Shop 4 - 46 Acacia St (Arts and Industry Estate) Byron Bay NSW 2481 Australia.
BYRON BAY
The coastal capital of Australia's renowned alternative-lifestyle "Rainbow
Region", Byron Bay is a small country town of extraordinary colour, diversity
and natural beauty. Once the home of whalers, sandminers and abattoirs,
Byron is now known for its splendid environment, open consciousness, and
unique society.
Also blessed with a benign sub-tropical climate and wonderful light,
the bay and its hinterland are a photographer's dream, with a dazzling
array of subject matter.
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As the continent's most easterly point, Cape Byron juts majestically into the Pacific Ocean, and much of Byron's soul lies in the sea, with the dolphins and whales who play around the clear waters of the bay.
Surfers began the modern transformation of the sleepy hamlet when they
arrived in the late sixties, searching for the perfect wave. They found
them aplenty on the magnificent beaches and points that grace the area,
and also discovered one of the planet's most agreeable places to live.
Many stayed, more came, and are still coming. Today, Byron is a surf mecca,
boasting some of the world's best waves, surfers, and surfboard manufacturers.
The hippies arrived en masse in the area at the Aquarius Festival in Nimbin
in 1973, and fell in love with the verdant hills, pristine creeks, and
thick-forested mountains of Byron's hinterland. Today, thousands of alternative-lifestylers
live there on various "MO s" _ multiple-occupancy landholdings _ their
own communities. The small villages in the hills are a delight, with picturesque
settings, quaint cafes and attractive old buildings.
The hinterland remains much sleepier than Byron Bay. The surfers and hippies were followed by a vivid variety of ratrace refugees, and Byron has become a thriving traveller and visitor centre, internationally popular, especially with young people.With its cafes, restaurants and nightlife, at busy times it resembles a hip city suburb, but without the hustle and bustle _ even during visitor peaks such as Easter, it maintains its free, easy, laidback charm. There are no traffic lights or parking meters, and suits and ties are the only attire out of place in Byron's streets.
Almost everybody in Byron is there by choice, because they like the place, making it smiling and friendly, and meaning people have a degree of like-mindedness. Stress and conflict are avoided, whilst happiness is pursued. Consciousness expansion is also a goal for many, and Byron is the yoga capital of Australia. Art and music are a way of life for most inhabitants, and there is much on show.
Photographically, the possibilities are endless. Sunrise from the lighthouse, Australia's most easterly point, or from the peak of Mt Warning, which gets the first rays even earlier. The green cathedral of the rainforest. The technicolour of the festivals, markets and streets. An incredible array of characters, fauna and flora. The playful, chilled-out beach life. Dolphins and surfers frolicking in the waves. Whales breaching in the big blue. Rainbows framing the Cape. Electrical storms booming and flashing on the horizon. Fiery sunsets over the bay
There is never a dull moment in Byron _ and they're all there to be captured on camera.
Simon de Salis
