Sun-kissed days, glorious beaches, friendly, free-spirited locals, and a perennial summer ambience — Australia’s Byron Bay offers a holiday haven for both the A-list and mere mortals like me.
Positioned on Australia’s northern New South Wales coast, the idyllic town of Byron Bay has long been a destination for surfers, hippies and in-the-know holidaymakers in search of sun, sand and serenity.
However, these days the formerly sleepy collection of beach towns and cute hinterland villages is now a firm fixture on the international tourism map and many cite one man as the reason for Byron’s fame: Chris Hemsworth.
And while Chris is top of mind when it comes to A-listers who have opted to bliss out in Byron, there are plenty of others, in fact he’s just one of a growing list of celebrities taking up residence in the area.
The late Olivia Newton-John started the trend some 40 years when she brought a sprawling farm in the area, Natalie Imbruglia more recently was reported to have forked out $1.3 million for property in the Byron hinterland, and the area has wowed other Hollywood dwellers too with both Zac Efron and Matt Damon supposedly eyeing ups their very own Byron bolt holes.
But then, given the area’s stunning scenery, its year-round tropical climate, and a foodie scene that would put any global capital to shame, is it really that surprising that there’s A-list appeal? And thankfully, for those of us who don’t regularly grace the red carpet, a Hollywood-sized pay packet isn’t a prerequisite to getting some Byron bliss…
Be a beach bum
Centre stage of Byron’s is its beaches. In fact, there’s more than 25 miles of stretches of sand to choose from.
And the beach at Lennox Head is a great place to start. A National Surfing Reserve since 2007, the beach is home to one of the country’s most famous breaks. It also happens to be the next beach along from where a certain Aussie megastar has a sprawling mansion. Yep, Mr Thor himself. And given his passion for surfing, there’s a good chance you could be sharing a wave with the Hollywood megastar whenever he’s in town.
With a location directly opposite the beach, Shelter is your port of call for a slap-up breakfast or lunch. Celebrating the best of Byron’s local farmers, growers and artisans (the area is regarded as one of the country’s best food bowls with a bounty of amazing produce and producers), Shelter offers a menu of drool-worthy dishes where the ingredients are the star.
In keeping with the town’s alternative ethos, expect yummy superfood-packed salads, locally produced kombucha and locally roasted coffee, and dishes that easily rival the best eateries in London.
Handily for beach bums and surf hounds, Shelter also offers accommodation on its upper floors — rental accommodation with jaw-dropping ocean views, which means you can wake with a sunrise over a glistening ocean. How’s that for morning glory?
A gourmet getaway
Speaking of tasty eats, the entire Byron area (which collectively is known as the Northern Rivers) punches well above its weight in the culinary stakes.
Fast-becoming one of the most exciting foodie destinations in Australia, the wealth of amazing local produce here, coupled with a proximity to the ocean, and a burgeoning population of top-tier chefs, means that you’ll eat well from morning to night.
A short ride from Byron town, Harvest Newrybar is a destination in itself. For more than 15 years the husband and wife duo behind the original cafe have worked tirelessly to put the tiny historical township of Newrybar on the map with their ever-expanding venue.
Spread across a restaurant, historic bakery, and deli, a long lunch or dinner on their open verandah is an experience that will linger for years to come. Dishes, using native ingredients, include white anchovy, crostini, olive, parmesan crisp and crab spaghetti, soffritto, parsley.
It’s also a local hangout for another member of the Hemsworth clan — Hunger Games star, Liam, forked out $6.8million for a property in the same small town back in 2020, and is regularly spotted here, often with his family in tow.
Another long lunch staple is Raes on Wategos. A favourite with locals and visitors alike (partly due to its stunning location right next to the sand of Wategos Beach). Raes Dining Room serves up Mediterranean-inspired dishes in three-course or full-blown degustation menus.
To experience some of the area’s culinary gems without doing the legwork, join a Kiff and Kulture Byron Bay Foodie Tour.
Formed by three school friends, this new bespoke experience takes guests through the green rolling hills, fertile farmlands and eclectic hinterland towns to experience the local food scene at the source. Guided by local knowledge, regulars on their tailored itineraries include a crop to cup tour of Zentvelds Coffee Plantation and tastings at the family-run Cape Byron Distillery.
Come night-time, make a beeline for Byron Bay’s newest dining precinct — one that would give any big city a run for its money — on Johnson Street where standout venues include the likes of all-day Italian eatery, Pixie Food and Wine, and Parisian-inspired, natural wine-focused bar and restaurant, Bar Heather, which just nabbed the ‘2024 New Regional Restaurant of the Year’ gong.
For a meal that pairs a cultural immersion with a culinary one, book a table at the First Nations owned, Karkalla Byron Bay where a native-inspired menu features locally foraged succulents, flowers, herbs and other regional produce that pays tribute to the area’s 50,000 or so years worth of Indigenous history.
