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Byron Bay, Australia
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Byron Bay is a town in the state of New South Wales on the eastern most point of the mainland of Australia. The town is the nucleus of Byron Shire, which has in excess of 30,000 people (ABS est. 2003). Captain James Cook named Cape Byron after circumnavigator John Byron, grandfather of English poet Lord Byron.
LocationByron Bay is located 600 km north of Sydney and 140 km south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjacent to the town, is the most easterly point of Australia. The Cape Byron lighthouse was opened in 1901, and has the most powerful beacon in Australia (2,200,000 cd, visible to a range of 27 nautical miles, 40 km).
TourismThe town has several beaches which are popular for surfing. It is a resort popular with both domestic and international tourists, including backpackers, who travel along the Australian coast, and the scenery attracts sky divers. The area is also noted for its wildlife, with the whale watching industry a significant contributor to the local economy.
LocationByron Bay is located 600 km north of Sydney and 140 km south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjacent to the town, is the most easterly point of Australia. The Cape Byron lighthouse was opened in 1901, and has the most powerful beacon in Australia (2,200,000 cd, visible to a range of 27 nautical miles, 40 km).
TourismThe town has several beaches which are popular for surfing. It is a resort popular with both domestic and international tourists, including backpackers, who travel along the Australian coast, and the scenery attracts sky divers. The area is also noted for its wildlife, with the whale watching industry a significant contributor to the local economy.
Byron Bay is the place where the temperate and tropical waters merge, making it a popular area for scuba diving and snorkelling. Most diving happens at Julian Rocks, which is now part of the recently established Cape Byron Marine Park and only a few minutes boat ride from Main Beach.
The town is popular with visitors and residents from all socio-economic backgrounds and walks of life. It is famous for its laid back and alternative lifestyle, but also has a higher proportion of Baby Boomers (27%) than any other town in Australia.
OriginByron Bay is part of the erosion caldera of an ancient shield volcano, the Tweed Volcano, which erupted 23 million years ago. The volcano formed as a result of the Indo-Australian Plate moving over the East Australia hotspot.
HistoryBefore it became a renowned surfing and tourist spot, Byron Bay had a history of primary industrial production (dairy factory, abattoirs, whaling until 1963, fishing) and was a significant, but hazardous, sea port. The town was established in the 1870s and was originally known as Cavanbah. The lighthouse was built in 1901 and at that time was relatively inaccessible from the town.
The beginning of Bryon Bay's modern shape occurred in the late 1950s and early 1960s when surfers from Sydney 'discovered' the warm blue waters and good quality surf. In following years, the attractions of the area became more and more widely known, with an attendant increase in tourism. Progressively the notoriously smelly whaling station and abattoirs closed down, as did the Norco dairy factory, which was once the largest such facility in Australia.
EventsEvents held at Byron Bay include yoga retreats, pagan gatherings, music festivals such as the East Coast Blues & Roots Music Festival at Easter and Splendour in the Grass, the Byron Bay Writers Festival, the Byron Bay Film Festival and the Byron Underwater Festival.
NewspapersThe Byron Shire Echo (Independent weekly A3)The Byron Shire News (APN weekly A3)The Northern Star (APN daily) The Saturday Star (Independent A5 monthly)Radio stations2LM 900 AM (commercial)Triple Z FM 100.9 (commercial)Triple J 96.1 FMABC Radio National 96.9 FMABC Classic FM 95.3 FMABC Northern Rivers 94.5 FMBay FM, (community)External linksByron Bay Artists Community websiteThe Oceania Project, Caring for Whales, Dolphins and the Oceans, Byron Bay
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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By deschutz
20 days
Australia Grad Trip for Lizzie and Fattyboy!!
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8 people reviewed Byron Bay
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Top
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at 10:13AM May 29, 2008
Just beautiful, great place to chill
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at 4:12AM May 29, 2008
Splendor in the Grass... Baby!!!
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at 11:36PM May 28, 2008
i have been there before and back packed from adalaide to cairns but would love to go back with my fiancee lisa its a really laid back artists comunity as with the whole of oz everyone is very friendly and the beach is gorgeous and theres plenty of low cost but good quality accomodation.
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at 6:04PM May 28, 2008
im gonna live here there 1 day
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at 2:44PM May 28, 2008
I've been three times and loved them all!
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at 9:32PM May 27, 2008
kick ass
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at 4:38PM May 27, 2008
stayed at Lennox Heads, just near Byron.
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at 6:55PM March 9, 2008
good vibe, travellers from all over the world, consistent surf :)
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