Alstonville is a small but charming town in northern NSW. Early settlers were drawn to the plentiful supply of red cedar in the area, building a number of timber mills that kept the economy booming. Sugar cane farms also sprung up in the 1800’s, however, by the early 20th century dairies became the dominant industry. Interestingly, the dairies produced cream and butter rather than milk because of the lack of refrigeration! Alstonville also boasts that it had the world's first commercial orchard of macadamia trees, planted in the 1880’s. It’s rich, fertile soils still support farming today with large plantations of avocados, macadamia nuts, tropical fruits and coffee.
Alstonville was recommended to us as a great base to explore the Ballina region, including Byron Bay. I had always been drawn to the ‘hype’ of Byron, the casualness, the natural beauty, and, according to the tourist brochures, the “relaxed, hip vibe and a touch of luxury”. It’s just that the hype wasn’t enough for me to part with over $100 per night for a van site in town. Alstonville, just 30 minutes away, offered fantastic facilities in their showgrounds for a quarter of the price – far more attractive to us nomads!
Although the weather threatened to dampen our exploring, we managed to stay dry for the most part. We expectantly headed off for a day in Byron Bay, romanticizing about a town of relaxed, happy people…hey, their slogan is "Cheer Up, Slow Down, Chill Out". The reality couldn’t have been further from the cheesy clichéd mantra. It was absolutely horrible. We hated it. We hated the rude, aggressive and arrogant people, we hated the over inflated prices, we hated the pot-holed dodgy roads that were clogged with impatient drivers, we hated the manufactured culture, we hated everything about it. It was just another uninspiring, overpriced, commercialised coastal town with a broken soul and a spectacularly dishonest reputation.
We quickly put the disappointment of Byron Bay aside once we found our way to Cape Byron, the most easterly point on the mainland. The Cape is genuinely one of the more redeeming features of the Byron region and, thankfully, remains largely undeveloped. We spent a few hours at the Cape Byron Lighthouse, which is perched on the tip of the headland. It has provided aid to mariners navigating the hazardous waters around the Cape since 1901. The headland offered an outstanding vantage point for watching migrating whales and we were thrilled to see many playing and feeding in the waters below. Their massive bodies moved effortlessly through the ocean, eagerly searching for food as they slowly headed south to cooler climates. It’s almost unbelievable to imagine these majestic creatures were once hunted to near extinction.
We also took the opportunity to visit the Thursday Plantation Factory in Ballina. I am a big fan of their tea tree products and although we couldn't tour the factory, we did watch the 'informative video' to learn about the history of the company from its very humble beginnings to the large, complex organisation it is today. We found a few bargains in the factory shop and explored the expansive gardens surrounding the property. The kids quickly navigated their way through the tea tree maze and spent some time admiring the quirky garden art. Jesse was especially taken by the two columns that stood either side of the maze entrance. Adorned in boobs of all shapes and sizes, the columns were a source of great amusement to an 8 year old boy!
Photos from left to right
Byron Bay main beach
selfie on Byron Bay beach
Byron Bay market - wish we'd brought our gumboots!!
climbing the massive trees
Byron Bay Lighthouse
Byron Bay Lighthouse
The rugged and beautiful coastline of Cape Byron - view from the Lighthouse
Whales!
at the Headland of Cape Byron
Alstonville showgrounds - memorial gate
old pub advertising sign at the Alstonville showgrounds
Angels Beach, East Ballina
Angels Beach
garden art at the Thursday Plantation Factory - Jesse was getting a 'feel' for the boob column!
Tea tree hedge maze - Thursday Plantation
the Giant Prawn, Ballina - this was actually in the carpark of Bunnings!!