Byron Bay's beaches are dotted with lighthouses and surrounded by bottlenose dolphins, rays, whales and sea turtles. This former New South Wales whaling station turned tourist town is still strongly influenced by its recent bohemian past, when hippie lifestyles flourished. Bongos and didgeridoos sound in parks, sarongs and dreadlocks are common, and vegetarian restaurants abound. Give in to the casual vibe and stroll between beaches and bars for a low-key and happy day.
The history of Europeans in Byron Bay began in 1770, when Lieutenant James Cook found a safe anchorage and named Cape Byron after John Byron. In the 1880s, when Europeans settled more permanently, streets were named for other English writers and philosophers.
The first industry in Byron was cedar logging from the Australian red cedar (Toona ciliata). The timber industry is the origin of the word "shoot" in many local names – Possum Shoot, Coopers Shoot and Skinners Shoot – where the timber-cutters would "shoot" the logs down the hills to be dragged to waiting ships.
Gold mining of the beaches was the next industry to occur.Up to 20 mining leases set up on Tallow Beach to extract gold from the black sands around the 1870s. The poet Brunton Stephens spoke of cattle grazing on the "mossy plains" of Cape Byron in a poem he penned in 1876.
Byron Bay has a history of primary industrial production (dairy factory, abattoirs, fishing, and whaling until 1963) and was a significant, but hazardous, sea port.
The first jetty was built in 1886, and the railway was connected in 1894, and Cavvanbah became Byron Bay in 1894. Dairy farmers cleared more land and settled the area. In 1895, the Norco Co-operative was formed to provide cold storage and manage the dairy industry. The introduction of paspalum improved production, and Byron Bay exported butter to the world. The Norco factory was the biggest in the southern hemisphere, expanding from dairy to bacon and other processed meat.
The lighthouse was built in 1901 at the most easterly point on the Australian mainland. In 1930, the first meat works opened. The smell from the meat and dairy works was, by all accounts, appalling, and the annual slaughter of whales in the 1950s and 1960s made matters worse. Sand mining between the World Wars damaged the environment further, and one by one, all these industries declined.
Longboard surfers arrived in the 1960s and used natural breaks at The Pass, Wategos, and Cosy Corner. This was the beginning of Byron Bay as a tourist destination, and by 1973, when the Aquarius Festival was held in Nimbin, its reputation as a hippy, happy, alternative town was established. Shipwrecks litter the bay and surrounding areas.
Byron Bay has a mild temperate climate with warm summers and mild winters. Winters are not cold with daily maximums usually reaching a pleasant 19.4 ºC and a minimum of 11 ºC. Summer can be hot, with a daily average of 27 ºC. Summer evenings can be wet, cooling the day down making for a comfortable overnight temperature.
The town has several beaches which are popular for surfing. It is a resort popular with both domestic and international tourists, includingbackpackers, who travel along the Australian coast; the scenery also attracts skydivers. The area is also noted for its wildlife, with thewhale watching industry a significant contributor to the local economy.
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An oceanway runs from the centre of town to the Cape Byron lighthouse. This allows visitors to walk and cycle to the lighthouse.
Temperate and tropical waters merge at Byron Bay, making it a popular area for scuba diving and snorkelling. Most diving is done atJulian Rocks which is part of the recently established Cape Byron Marine Park and only a few minutes boat ride from Main Beach.
Byron Bay also lies close to subtropical rainforests, and areas such as the Nightcap National Park with the Minyon Falls are all within easy reach of the town.
Byron Bay is now also a popular destination for Schoolies week during late November and early December.
