date published
25.03.2009

Best In Show

In the spirit of our 100 Best Towns In Australia special issue, Style-meister Melissa Hoyer has thrown her own personal favourites, the laidback playgrounds of Byron Bay and Bangalow, into the ring. Anyone want to argue?

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Unlike a zillion others, and a huge swag of friends who discovered it years ago, I was a bit late in unearthing The Joy of Byron Bay. Yes, yes, call me some destination-discovering Johnny-come-lately, but after a few trips over the past few years it has officially made it onto my small but perfectly formed Favourite Town list.

For me, Byron has surpassed other quaintly loved locales – Coffs Harbour and my penchant for its chocolate-covered bananas; Kiama and the thunder of its blowhole; Mission Beach, well, for its mighty beach; and even Cessnock, which a friend once joked was Aboriginal for “a town jam-packed with shoe stores”.

Okay, Byron may not be jam-packed with as many clapped-out Kombis, Birkenstock-wearing backpackers and Centrelink-secure surfers anymore, but you can still detect a laidback hippie vibe from the oldies who’ve lived there forever – and the newbies who’ve only recently discovered its allure. And there’s that same uncomplicated vibe even if you choose to “do” Byron in style.

Lots of Byron dwellers may diss us ring-ins. But hey, the town is a perfect example of the morphing of an original mood with a new wave of explorers. Byron is a fusion of cheesecloth and cashmere. Lentils and Laurent-Perrier. Billabong and Balenciaga. Camilla kaftans and Krug Cuvée.

Byron’s exhilarating beachside charm has beckoned a fresh breed of fans, many of whom are unafraid of spending big bucks for a small break and, in the process, expect the highest quality muncheries, cafes and bars.

Byron has, at some stage, been a playground or home to some of the wealthiest and most famous – John Cornell, Paul Hogan, Richard Branson, Wizard man Mark Bouris, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mick Jagger, TV man David Gyngell, publisher Deke Miskin, celeb publicist Patti Mostyn, Elle Macpherson, Jack Johnson and Sting – and with money still being spent on picture-postcard properties around Byron and on the beach at Wategos, spending time getting to know the area has made me understand what all the fuss is about.

What I found at Rae’s at Wategos was a mightily cosy, diminutive hotel. The first thing I noticed was how beautifully out-of-place the façade looks compared to the new (and thankfully tasteful) beachside houses that have popped up opposite the tiny, longboard surf beach.

With its retro pale pink façade (think of The Eagles’ Hotel California album cover and you’ll get the picture) the hotel has upped its food ante with chef Andrew Gimber in residence. Having been sous chef to both David Thompson at his Michelin-rated Nahm Thai restaurant, and also to Christine Manfield at East Meets West, both in London, he has brought a designer dish vibe to Rae’s.

The Byron at Byron, too, is an A-grade hotel. Set among 45 acres of rainforest and just a few minutes out of town, the inn is a one-stop kind of hotel with its eco-friendly one bedroom suites, spa treatments, daily yoga, rainforest walks and one seriously relaxed bar and restaurant.

There’s an equally great feel at Cape Heritage, a four bedroom lease-able home with killer views a few minutes from the famous Byron lighthouse – and oh, if you ask for Rago, you’ll get an amazing massage and aura reading . . . if you’re into all that stuff. Which, when in Byron, you can’t help but be.

So, apart from great beaches (tick), weather (tick), views (tick), sunsets (tick) and heavenly walks (tick), it’s food that’s really beginning to star when it comes to Byron Bay.

Breakfast and lunch is worth doing at the Byron Beach Café on Clarke’s Beach. Perfect if you want to walk right off the sand, it has, in my humble opinion, one of the best positions on the coast.

Another hot spot is the Pacific Dining Room in the one-time dowdy but always-cool Beach Hotel (once owned by John “Strop” Cornell and now run by Melbourne’s van Handel family), which is open for dinner only and is the newest “It” scene. With an enlarged bar area and extensive cocktail menu, drinking seems more important than dining for some. But hey, every town needs a cool-skool hangout.

Olivo in Byron is another name to remember (it’s for dinner only), while The Orient Express Eatery is under the charge of ex-Rockpool chef Tippy Heng. It’s all about great Yum Cha on the weekends and an even better dinner at nighttimes.

And as for beauty treats? Some city-sleekers will need to get to know Trisha at The Wax Room, who is great for performing anything near Brazil that may require some hot waxing. Or perhaps Trish calls hers a “Byron” by now?

Anyway, well after your wax there are some delectable morsels you’ll want to take home to your lighthouse-view abode, so you’ll need to check out Citrus on Jonson Street, where Lisa Middleton does the best homemade dishes, stocks, pastas, dips, cheeses and luxury deli items.

And as for coffee? If, like me, you’re not a big caffeine consumer, the Byron buzz is that’s it’s all about One One One, also on Jonson St. So good, in fact, there’s even a wait for takeout.

But whenever I go to Byron I pre-empt my arrival with a stop at the Bangalow pub for a languid lunch, before making the 20min journey into Byron. Bangalow really is one of those inland country gems, with a sweet, still historic-looking streetscape of verandah-ed buildings, shady trees and quiet parks.

With the mega Pacific Highway once running directly through town, until it was by-passed, Bangalow hasn’t succumbed to fast food and sizable service stations, with many of the structures having been restored to their former style.

Fresca in the Bangalow pub is my real fave and always gets me into a Byron state of mind. And it’s a good locals’ hangout, owned by Byron hotelier and ex-Manly footie player Tom Mooney, where you’ll see local muso types and ubiquitous Byron dwellers mixing with, well, ring-ins like me.

Aside from the pub, there’s always the Bangalow Hair salon – arguably the best in the area for that quick cut, colour or blowy – as well as a wondrous Country Women’s Association store with its knitted tea cosies, egg warmers, lots of homemade jams and handmade quilts, one of which still rests on my seven-year-old’s bed. In fact, so intent is Bangalow on maintaining their heritage (in look, at least), that even the pharmacy has kept its glass apothecary jars and wooden benches.

If you can, check out the Billy Cart Derby, held in May each year, where the town’s main street (the ex-Pacific Highway) is used as a course. Carts are steered from the top of the hill down towards the river where they bash into hay bales. And if you’re there in November, go visit the Bangalow Show, which showcases the area’s agriculture – animals, produce and craft – along with some token fireworks, competitions and an obscure event called A Day in the Life of a Stockman, where you have to down a warm beer and eat a cold pie.

But if markets are more your thing, the fourth Sunday of each plays host to the Bangalow markets, which have been tagged as “the most popular market on the north coast”.

A mega-stylish mate sent through of few of her favoured Byron-type moments, the markets being top of her list, while she also included the Mullum (as in Mullumbimby) and Bangalow pubs, as well as the Brunswick Heads pub, which, she says is good for a post-swim beer and to watch the sun go down.
“Not forgetting Island Luxe for its Buffalo Girl belts and Bassike t-shirts,” she told me. “And the fish and chips place attached to Byron public swimming pool,” which she regards as excellent. And, you know what? I really believe this chick.

Be sure to send through any more great Byron finds to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , and see you out there!