Byron Bay has become a tourist mecca for its beauty, laid-back lifestyle, and unique feel. The town is buzzing with trendy, organic cafés and sustainable-living-type stores, along with many upmarket dining and shopping options. Byron Bay also attracts the avid surfer, home to The Pass where you can catch some of the best waves in the world. Byron is also known for its great nightlife, festivals, as well as the spectacular nature and wildlife.
The headland has a beautiful, white lighthouse, also known to be the most easterly point in Australia. It’s a fantastic place to watch whales during their migration season (from May to November), up to warmer waters to give birth.
Whilst Byron Bay is a forever changing place, we have noticed that over time it has become a lot busier. Also, there is less of chance in finding a free parking spot. Those days are gone! A lot of work has been done to maintain the relaxed feel of Byron Bay, and we noticed a lot has been updated – including creating a wider pathway along the beach (with added lights), as well as a new shopping centre (with a Woolworths).
Byron Bay is known for its spectacular nature and wildlife.
Accommodation
There are a range of accommodation options in and around Byron Bay. We opted for camping, as it is more cost-effective as much as a great experience for young children. We stayed at the Discovery Holiday Park, only a very short drive (2 minutes) into the main town centre of Byron Bay. Camping sites start at $16 per night per site from the time of writing this article, however I would not recommend booking near the main road unless you are accustomed to hearing traffic noise all night!
The Discovery Holiday Park is very child-friendly too, with two swimming pools, a water park, a tennis court / basketball hoop, and a jumping pillow. There is also a family change room/shower facility as well as a laundromat and camp kitchen. Yoga is also offered at the park for a small added fee.
We spent most of our time exploring the beaches and beautiful tracks. Our two main favourite walks at Byron were the Lighthouse Walk (also called the Cape Byron Walking Track) and the tracks within Arakwal National Park.
The Lighthouse Walk was one of our favourites.
Cape Byron Walking Track
One of the most popular walking tracks in Byron Bay is the Lighthouse Walk. To do the loop track (3.7km) it is recommended to park at the Captain Cook Parking area. From there you can walk the Tallow Ridge Track; a narrow track in the rainforest that leads up to the lighthouse. Once you reach the lighthouse, you can continue to walk along the headland to Wategos Beach and proceed until you return back to the Captain Cook parking area. Unfortunately, the track is not wheelchair accessible as there are steps. In some sections too, it can be quite narrow.
There are options to park closer to the lighthouse, and those who don’t feel like the walk can drive all the way up to the lighthouse (although there is limited parking!). Nearby the lighthouse, there is also a beautiful café. Every time I have been up to the lighthouse I’ve been able to spot an abundance of wildlife too – including whales and dolphins!
Tallow Beach
From the Arakwal NP lookout, you can walk or run along the beach back to the Tallow Beach carpark.
Arakwal National Park
Arakwal National Park is definitely a hidden gem! We started our walk at the Tallow Beach parking area. The start of the track is on Tallow Beach Road, approximately 100 metres from the carpark on the left (note, it is not well sign posted). This track leads to Milne Street. From there, you can make your way up to the lookout (search ‘Lookout – Arakwal National Park’ on Google Maps). It is absolutely beautiful there! From there you can continue South in Arakwal NP, or you can take one of the many tracks back to the beach and walk/run along the beach back to the Tallow Beach carpark.
Some of my favourite tracks at Arakwal NP is the Milne Track and the Pacific Vista Track. Arakwal NP (as well as Tallow Beach) is not busy, and one of the most beautiful tracks I’ve been on for a long time!
Arakwal National Park is definitely a hidden gem!
The Coastline Along Byron Bay
If you have a little more time, I recommend exploring the coastline just south of Byron Bay, including Broken Head Nature Reserve and Lennox Point Headland. There are some beautiful, shorter walking tracks with spectacular views!
Have you ever been to Byron Bay? Any of the places mentioned? Tell us about it in the comments below!
Sabrina is an avid hiker from Brisbane. She hikes as a way to unwind after a busy week working as a Guidance Officer. She’s explored many of the popular tracks around South East Queensland and is always up for a bigger challenge! She has a long list of hikes she would like to do around Australia and overseas in the future.