The Byron Bay Shire is the most easterly point on Australia’s mainland. There are several small towns and villages in the shire which together make up a population of 31,000. However, most roads lead to Byron Bay which is the largest town in the area, and this particular place attracts over one and a half million visitors each year. Byron Bay is Australia’s third most popular tourist destination.
Byron Bay is 180 kilometres south of Brisbane (just over 2 hours drive, or 45 minutes drive from the Gold Coast) and 800 kilometres north of Sydney. Daily coaches and trains run from Brisbane, Sydney and Melbourne (transfer at Casino if catching the train). Coach transfers to Byron also connect flights from Ballina or the Gold Coast airports.
Byron Bay is known for its relaxed and alternative lifestyle. 30% of residents live in rural areas, many earning a living from home based businesses such as production of arts and crafts, or tropical fruit farms, macadamia farms, vegetable crops or sugar cane crops. Many artists, actors, writers, musicians and film makers make Byron their home, making it rich in culture and character. The main street in Byron Bay town is Jonson Street, this leads into Bangalow Road and these two streets are a jostling centre of small shops (surf shops a speciality) cafes, restaurants and places to stay. The place is always a buzz of activity, with an easygoing and carefree feel.
A significant piece of the Byron Landscape is Cape Byron Lighthouse. Its beacon twinkles at night and in the daytime it is the background to the floating hang – gliders who catch the air currents off of the cape if the wind is in the right direction. Visitors often have the treat of watching the dolphins play in the sea just off of shore; or witness the humpback whales passing by as they travel north in July and August and return in September or October. In the average winter temperatures of 22 degrees, and summer temperatures of around 27 degrees Centigrade, it is fun to stroll along the beach or sit and watch the surfers take on the waves. Cape Byron walking track opens out all of the ocean views before your eyes. Or many bush walking tracks, some through sup-tropical rainforest, are marked out in the National Parks in the Hinterland. Byron Bay also has brilliant markets where much of the locally produced merchandise is for sale. Byron Bay is a great place just to ‘hang out’.
Byron Bay is green, is gold, is soaked in blue and is fun.
Byron Bay Travel Information
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News
- Splendour in the Grass returning home to Byron Bay
- Splendour moves back to Byron Bay
- Splendour in the Grass festival 'to return to Byron Bay in 2012'
- Byron Bay's waves of relaxation
- Splendour In The Grass back in Byron
- Splendour returns to Byron
- Local News: Splendour In The Grass moves back to Byron; announces 2012 dates
Facts
Current Weather:
Partly Cloudy, 22 C
Weather Forecast:
Sun - PM Thunderstorms. High: 28 Low: 20
Mon - Thunderstorms. High: 27 Low: 19
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