The best Byron Bay walks and hikes to go on this summer

Lace-up your boots and head out for a walk or hike to best appreciate Byron Bay.

The best Byron Bay walks and hikes are those that take in the spectacular scenery. From a dog-friendly beach to a legendary coastal path that squiggles along the craggy coastline to paths through photogenic pockets of rainforest, and a guided tour of a glow-worm tunnel, there are walks and hikes around Byron Bay designed to suit both casual walkers and serious hikers. We’ve done some of the hard work for you, rounding up some of the best spots to take a hike in Byron Bay and beyond.

Snap a selfie along the Cape Byron walking track

an aerial view of the Cape Byron walking track — The 3.7-kilometre loop will reward you with spectacular views of the ocean and hinterland. (Image: Destination NSW)

Have you even been to Byron if you haven’t snapped a selfie in front of the iconic Cape Byron Lighthouse? You will find some of the best of what Byron has to offer along the 3.7-kilometre walk: from sun-drenched beaches to coastal rainforest and plenty of whales to spot when the season is right. There are also cafes along the way where you can stop and fuel up on pancakes and piccolos.

You can extend the walk – and burn off those calories – by starting at Clarke’s Beach, walking along the sand to The Pass, joining the Palm Valley track until you go over the cliffs to Wategos Beach before joining the track to the lighthouse. This is not a pram-friendly walk; there are a lot of stairs. While the road from Byron Bay runs right to the back of Wategos Beach, it can get very crowded and parking is extremely limited.

Take your pooch along for the Tallow Beach walk

a scenic view of the Tallow Beach from above — Tallow Beach extends to the Arawkal National Park. (Image: Destination NSW)

Slather yourself in 50-plus to walk to and fro along Tallow Beach, which curves for about seven kilometres between the Cape Byron Conservation Area and Broken Head Nature Reserve. The beach, just 3.2 kilometres from the heart of Byron Bay, is part of Arawkal National Park and one of the only places that matter when there’s big surf. In the early mornings, when the birds are singing, and the horizon looks as though it’s covered in a layer of gauze, you will see the ghostly silhouettes of fishermen casting their lines out to sea. The dog-friendly section of the beach stretches from a point adjacent to Jarman Street to the boundary of the national park.

Embark on the Three Sisters walking track

the Kings Beach, Three Sisters Walking Track — You’ll pass through the secluded Kings Beach along the Three Sisters Walking Track. (Image: Destination NSW)

The starting point for the Three Sisters Walking Track is at the southern end of the picnic area at Broken Head Nature Reserve. The easy 1.6-kilometre walk has gentle hills, and a few steps that will steer you through the emerald-green rainforest with carpets of moss to a lookout over Broken Head and the secluded Kings Beach. A quick heads up, though, Kings Beach is a clothing-optional affair. The area is rich in Indigenous history, which you can read about on the clearly signposted walk, which tells the story of the three sisters who were turned into rocky outcrops near the headland. In winter and spring, the walk offers great vantage points to spot whales and watch for white-bellied sea eagles spearing into the sea for food.

Visit a glow-worm tunnel in Nightcap National Park

a man walking along the rainforest trail in Nightcap National Park — Tackle the tranquil rainforest trails in Nightcap National Park. (Image: Lismore City Council)

It’s not just the coastal walks that boast epic scenery around Byron Bay. Head to the hinterland and you will find a range of trails – from the tranquil to the well-trodden. The World-Heritage-listed Nightcap National Park is home to the distinctive curved silhouette of the ancient volcano, Wollumbin/Mount Warning, which rises above the landscape. Book a Hinterland Magic and Glow-worm Experience and you will be led to a tunnel lit up by the luminescent beetles. The tour also winds its way to a waterfall for a swim and to a rainforest temple hidden in the hinterland.  

