Editor’s Welcome

Welcome to Byron Bay, great place to fall in love with and the hardest place to leave!

Welcome to Byron Bay, a great place to fall in love with, the hardest place to leave. “Kavanbah” is the Bundjalung traditional name for Byron Bay meaning ‘meeting place’!

Byron Shire, which includes many smaller townships is the jewel in the crown of the Northern Rivers region, and is the economic driver of the Byron Visitor Economy. Our many Villages have their own special qualities to offer visitors. Byron has suffered greatly from not only the covid -19 border closures, but also from the Northern Rivers 2022 March floods, and the shortage of low-cost housing resulting in the lack of staff.

Byron’s economic landscape is changing with the arrival of new entrepreneurs that are lifting the quality of our tourism businesses with new upmarket wine bars, nightclubs and restaurants. Fashion designers offering very highquality brand names are now available in our retail shops! Many new business opportunities exist in Byron’s recovery.

Byron Bay is bouncing back economically in 2023, with many retailers having had the best retail sales for many years especially over the 2022 Xmas holidays, reports of visitor numbers close to pre-covid days. With the expectations of having a wonderful Byron holiday, to be able to enjoy, “just being on the beach” the visuals are spectacular, our beaches are the envy of the rest of the world, clean, beautiful soft sand that screeches under foot, when laying on your towel you softly nestle into your own body impression, one can only relax!

The surf has been spectacular with many days of over a metre high surfing wave, consistently rolling on shore, some days two metres, or even greater. With crystal-clear surf, our Byron beaches offer some of the best surf breaks in Australia, Byron offers many beaches to choose from. When surfing, be courteous to other surfers and obey surf etiquette! You never know who is in the water surfing next to you, it could be a top Corporate Executive, a politician, a mega super star, or the girl next door. Black Dog Surfing will teach you to surf, if you need help getting started.

Discover Byron’s hidden gems with many walking tracks to explore our diverse eco landscape. I recommend an early morning beach walk, then tackle the steps to the Pass lookout, check out the surfers at the Pass, you could see some local dolphins or whales when in season. Before dawn, set out to experience the sunrise at the Cape Byron Lighthouse lookout, the first sun that hits the Australian Mainland is at the famous Byron Lighthouse lookout. A walk along any Byron beach is so relaxing, especially late afternoon as the sun goes down, to clear your thoughts, rejuvenate, unwind, set new goals - so invigorating listening to the waves rolling on shore! Take some me time!

Some of our Byron day time activities include, scuba diving or snorkelling out at Julian Rocks with abundant marine life to check out, in our Cape Byron Marine Park, great fishing here! Enjoy a fun day with Cape Byron Kayaks, floating out over the Marine Park reefs, you are sure to see our local resident pod of dolphins, having fun. Have you tried skydiving? Take the exhilarating experience of an early morning balloon ride, when you come down, share a glass of champagne over breakfast. Have some time on the beach to deepen that golden bronze tan, but do not forget to use a hat and sunscreen! Cool down with a huge selection of Ice Cream treats, and natural fruit juices, available close to the beach, or lunch at the iconic Beach Hotel. Go shopping and pick up a memento of your memorable stay in Byron.

For evening activities Byron CBD is easily accessed on foot. With just a short stroll to your first port of call - a cold beer, martini, or a glass of your favourite wine, then dinner at one of Byron’s many famous Restaurants with multi award winning Chefs, offering fine dining and great customer service. Huge variety to choose from (“see page 38” Byron and Beyond, Restaurant guide). Byron has many late-night venues to dance the night away, including the Beach Hotel which has great music, good vibes, a new inspirational meal menu and a large outdoor area. Byron also features many food delights from different countries and cultures from around the world. (Restaurant Guide pg 38).

Peter Wotton Managing Editor & Photographer.

Destination Byron President info@destinationbyron.com.au

17 TOP TEN MUST DO

18 BYRON BEACHES

35 THE FOOD

50 TOWNS

MAPS

+61(0) 266 808 558 info@visitbyronbay.com www.visitbyronbay.com

What’s On - The Visitor Guide Byron and Beyond / Distribution Australia: Throughout the Byron Shire and the Northern Rivers of NSW, QLD to Visitor Information Centres, Airports, Travel Agents, Tourism Expo’s, Trade Shows and many more outlets. Also www.byronandbeyond.com online.

Contributors: Peter Wotton, Liz Rathborne, Maria Artigas, G. Morgan, Cape Byron Headland Trust, Keith Christie, David Young, Tweed Tourism, John Natoli, Gold Coast Airport. Some photographs and artwork are provided by the advertisers. Stockphotos: Where editorial photographs are not authorised by the publishers, credits are included.

Distribution: The Byron and Beyond What’s On - The Visitor Guide is available online www.byronandbeyond.com and distributed to outlets. It is available locally at all visitor centres, newsagents, service stations, rent-a-car agencies, attractions and at the regional airports in the Northern Rivers and Gold Coast. It is distributed to travel agents and many selected venues throughout New South Wales, Queensland, all year round, strategically distributed for maximum exposure for our customers.

Copyright: The Byron and Beyond What’s On - The Visitor Guide is copyright. The contents of this magazine, including editorials, photographs and artwork, are strictly not to be reproduced without the express permission of the publisher, Paramount Publication House. The Advertisers warrant that any advertising material published in The Byron and Beyond What’s On - The Visitor Guide is in no way an infringement to the copyright or other such acts, is not unlawful, defamatory or libelous and does not infringe the Trade Practices Act or other regulations, laws or statutes. Advertisers agree to indemnify Paramount Publication House and Peter Wotton of any claims, damages or costs, including legal expenses or otherwise, resulting from any breaches of the above warranties.

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Please note: Information in this publication is by way of a guide only and believed to be correct at the time of printing. Prices and services are provided by the operators. They are subject to change or withdrawal without notice at anytime and therefore should be verified directly with the operator. Paramount Publication House expressly disclaims liability to any entity for any loss, cost or damage of any nature arising out of or connected with its reliance on the contents of this publication.