“Weren’t we flying in today?” Yes, a year ago we landed from 9-months around the world to celebrate a monumental birthday and tie the knot after 25 years. It wasn’t supposed to be a trip of a lifetime, but here we are, witnessing the grounding of global travel with no definitive time frame to a return to “normal” – whatever that will be.
For us, the good news is we live near the coast with national parks an arms length away that scream “come take a look”. And being sun and sand people, a road trip with beach stops is just what we need for a quick get-away. Though not as exotic and chaotic as Marrakesh or as challenging and adventurous as Machu Picchu, we still feel this can accomplish the re-charge that only travel can bring. So armed with necessities (Spotify playlists, coffee plunger, bug spray and wine) we rent a 2 person campervan for a drive to Byron Bay. Not an original idea for Sydneysiders, but accessible and affordable in these cautious Covid days.
We’ve driven this route many times usually stopping for the night at an Airbnb in Port Macquarie. This time, with our kitchen, dining table and bedroom in tow, the destination is a caravan park just a few blocks from Flynn’s Beach. We are not “glamping” by any means and the experience reminds us of our drive around Sicilia in a similar vehicle last year. What you lack in luxury, you make up in convenience. With a half day of sun still left, we park at Shelly Beach and hike alongside some of the most beautiful coastline in New South Wales. The stretch from Shelly to Miners Beach is only a small part of the Tracking Point Lighthouse walk, and it’s worth the additional effort to complete in full if you have the time.
We should mention that if nudity offends, keep your eyes to the ocean. Miners Beach is “get your kit off” optional, but for anyone worried about rows and rows of bare bums, it’s often deserted. We saw only a few passing bush walkers, swimmers and fishermen. When we trek back to the campervan, we are the only two people around except for a family picnicking in the parking lot.
With perfect weather that night, we decide to walk into town. Passing the crowded Breakwall Holiday Park reminds us we are at the tail-end of school holidays, but we still manage to find a free table at an old favourite The Beach House - reliable, classic food, friendly service and a view out to the water. A meal, a bottle of wine, a trip to the beach and we are back in holiday mode.
The next morning, it was just a short walk through a suburban neighbourhood to an amazing sunrise, on the small (and once again) empty Flynn’s Beach. The colours were phenomenal and the perfect spot to stare and breathe away the stresses of elections and epidemics.
Back to the drive, navigation set, we pass the Big Banana on our way to Broken Head Holiday Park, just 4 hours away, and 15 minutes outside of Byron. This park is ideal; a surfer’s favourite with a short walk to beachfront and impeccable views North to Byron and South toward Ballina. At low tide, you can easily take in the national park trail bordering the ocean on your way to Kings Beach. At night, the park was crowded, but quiet. There are noise restrictions at specified times in caravan parks, but that didn’t bother these two “going grey” nomads. We even manage to share a bottle of wine with another traveller who had escaped neighbouring Victoria. He and his wife were dividing their time between a family campervan and a nearby bolt-hole to give each other some space during this extended lockdown period. We thought it wasn’t a bad option. Would we rather be confined to a house in Melbourne or traveling from beach to beach, enjoying a morning surf and swim? Hmmmmmm . . .
To add a bit of creature comfort (we’ve not completely abandoned our urban lifestyle) we find a last minute deal at Byron Oasis Treetop Houses and check in for two nights. These properties have been around a while and sit in a neighbourhood bordering Arakwal National Park bushland and Tallow Beach. The current management has been there for only 18 months and reveal “. . . we’ve seen storms, floods, fires and now a pandemic in that short time . . . what more experience do we need!” The apartments are exactly as they sound: “treetop” positioned with views that stretch over the canopy out to the ocean. The cacophony of leaves rustling in the wind, birds flying across your balcony, some form of wildlife running through the garden and soft ocean waves in the distance gives our stay a more bush-like feel than either campsite. It is pure relaxation.
A 5-minute walk through the national park lands us on another deserted stretch of beach. On one end of Tallow sits the Cape Byron Lighthouse on the rocky headland. Turning to face South, we spot the end of Broken Head Beach in the distance. There are a few locals walking their dogs towards Suffolk Park, but overall, Covid has given us more open space than we’d anticipated. No complaints here.
Our final stop is an attempt to be right in the middle of the Byron scene. Unfortunately, we get more than we bargain for in a popular, crowded holiday park directly on the bluff above the beach. It felt a bit like camping in a Bunnings / Home Depot parking lot filled with monster trucks. Lesson learned. We did take advantage of the short walk to sun and surf and later to good beer, wine and coffee. Even with Covid restrictions, Byron is busy – pumping that unending holiday vibe it’s known for. Before pulling up stakes and heading back to Sydney, we book a date-night at a restaurant called No Bones. Their marketing material describes a dining concept that “brings people together over good food – meat eaters and vegans alike” and it was recommended by friends. It delivers. The menu is plant based and tasty – full of enough flavour that we don’t miss meat – with a great cocktail list and a familiar global beachside resort fit out. It is the perfect “night-cap” for our short yet reaffirming week-long get-away.
A good cup of coffee first thing and we're on our way back to Sydney. It's amazing what a short week away from relentless social media feeds, news and pandemic stresses can do. During that extended break in 2019, we discovered how really passionate we are about travel. To use that contemporary cliché, it’s vital for our ‘wellbeing’. It’s also not lost on us how fortunate we are to have the means to take advantage of it. At the same time, we compared the types of experiences we had and realised we could simplify it all and enjoy just as much benefit. With global travel on hold for the time being, one of us out of work and retirement prep conversations beginning to take place, there will be plenty more local escapes this year . . . and why not? What better way is there to refresh and recharge quickly than taking a classic “get out the map” road trip.
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