Look out over Lennox Head along the Coastal Recreation Walk

a surfer heading to the beach, Lennox Head — The popular surfing spot attracts many local surfers. (Image: The Legendary Pacific Coast)

Lennox Head is a 30-minute drive south from Byron and worth the detour to enjoy more great views of sky and sea. Do as Lennox locals do on the daily and walk to the top of Lennox Point, known locally as ‘The Point’. The path is very prominent as it hugs the coast and follows the shoreline. Head south, past groves of pandanus palms, until you reach Pat Morton Lookout, which passes the point break, where you will see talented local surfers all lined up waiting to conquer the next wave.

The views from the Lennox Head lookout span north across Lennox Head and Seven Mile Beach and south to Rocky Point and Boulders Beach and Skennars Head and, if you’re lucky, you might spot the resident dolphins who also like to surf the waves.

Minyon Falls Walking Track

the Minyon Falls in Nightcap National Park — The 100-meter waterfall cascades over ancient rhyolite cliffs. (Image: Destination NSW)

Strike out beyond the well-worn tracks along the Byron Bay seafront to enjoy a glorious hinterland adventure along the Minyon Falls Walking Track . The path unfurls through the ancient emerald-green rainforest of Nightcap National Park until it reaches the lookout where you can peer over the top of the cliffs cloaked with Australian eucalyptus trees to see Minyon Falls tumble down into a beautiful natural swimming pool. A bit of rock-hopping is required to reach the base of the waterfall, which is most impressive after heavy rain.

Pinnacle Walk

view of the Border Ranges from The Pinnacle lookout — The Border Ranges can be seen from The Pinnacle lookout. (Image: Destination NSW)

The forested peak of Wollumbin can be glimpsed from plenty of vantages around Byron and the Tweed, but to really appreciate this ancient sentinel, take the Pinnacle Walk in the Border Ranges National Park. While keen hikers could once clamour to the summit, in recent years, the local Bundjalung people have closed this sacred site to tourists for safety and cultural conservation reasons. But you can still hike the foothills of this monolith and admire its majesty from the easy 600-metre return Pinnacle Walk and Lookout. Our hot tip is to rise before the sun to see Wollumbin emerge from the darkness.

Rocky Creek Dam

Pack your picnic basket for day at pretty Rocky Creek Dam , just a short side-step west of the Byron Shire. There are four walks to wander, ranging from the quick, 20-minute Water Dragon Walk to the 2-hour Scrub Turkey Walk, so you can pick the route that suits your group. Once you’ve absorbed your bush-hemmed surrounds and marvelled at the 14,000-mega-litres of water held by the dam, sprawl out in the picnic area and let the kids loose in the adventure playground. 

Killen Falls

If you’d like to soak in some lost world magic, take a drive to Tintenbar. Tucked into the hinterland of the Ballina Shire, this serene and mostly secluded spot offers an easy 660-metre return walk to a viewing platform or a fairly steep 1-kilometre hike down to the base of the waterfall. Take a deep inhale as you tune into the mind-stilling sound of the thundering cascade.

Tyagarah Nature Reserve and Tea Tree Lakes

two people walking with dogs on Belongil Beach — Go for a leisurely walk with your furry friends on Belongil Beach. (Image: Destination NSW)

Set between Byron and Brunswick Heads, Tyagarah Nature Reserve unfurls along a 7-kilometre stretch of sand. Behind the dunes, there are bush-hemmed tracks for proficient walkers, which take in tranquil tea tree lakes and a picnic area. If you’re eager to lace up for a longer hike, start the walk at Brunswick Heads and carry along to the north end of Byron at Belongil Beach. This 15.4-kilometre stretch will take a good few hours, so be prepared with water, food and sun protection, and don’t forget to tell someone where you’re headed.  

Northern Rivers Rail Trail

For now, the quickly beloved Rail Trail kicks up the dust just north of Byron at Crabbes Creek, but planning is in the process to link the Tweed section to Byron and beyond. Until then, the current trail meanders beautifully through bucolic vistas, beneath rainforested canopies, and through former rail tunnels (one of which features a smattering of glow worms). While bikes are the most popular way to tackle the trail, you can also hike the full 24 kilometres or bite-size sections on foot. Just watch out for two-wheeled hoons!