Hit the hinterland
After feeding the body, it’s time to feed the soul. Byron Shire’s reputation for wellness has endured for decades and there’s a trove of options for every taste, from meditation and yoga retreats, to shamanic drumming workshops and ecstatic dancing classes. It’s no coincidence that this alternative healing centre was chosen as the filming location for Nicole Kidman’s Nine Perfect Strangers TV series.
Crystal Castle is the embodiment of this Age of Aquarius sentiment. The result of one man’s lifetime passion for crystals, the attraction is a huge expanse of breathtaking gardens filled with towering Balinese statues and a collection of the biggest crystals in the entire world.
A hinterland highlight is the small town of Mullumbimby where Byron’s hippies of old decamped in search of a quieter pace and cheaper rents.
While in Mullum (that’s local speak for ‘Mullumbimby’) you can’t skip a soak at Kiva Spa. Hidden down a laneway, this literal oasis is a compact spa retreat of outdoor bubbling hot tubs, cold plunge pools, a Hammam-style steam room, and a wood-fired sauna.
There’s a range of massage options here, too. But for a spa experience that’s truly out of this world, head to Mullum’s recently opened The Banya.
Part bathhouse, part restaurant, part bar, part sauna – the multi-million development comprises a literal oasis of outdoor bubbling hot mineral pools tubs, lap pool, cold plunge pools, Hammam-style steam room, and a beautiful wood-fired sauna, which combined makes for a blissful few hours.
There’s also an array of treatment options, a slick rooftop bar, and in-house restaurant, all designed to make for an indulgent morning or afternoon post-pampering.
Mullum also offers fab foodie fare with the likes of Ya Man Mullumbimby serving up a taste of Yemen and the Middle East in regional Australia, and Pink Lotus Eatery doing the same with a menu of Vietnamese delights that easily rival anything you’d eat in downtown Saigon.
Afterwards, wet your whistle at small-batch craft beer brewery, Wandana Brewing Co, where dedicated brewers uniquely ferment their creations to the sweet vibrations of music. Yep, you read correctly, the brewers actually play music 24/7 to the beer as it ferments in its tank.
Slumber in style
When it comes to world class accommodation options, Byron Shire punches well above its small town weight.
For a resort-style option, the family-friendly Elements of Byron boasts a beachfront location and several pristine pools, both flanked by fire pits and swim-up bars.
For a city-slicker 5-star option, Hotel Marvell is on hand. The newest hotel in Byron Bay, this chic boutique check-in opened in early 2023 and brought with it the town’s first rooftop bar and pool.
In Mullumbimby Blackbird Byron is a design-lover’s dream. Set high in the hinterland, guests can take in spectacular views to Cape Byron and the gleaming Pacific Ocean beyond from the private decks of one of the trio of self-contained villas, or from the communal infinity magnesium mineral infinity pool.
These expansive views across the Byron coastline also make for a truly memorable dining location and Blackbird’s intimate, communal table dinner experiences are a must-do.
Taste the tweed
A short distance further north from Byron and you’ll enter another collection of sparkling seaside villages, riverside towns and hinterland hamlets in the Tweed. And in the postcard-perfect suburb of Cabarita Beach (halfway between Byron Bay and the Gold Coast) sits one of Australia’s most hyped boutique hotels in recent years — Halycon House.
A former 60s motel turned hot property, outside a glittering outdoor pool overlooks the idyllic Pacific Ocean, while inside it’s apparent that the hotel doesn’t just rest on its ‘location location location’ laurels.
An artfully designed interior has been applied to both public areas and each of the 21 rooms, while the indulgent Halcyon Spa, and in-house hatted (the Aussie equivalent of a Michelin) restaurant, Paper Daisy.
Opposite sits modern “Italian-ish” restaurant No 35 Kitchen and Bar where small plates including local burrata, house made pasta and locally-caught seafood, delights diners.
Another winner is Tweed River House. Sitting on the riverbanks of the beautiful tweed river in Murwillumbah with sweeping views of Mount Wollumbin and Hinterland ranges, this century-old white weatherboard former homestead is now a lauded eatery serving tasty modern Australian.
But undoubtedly the best dining experience in the Tweed is Pipit where each guest is served the restaurant’s signature degustation menu that showcases the absolute best of the region’s farmers and growers — most within a mere 15 minutes’ drive. Pipit is small but has already accrued serious column inches nationally and overseas, which is partly down to its resident celebrity chef — and former Noma Copenhagen staffer — Ben Devlin.
To offset the calorie intake — and for general gorgeousness — hit the saddle and bike one of the newest attractions in the region: the Northern Rivers Rail Trail. A scenic and historic trail that takes in some of the best bits of the Northern Rivers, cyclists can traverse dense rainforest, serene farmland, rolling hills and old railway tunnels filled with glowworms.
There’s also a wealth of stops en route, from cheese tasting to natural wine, to make sure you’re properly fed and watered.
For more information on planning a Byron Bay getaway check out Visit New South Wales.
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