New South Wales
Byron Bay - Brisbane
4 Days
In all honestly, before relocating to Sydney I hadn’t stepped foot in Australia. That said, there are a few places, even from the other side of the world, that are synonymous with the ‘Land Down Under’ and Byron Bay is certainly one of them.
Although many spend a few days unwinding in Byron, we were keen to roll this into our favourite kind of road trip over the long Easter weekend to explore the stunning coastline between Northern NSW and Queensland.
Overview
01
Byron Bay
02
Byron Shire
03
Gold Coast
04
Brisbane
Travel Route
01
Byron Bay
Straight from work, we arrived the evening before so we could maximise our short break. Ballina, Byron’s gateway airport is roughly thirty minutes south of the town and the main arrival point into the Northern Rivers region.
As we had hired a car, we opted to stay in the village of Tintenbar. Only fifteen minutes from Ballina it was the perfect base to explore Byron and the surrounding area.
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Morning
After a slower start, we headed to the centre of town. With ample parking the length of the beach, we pulled in on Lawson Street and headed for a quick breakfast stop at the Bayleaf café but General Store and Folk had also been recommended.
We then headed out on the Cape Byron Lighthouse circuit. The 4km track started along the lighthouse road and took us roughly two hours, as it turned into a boardwalk path that winded along the cliffs to Wategos Beach. We decided to keep moving but there were beautiful sit-down spots the entire way along as well as a casual beachside drink option at Raes Cellar Bar.
The main route continued up the hill towards the lighthouse, before dropping through a rainforest section which later reconnected to the lighthouse road and towards the town centre to complete the loop.
Afternoon
With the walk, done – we spent our afternoon soaking up the rays on Byron Beach, before heading into town for a spot of retail therapy and finishing with a well-deserved drink and some live music at the Beach Hotel.
Evening
We’ve had some good dinner suggestions from friends; Bang Bang and The Beach to name just two. However, we headed closer to home and popped into an eco-farm Three Blue Ducks for a casual bite before turning in for the evening.
Cape Byron Lighthouse Walk
Tintenbar - Poppy the Caravan
Accommodation: Tintenbar – Air BnB, Poppy the Caravan.
Distance travelled: Approx. 49km.
02
Byron Shire
Morning
The day started in the small village of Newrybar, just north of Lennox Head, where we had breakfast at Harvest Deli. Making ourselves comfy in the wildflower garden behind the café we tucked into Easter hot cross buns and a few cups of coffee. This was my favourite spot of the whole weekend. With an adjoining restaurant, it is top of my list when returning next time.
Newrybar is also home to an emerging charity called The Colony Bee Association. We were lucky enough to meet up with the founder, and experienced a morning exploring a wild nest, harvesting honeycomb, and tasting. This a great opportunity to learn about the important conservation work this charity is leading across Australia. A fantastic cause, and I would highly recommend checking it out if you want to do something a little different. https://colonybees.org.au
Cape Byron Headland
Afternoon
As we only had one more afternoon in the Byron Bay area, we had to pack quite a lot in, but you could certainly spread this out over a few days if you prefer to take a more relaxed approach.
Our first stop was a ten-minute drive to Broken Head Beach. Parking at the Holiday Park, it was a short walk to the beach. A much quieter option than its neighbour Byron Bay this is the perfect place to spend an afternoon with a picnic. For those that want to see more, we were also recommended the Three Sisters Walking Track, which lies just South of the beach and skirts the headland.
However, we continued down the coast to the village of Lennox Head. A great place to wander around the boutique shops or (in our case) grab an ice cream and sit on the beachfront.
Our final stop was on our way back to Tintenbar at Killen Falls. A one-kilometre return walk from the car park takes you to the base of the waterfall. A great place to go for a swim and relax. We had a quick dip, but you could easily have spent longer.
Evening
Our final evening in Byron was spent at our pretty unique accommodation making the most of the great weather and BBQ with a few drinks in hand. It was the perfect end to our stay.
The Colony Bee Association - Newrybar
Killen Falls - Tintenbar
Accommodation: Tintenbar – Air BnB, Poppy the Caravan.
03
Gold Coast
Morning
Another early start. The drive was around ninety minutes as we made our way up to Surfers Paradise on the Gold Coast to head out on our Jet Ski Safari at Mariners Cove Marina. There were a variety of tour options, but we chose the 1.5hr tour which in my view was the perfect length to explore the northern waterway. It was surprising how much distance we travelled; around 20km one-way, as we weaved through the sandbars, and mangroves, before stopping for breakfast at Tipplers Café on South Stradbroke Island and then heading back.
Afternoon
After our busy morning, we parked up in the centre at the Bruce Bishop Car Park and prepared ourselves for the ultimate beach day at Surfers Paradise. It certainly lives up to its name being one of the most impressive coastlines stretching as far as the eye can see.
For a post-beach cocktail, there are loads of options, but we found a great rooftop bar away from the hustle and bustle, The Island Gold Coast.
Evening
And with that, we hit the road again for another ninety-minute drive up to central Brisbane our home for the evening and the last leg of our trip.
Accommodation: Royal on the Park Hotel.
Distance travelled: Approx. 175km.
Surfers Paradise
Surfers Paradise
04
Brisbane
Morning
Although we only had a day in Brisbane, it quickly became one of my favourite cities in Australia; even though in the traditional sense of city sightseeing, there isn’t a great deal to do. Most of the activity is away from the centre and along the riverbanks and we found it a very picturesque city to walk around in the milder autumn temperatures.
Starting at the Botanic Gardens, we wandered into the CBD and along the pedestrianised Queen Street, to pick up a coffee before looping back and across Victoria Bridge which took us over the river to South Bank Parklands, home to the ‘Wheel of Brisbane’ and ‘Streets Beach’. There was a buzzy vibe on the public holiday with walkers, cyclists and families hanging out for the day.
The footpath ran along the river and curved around to Kangaroo Point Cliffs, where others who might be slightly more adventurous, could decide to abseil down one of the many cliffs. We instead headed for Joey's for a lunch stop and take in the spectacular city views.
Afternoon
With some energy still in the tank, we found an access point at Baildon Street and headed up and across the Story Bridge, which landed us just above the Howard Smith Wharves.
From here the boardwalks continued right down to New Farm Park, our final point in our walk. This was an extra 45-minute – 1hr walk, but at any point up to Merthyr Park, you do have the option to get the free Kitty Kat ferry which takes you back along the river with various stops available.
Evening
We headed up towards Fortitude Valley and the Howard Smith Wharves. Nestled under Story Bridge, here you’ll find the Felons Brewing Co. With large open areas there’s no need to book and it provides a wonderful backdrop for enjoying a pre-dinner beer or two. They also provide food if you’re in the mood for a casual bite.
Instead, we headed to The Stanley, a Chinese and Cantonese restaurant located on the Wharves. The food was top-class, and we would recommend it for those wanting a special dinner. With set menus on offer, it was a lovely treat and a great way to end a fabulous holiday.
Brisbane CBD
Joeys - Kangaroo Point Cliffs
