You've been warned
Hiking to the summit of
Mount Warning, which towers over nearby
Murwillumbah, at dawn has long-been a "must do" for anyone visiting the north coast of New South Wales. Christened "Wollumbin", meaning "cloud catcher", by the Bundjalung people who inhabited the region before European settlement, it is the first place on the Australian mainland to be kissed by the morning sun.
Having done this hike myself some years back for my 30th birthday, I know it is one of the most rewarding and challenging climbs. But times have changed and these days out of respect for Bundjalung law and culture, you're asked to consider choosing not to climb the cone-shaped peak. As an alternative to the Summit Walk, the tourist office suggests you stroll along the 200m Lyrebird Track. While the Lyrebird Track certainly has its attractions, in my opinion you're better off hiking to Pinnacle Lookout in the nearby Border Ranges National Park. It offers some of the most spectacular views of the peak from anywhere along the coast.
Fashion sense
Thanks to myriad designers and innovative boutiques,
Byron Bay has become the favourite stomping ground for many cashed-up young fashionistas. For the best buys, skip busy
Jonson Street, which is starting to resemble a strip mall thanks to a line of tiresome chain stores, and take a wander down
Fletcher Street, where you'll find an eclectic mix of fashions. In
Sweet Papillon, local jewellery designer Nicole Sharratt creates exquisite, one-off, hand-made pieces. For home-grown labels such as
Sass & Bide and
Alice McCall,
Madam Pompidou is
the place to shop, while nearby
Byron Hunter stocks all the best international brands.
If it's hidden local designers, unusual handmade items and unconventional treasures you're seeking then head out of town to Byron's Arts and Industry Estate. Here you'll find innovate shops like Slingfings and Bird on Banksia Drive, which prove that fashion can be sustainable using recycled fabrics and materials to create a funky range of handbags, garments and homewares. In keeping with the "green" ethos of their designs, both companies run on solar energy.
Head for the hills
Most people who tear up (or down) the Pacific Highway to northern NSW rarely take their eyes off the gleaming sands and blue waters of the coast to see what lies beyond the tarmac. From verdant valleys, peaceful villages, ancient rainforests and craggy escarpments, the north coast's
hinterland is taking over Byron Bay as the new Promised Land. So turn off the highway and explore some of the back roads.
My favourite route follows the Bangalow Road through Bangalow and Clunes to Lismore, then following Dunoon Road detouring to The Channon and returning via Uki — stopping at the Mount Warning Pub for a drink — and Murwillumbah to the Pacific Highway.
Got any more near the beaten track suggestions? Have your say using the comments form below.
Next: Hit the beach
