Byron Bay

Friday, 5 June 2015

Lift up bridge over the Clarence River

Richmond River

The Big Prawn at Ballina

South from Cape Byron

Cape Byron Lighthouse

Have now been to the northest, westest and eastest!

North from Cape Byron

Rainbow lorikeet and banksia

Here comes the Navy

Lighthouse keepers' houses

Not much surf at Lennox Head

Up close and personal

Another clear morning and time to say goodbye to the friendly kangaroos and ducks, especially the one footed duck which had become a special friend of Les.  We only had about a two and half hour drive north to Ballina, following the Clarence River for some distance – the sugar cane fields and high houses made us feel we were much further north!  We crossed another large river, the Richmond, at MacLean before continuing to Ballina.  We are staying at the Big4 Skennars Head, which is a few kilometres north.  It is a nice park, not a lot of caravan sites, but the amenities are fabulous – there is even a vanity bench, complete with chair, in the ladies.  Mutters of discrimination have been heard!  Sites here certainly aren’t as wide as they are at Darlington Beach.  As we were finishing setting up, Les noticed George and Patty who were opposite up at Cairns two years ago.

Never having been to Byron Bay and only being about 20 kms away, we decided a visit was in order.  We followed the signs, along with hundreds of other cars, to the lighthouse and its small car park.  After doing a circuit, leaving and then returning, we were lucky enough to find an empty car space.  The ranger immediately held out her hand for $7 for the privilege of staying for one hour.  We set off for the lighthouse and the lookout at the most easterly point of Australia, along with all the people from all the cars.  We had some spectacular views of the beaches to the south and north, along with the rugged coastline and mountains in the distance.  As we were walking back up the hill (this lookout was at the bottom of a hill!), two Navy helicopters flew around the headland and continued along the coast.  We were also lucky enough to spot a couple of whales (or maybe the same whale).

Then it was down into the CBD of Byron Bay and we did rather stand out from the crowd.  We found an empty spot in a car park (only $4 an hour!) and walked into the main street and bought an ice cream.  Not being particularly keen on the air we were breathing from all the hand rolled cigarettes(?) being smoked around us, we headed back to the car to eat our ice creams, with the windows up and the doors locked.  We have now been to Byron Bay, which we found very poorly maintained and quite seedy with lots of graffiti.

The beautiful, sunny morning turned into an overcast and cooler afternoon, with an odd shower and more threatening.