In short
Byron Bay is the easternmost point of the Australian mainland, marked by its lighthouse on Cape Byron. The town is small, the beach is long, and the "surf and wellness" reputation is as deserved as it is overwhelming.
The centre fits into a few streets around Jonson Street. Wategos, below the lighthouse, is the most sheltered beach. Suffolk Park and Lennox Head, to the south, are less saturated. The hinterland — Bangalow, Nimbin, Mullumbimby — is hilly and alternative.
Arriving and getting around
The nearest airport is Ballina-Byron, thirty minutes away; Gold Coast is an hour and Brisbane two.
The railway line closed in 2004: there is no train. Shuttles and long- distance coaches link Byron to Brisbane and Sydney.
In town, everything is done on foot or by bike. Parking is paid, time-limited and strictly enforced — it is the leading source of fines for visitors.
What it really costs
It is one of the most expensive towns in Australia for its size, especially in the southern summer and during festivals.
Staying at Lennox Head, Bangalow or Brunswick Heads costs markedly less and puts Byron fifteen minutes away.
When to come
April–May and September–November: the water still warm, the crowds thinner.
From December to February the town is saturated and prices double. Schoolies, in late November, brings thousands of newly graduated school leavers: not the moment to come for quiet.
Humpback whales pass offshore from June to November and are seen from the lighthouse.
What nobody tells you
The walk up to the lighthouse for sunrise has become a mass event: several hundred people on some mornings, and the lighthouse car park fills before dawn. Walking up from town avoids the problem.
Sharks are present on this coast and several beaches have seen attacks. Flags and local alerts should be followed.
Nimbin, in the hinterland, is known for its counterculture and apparent tolerance of cannabis. The substance remains illegal and police operate there.