holiday. We did the 766km, nine-hour drive from Sydney (breaking it up with a night at Coffs Harbour and a visit to the Big Banana on the way up) with three children in the back of the car.

They were pretty excited when we eventually rolled into Byron, a small beachside town in the far, northeastern corner of NSW. It has nine beaches including Clarkes Beach, Wategos Beach and the patrolled Main Beach.

We stayed at the idyllic Elements of Byron, which is positioned right next to Belongil Beach. The eco-friendly resort is pretty spectacular as it extends over 50 acres of rainforest and interconnected tea tree creeks, lakes and ponds.

The resort has 202 rooms, including 99 luxury two-bedroom, two-bathroom rainforest villas — featuring timber decks, in-built fireplaces and luxurious veranda bathhouses.

Elements of Byron stretches over 50 acres of rainforest.

We stayed in one of the luxury two-bedroom villas.

The villa has a kitchen and laundry which is handy when travelling as a family.

The luxury villas accommodate a family of five, which was perfect for our stay. They have a full kitchen and laundry facilities and the enclosed deck is great for family dinners after ordering room service. There are also unlimited in-house movies, with a great selection for the kids.

Elements is surprisingly family-friendly for a place so exclusive and luxurious. There are 2km of child-friendly walking trails, a climbing frame, tennis court and outdoor games area — and the biggest hit by far was the infinity lagoon pool. The pool — temperature controlled all year round — has private cabanas and a heated spa. We were able to spend the entire day there, ordering food from Breeze Poolside Bar and Eats.

The resort also has an adult’s only pool surrounded by 20 individual cabanas. We were honestly devastated we couldn’t get there, especially when we clocked the swim up bar — Summer Salt — serving guests drinks.

Travelling with children meant there was less chance to enjoy this incredible bathhouse.

The swimming pool was a huge hit with the kids.

Take me back.

Elements of Byron this year relaunched five new food and beverage outlets. They now offer Modern Australian, Mexican, Japanese fusion and child-friendly options. Nearly all produce is sourced locally, supporting the Byron Bay community.

There are some great activities that can be accessed with Elements — from daily yoga and meditation classes — but nothing compared to discovering Byron Bay on horseback.

My five-year-old daughter, 13-year-old son and I had a one-hour personalised ride through the picturesque rainforest with Zephyr Horse Riding. The staff were incredible with my daughter who was quiet nervous, and led us on a delightful, slow-paced walk through the bush trial. The horses had wonderful temperaments, perfect for first-timers, but there was an option to canter had we felt up to it.

She looked terrified but hasn't stopped talking about her horse Bubba. Picture: Zephyr Horse Riding

There may not be any better way to discover the Byron Bay forest. Picture: Zephyr Horse Riding

The staff at Zephyr Horse Riding were amazing, staying by my daughter’s side the entire time. Picture: Zephyr Horse Riding

There is loads to do in Byron with nine beaches and amazing surf. You can spend some time out on the water, or just watch the sun rise and set from the beach.

There is a great walk from Clarkes Beach up the hill to the Byron Bay Lighthouse and then to the most easterly point of Australia. The loop track is 3.7km. We cheated a little and drove to the top of the hill by the lighthouse — there is limited parking — and then did the walk down to the easterly point and back again. There were a lot of steps (hundreds, in fact) but the kids found it manageable and didn’t complain once.

Stunning.

Another hit with the children was the ride on the two-carriage heritage train, the world’s first solar powered train. It stops at North Beach Station, close to Elements, and was only a 10-minute ride into North Beach.

There are markets if you happen to be in Byron at the weekend, and a visit to The Farm — which is just a five-minute drive away — is a must. It is a working farm and eatery and is just delightful. There is plenty of room for the kids to run and play and lots of cute farm animals. We took the fine-dining option at Three Blue Ducks but you can just grab a plate of pulled pork and slaw at the rustic weekend barbecue. Of course my husband made sure we made it to the Stone & Wood Brewery (apparently they make very good beer). You can book a tour or take part in the brewing experience, which is a full day exclusive immersion for true beer lovers that includes brewing, tasting and education.

Elements of Byron is at Bayshore Drive, Byron Bay. Villas start at $650 per night.

The author was a guest at Elements of Byron