As my first summer back in Australia in two years approaches, I was really expecting more than this. The five days per week of rain or cloud that we've had lately just isn't painting the appropriate picture of a country built on fun in the sun. It got to me so much that this weekend, my girlfriend and I packed our bags and went on a weekend trip to northern NSW and the Gold Coast in order to hunt down this elusive summer sun.
Waking up at 3am to drive for 9 hours straight isn't always the best start to a Saturday, but after weekends of nothing but work, casual drinks and evading the rain my tired eyes came paired with a bit of excitement. I'd never been to Byron Bay and welcomed the excuse to take my girlfriend Lea there for a birthday surprise. Cutting through the first few hours quickly we arrived at Coffs Harbour Jetty for breakfast at the "
Y Knot Yacht Club". We chose it mainly because it was the only place serving breakfast right next to the beach but thank god we did. It was without a doubt one of the best breakfasts I'd ever experienced, all at a reasonable price and with fantastic ocean views. Although it was only a short stop on our weekend away, I made sure to grab a business card hoping to return sometime or at least spread the word about this great spot.
Eventually we made it to our first destination, Byron Bay, only to discover to our horror that it was still Schoolies Week. All of a sudden I was a toolie (and even more so on the next stop, Surfers Paradise). We were lucky enough to have not booked backpackers accomodation or a hotel for this stop, but instead a space to camp at
Belongil Fields, down the road from the main beach and shops. It was a bit more peaceful than the sloppy main streets of Byron and we were happy to see a few people our own age turn up for a bit of weekend camping. At only $15 bucks a head, you are able to choose any spot in the field to set up base; most people might remember it as the main area for accomodation for the former "Splendour in the Grass" festival. I really enjoyed it as a place to crash and it helped that it was only a short walk into the town.
The most obvious highlight of this place is it's main beach. The whitest of white sand paired with crystal blue water and nice predictable waves make it perfect for any type of beach person, whether you like to chill on the beach or hit something abit harder. Byron Bay basically sells itself. While being busy enough to build an amazing social atmosphere, it also feels hidden enough to be your own little secret, soemthing that I feel is very important in travel. My own personal highlight was the aptly named beachside pub, "
The Beach Hotel". Although it was schoolies week, I somehow got the impression that this Saturday was just like every other. The all round setup of the place was great, especially the stage designed for bands and DJ's that positioned the beach hotel as a top spot for live music. The tables were packed and the vibe was unbelievable with
DJ Alison Wonderland bringing the house down with some of the best and most original mixes I've heard in a long time.
Next day we got up early for some brekky, said goodbye to Byron and drove to Surfers Paradise to grab some sun, only to be hit by a gang of storm clouds. Although there was no storm while we stayed there, it was a bit dissapointing to come all this way in search of summer only to find the same stuff that I've become accustomed to back home. Despite this, Surfers Paradise was everything that I remembered it to be from my experience of Schoolies week five years ago. The beach almost looks man made next to the strip of skyscrapers that lines it, but is beautiful nevertheless. I love the party atmosphere here that almost makes it like a tiny, casino-less version of Las Vegas with tours and discounts being handed out all over the place and drinks and good times being shared everywhere you look. We had dinner at an amazing place called "
Waxy's Irish Pub". It wasn't amazing just because of the pub; as a generic Irish pub it was actually quite ordinary. The deals they had this particular Sunday however was what made this place great. $2 steaks (I shit you not) and $3 budweisers. When I asked how long this was for, the bartender replied casually "Until we run out". Sold. Best place for afternoon drinks and dinner.
The backpackers hostel we stayed at, the "
Surf 'N Sun Beachside Backpackers" is currently in the top ten highest rated hostels in Australia and I could not recommend it any higher. The room was great, clean, spacious and even had it's own ensuite and TV in the room which is hard to come by in a backpackers. At night the staff came around to every room inviting us on one of the nightly pub crawls and for pre-drinks by the pool downstairs. The diversity of nationalities staying at this hostel is generally great, we had a very unique group of comrades for our night out and enjoyed the hostels offer of free entry and drinks at "
Shooters", which despite not being the best club, turned out to be awesome fun when mixed with the right people.
The weekend overall was easy to do, even with a mere three days to do it and we were back in time for work on the Tuesday. I don't know about Surfers Paradise exactly, but I'll definately be back in Byron Bay and the Gold Coast for some weekend camping in the future and hopefully this time get my hands on that phantom of a summer sun.
Related Links:
- Visit Surfers Paradise nightlife @ Shooters