Discover the best beaches in Byron Bay.

This article was originally written by Carla Grossetti with updates by Lara Picone.

Shannon Bennett returns to the restaurant scene with a bold new multi-venue dining precinct in Byron Bay, blending barefoot ease with world-class innovation.

Byron Bay is about to welcome a new chapter in its culinary evolution – and it’s arriving with serious pedigree. The Belongil , a new venture from acclaimed chef Shannon Bennett, opens its doors this December, reimagining the way locals and travellers experience food, connection and place.

A precinct, not a restaurant

Acclaimed chef Shannon Bennett — The Belongil is a new venture from acclaimed chef Shannon Bennett.

Forget the traditional restaurant model; The Belongil is a multi-venue precinct built around contrast, craft and community. Designed as “a living precinct,” it blends raw Byron energy with world-class ambition across four distinct spaces: The Kiosk, Belongil Bistro, FEU and Blind Tiger.

Co-founded by Bennett and his neighbour Glen Norman, The Belongil represents a shared investment of more than $10 million – a collaboration built on their long friendship and mutual passion for design, architecture and gastronomy.

The Belongil’s culinary direction comes courtesy of a powerhouse team of Bennett’s long-time collaborators – Cory Campbell, Ryan Henley, Steven Kirkpatrick and Carlos Simoes Santos – all alumni of Vue de monde. Together, they bring a depth of experience spanning Noma in Copenhagen to Gordon Ramsay’s kitchens in London.

Bennett and The Belongil team have journeyed along Australia’s east coast over the past year, meeting the growers, fishers, farmers and makers behind Australia’s finest produce.⁠

“Every ingredient on our menu tells a story. We’ve stood in the dirt, by the ocean, and in the sheds with the people who make it possible. We know them. We trust them. And we want you to taste that connection,” Bennett says.

“This project is more than a restaurant – it’s four venues that together reflect how I now see hospitality. There should be something for everyone in the community: from dog walkers, surfers and backpackers to those celebrating their big night out once a year.⁠”

First to open will be The Kiosk , an everyday beachside spot serving “high-end simplicity” – think sunrise coffee, fresh snacks and a laidback rhythm that mirrors Byron’s daily pulse. It’s the kind of place for sandy feet and salty hair, open seven days from late November.

Then comes Belongil Bistro on 15 December, a barefoot-friendly bistro where they invite you to come as you are and stay as long as you like. Expect sun-soaked lunches, wine-soaked dinners, and a menu grounded in sustainability and local produce.

The showstopper, FEU , will ignite on 18 December – a 40-seat tasting room that promises a full sensory experience that blurs the line between dining and dreaming. Described as a “culinary uprising,” FEU invites guests to choose their own journey through multi-course menus that push creativity to the edge.

For those in the know, there’s Blind Tiger – an invitation-only cocktail enclave that’s part speakeasy, part sensory riddle. Think Japanese-inspired stillness, smoke, mystery and mixology as art. In true Bennett fashion, sustainability and sensory design are deeply intertwined. The Blind Tiger incorporates elements of a 300-year-old Japanese temple that was painstakingly relocated and rebuilt by hand. Across the precinct, a pioneering E-water sanitation system replaces harsh chemicals, while an on-site composter ensures near-zero food waste

Built on connection

Surfers catching morning waves at Belongil Beach, Byron Bay — The Belongil is located steps away from Belongil Beach. (Image: Destination NSW)

The Belongil stands on the former site of the much-loved Belongil Italian, a spot Bennett remembers fondly. “I really loved the old Belongil Italian, and I feel that since they closed, Byron Bay has been missing something. I felt that I could bring the vigor [sic] back to my own little small community,” he says.

Blending barefoot ease with refined craft, The Belongil is set to become a new kind of Byron institution; a sanctuary for travellers, locals and wanderers alike.

The Belongil opens in stages from late November 2025, with the Bistro debuting on 15 December and FEU following on 18 December.

Where: 33-35 Childe Street, Byron Bay, NSW