Brunswick Heads
With a beautiful river and gorgeous beaches, Brunswick Heads is a marvellous destination for water activities. The village, a short drive north of Byron Bay, is next to excellent surfing beaches and the Brunswick River and ocean are great for fishing and boating. Beach fishing is popular too.
You can explore the river with Byron Bay Eco Cruises and Kayaks or Go Sea Kayaks Byron Bay, both accredited ecotourism operators. The river is teeming with life and you'll have the opportunity for close encounters with turtles and birds of prey such as osprey and sea eagles.
Accommodation options range from motels to holiday parks.The flat terrain in this area of the Byron Bay region is superb for cycling and bushwalking in the Brunswick Heads Nature Reserve. Pack a hamper and head for the Brunswick River picnic area, part of the Cape Byron Marine Park.
Diving and snorkelling tours of the marine park are available with Blue Bay Diving, located at the Brunswick Heads Boat Harbour. Between May and November, Brunswick Heads is a great spot for whale watching with Blue Bay Whale Watching and is often visited by pods of dolphins.
Local festivals are celebrated in a family carnival style, with the annual Old and Gold second-hand treasures festival, Kites and Bikes and the annual Fish & Chips Festival. The Brunswick Markets is on the first Saturday of the month in Memorial Park, where the kids can play and run around.
Flying into Ballina Airport
Ballina Byron Gateway Airport is located 5km from Ballina’s town centre and 35km from Byron Bay. Use the shuttle bus or taxi services available at the terminal to make the short trip to these coastal destinations. Alternatively, rent a car from the hire services available at the airport and explore the region at your own pace. Jetstar, Virgin Australia and Regional Express operate daily direct flights to Sydney and Fly Pelican flies direct to Newcastle six times a week. Jetstar also operates daily direct flights to Melbourne.
