Walkabout in Byron Bay Written and Photographed by Tim Kernutt
Byron Bay, a beach town on the east coast of Australia just south
of Brisbane, is a special place to people from varied walks of
life. It is a beach town with a twist. Bryon Bay is laid back
in atmosphere, warm in temperature and scenically beautiful, incentive
enough to travel thousands of miles over oceans to see. However,
here is the twist. More than any other beach town in the world,
Byron Bay has a truly bohemian vibe and plays host to myriad festivals
for cultural vultures every year, as well as providing a particularly
inspiring setting to attract many DJs and bands to perform which
makes it one of Australia's most cultured and musically-rich towns.
First and foremost Byron Bay is one of the most beautiful beach
towns in Australia, famous for its eclectic lifestyle, sheer natural
beauty and its perfect beaches. Importantly, the local council
has managed to spare the town centre from fast-food chains, high-rise
buildings (there is a height-restriction on buildings enforced
by the local council) and commercialism. The beach town has long
sustained a genuine bohemian vibe, which, despite some encroaching
commercialism, is still the underlying feel. Byron Bay rose from
obscurity as a bohemian recluse during the 1960s and 1970s to
being one of the most popular tourist destinations in Australia.
People from backgrounds as diverse as artists, film producers,
writers, lawyers, actors and developers all call the patch of
turf encompassing the bay of Byron, home. The main feature of
Byron Bay is the stunning beach stretching from the town towards
the prominent lighthouse which stands atop a hill which happens
to be Australia's most easterly point.
Somewhat ironically Byron Bay is a place that probably offers
more to the visitor than the local, due to the fact that the locals
now have to put up with swarms of tourists every year. In the
previous decade or so, Byron Bay has had to cope with an influx
of tourists as its popularity has increased exponentially. In
the local community, there has been the standard developer vs.
environmental tensions prevalent in beachside communities the
world over, however Byron Bay has dealt with these concerns heavily
in favour of the environmentalists, which has had a resoundingly
positive effect on the town.
Byron
Bay also attracts visitors from all over the world and is
noted as a must see destination, especially for the backpacking
scene. Apart from being a magnet for all things relaxing,
Byron Bay attracts travellers for other reasons too. One
reason in particular is the music scene, with music lovers
from all over the world making the pilgrimage to the East
Coast Blues and Roots Festival and Splendour in the Grass.
Also a brilliantly hedonistic time to be in Byron Bay is
over New Year's Eve when crowds take to the streets, drinking
and dancing to the sounds of street DJs and bands. What
makes Byron Bay special during the prime summer months is
the perfect balmy nights, where the sounds of cicadas and
the surf give way to the human created sounds of bands and
DJs spinning their wares.
The best way to gauge the local scene is, of course, to ask
the locals themselves. The residents of Byron Bay tend to have
strong views about a lot of things, and particularly, environmental
concerns. A local cleaner Mike, interviewed on a gusty Wednesday
morning in late October when he was making light weight of a broom,
bemoaned the fact that he believed the summer weather in Byron
Bay was becoming ever more unpredictable and changeable.
"I blame global warming. The pollies [politicians] have
been against the idea for years, but I have seen it first hand.
The weather this week has been all over the shot. Not great on
the waves, the wind is pushing down from the north - in gusts".
Deciphering the local speak is about as easy as deciphering the
weather patterns. However Mike impressed upon the fact that mid-December
to early February is the best time to visit the area.
"But unfortunately that is when every man and his dog caravans
up to these parts - it all gets rather hectic".
From experience, when Byron Bay is visited during these more busy
months, the holiday goes from being a truly relaxing exercise
to more of an exercise in hedonism. Days spent lounging on the
beach, having a paddle or surf in the ocean and indulging in eating
give way to evenings downing Australia's finest beer and wine
in one of the countless local pubs or bars and doing some more
eating in one of the many fine cafes and restaurants around. But
the question begs - how many tourists are too many?
Barry, unemployed, staunchly gave his views without being prompted
on a walk during a walk along the front beach on another patchy
day of weather featuring intermittent sunshine and squally winds.
Clearly Barry had no time for the busy periods nor the encroaching
development. "They're all money-grubbing bloody arse-holes".
It was unclear whether Barry was referring to the tourists or
the "new" locals. It is common town knowledge that it
takes over twenty years of living in Byron Bay to be considered
a local. It appears quite a few of the newer arrivals have some
way to go in obtaining this privilege.
One of Byron Bay's most famous locals, Paul Hogan, star of the
Crocodile Dundee movies, obviously thought that every day is a
good day in Bryon Bay when he bought into the local real estate
market by way of a purchase of a multi-million dollar mansion
at a similar time as other Australian celebrities such as Olivia
Newton John and Elle Macpherson. Even today, Paul Hogan still
has an overawing presence in Byron Bay with his partner-in-crime
John Cornell having been the brains and finances behind the Beach
Hotel. Built in 1990 and still operating on the top of the front
beach as a highly popular and successful pub and hotel, the Beach
Hotel shows no signs of losing its appeal to both locals and tourists
alike. Recently sold for $65 million, it promises to continue
to deliver top-notch entertainment and atmosphere, and it often
hosts acts such as the Australian dance acts Dirty Laundry, Symbiosis
and Sneaky Sound System.
In fact, Byron Bay is not adverse to all forms of music, and
in particular plays host to a range of electronic music acts.
This year at Splendour in the Grass festival, some big-name famous
Australian dance and hip-hop acts such as Cat Empire, the Hilltop
Hoods, and Cut Copy will be featuring. Recently, at the blues
and Roots Festival, the international hip-hop phenomenon, The
Roots, played. And let’s not forget big international DJ
names such as Judge Jules. Then there is the awesome array of
indie rock, mainstream rock, and acoustic acts that play there
every year. And music is not the only thing that rocks Byron Bay,
with the town also hosting internationally-renowned annual book
and film festivals.
Sally, proprietor of one of the many local eateries, summed it
up best when she described Byron Bay as, "constantly happening.
If you get bored in Byron Bay, may God (or Allah or Buddha) help
you".
Byron Bay represents many things: a place that can accommodate
students, backpackers, hippies, new-age gurus, and corporates
as one; a place to come and watch top festivals, hosting myriad
top bands and famous DJs; a place with a cultured air; and a place
to unwind from the modern world. But above all else, Byron Bay
is nature at its best - a marine reserve featuring unspoilt beaches
and nearby national parks with sublime beaches. And this is how
it is best remembered.
If you love beautiful beaches unseen or unheard of by many, check
out Diana’s article on Albania’s unspoiled gem: Saranda.
Tim Kernutt
is an Australian travel writer fast with a pen but slow to
catch a bus, who is forever planning his next travels. Is
he a cultural vulture? Does he have the travel bug? Does he
simply just have a bug? It's probably too early too tell.
However, whether he is in Asia, Europe or roaming around his
home country, one thing is for sure - He will have his feet
up (at the same time as writing about it of course).
