Our shortest trip yet, moving onto Byron Bay for 5 nights from Hastings Point, distance travelled 40km. After ringing 4 caravan parks we finally found one that we could get into.Byron Bay Tourist Village, about a 10minute bike ride from town centre-beach.The only park that had a pool and tennis court.Also, a fair bit cheaper due to it not being right smack in the middle of town on the beach like the others.Nice spot all the same, and the grounds were very well kept with plenty of permanents in this park.After we set up camp, we headed for a swim and then just sat back and watched the tent city grow right before our eyes.Byron is very popular, especially on the weekends! A good sheep dog would not have got his feet dirty getting to the toilets from our camp between all the "jucys" and "wickeds" not to mention bloody tents!

The next day we took a drive up to Cape Byron lighthouse. Named by Captain Cook, this is on the most easterly point of the Australian mainland.With mighty views south to Lennox Head and north across the Bay to Mount Warning it was not hard to see why we weren't alone on this morning.This is a great spot, but beware the government has its hand out in this lovely spot as well! It cost $7 to park there for an hour! You could probably cop $2 maybe but give us a break!You don't have to try and pay for every broken promise or long lunch in Canberra by stinging every poor b****** who wants to see part of THEIR own country just because you can!? After taking some photos and a walk we headed back down to the town centre to have a look around at what Byron has to offer. What? Paid parking again! WTF!Another $4 for parking, $2 per hour with a 4 hour maximum.I kind of agree with it around the city heart here though as space is limited.Probably because everyone wants to be right where the action is aye!?Glad we bought the bikes, no parking fees!

The water down here is amazing, so blue and clear. Everyone keeps telling us the further south you go the clearer it gets. So far it would be hard to argue with them. (think we will keep going anyway just to make sure aye?!) The park had a few ducks which the girls became very fond of.Naming them "Chels" and "Charli the guts ache duck".Kids really do know how to have fun with nothing when they want to.

On Sunday we were in town for the Byron Markets.The markets go from 7am - 3pm, the range of food was pretty impressive.Talk about "takes all kinds"? Byron surely does have them all!You just cannot help wondering how many are really living the life and how many are just down from Brissie or up from Sydney pretending or just perhaps wishing that this was their life.

On our Byron adventure we also enjoyed a drive up into the mountains outside Mullumbimby to take in the amazing Minyon Falls. These falls are 100m high and the viewing platform is built out over the top and gives a very confronting view! These falls are in the Nightcap national park area which was declared after Australia's first direct conflict between the "Greenies" and logging companies circa 1976? (Don and Sandra feel free to correct this date for us please!?) This tour also took in the very beautiful and well looked after Crystal Palace. This park seems, to the untrained eye, to provide a very relaxing and reflective environment for all who pass through her gates. Very Buddhist kind of thing. We were very impressed with the huge statues and the amount of information on hand to help explain the cultural meanings of them all. Not to mention the huge volcanic crystals used as gateways and ornaments around the gardens.

The last part of our driving day took us into Brunswick heads. Wow what a nice place! 20, 20 hindsight being as clear as it is we wished we had have stayed at Brunswick perhaps and travelled to Byron not the other way around? Nice quiet streets and good clean parks as well as a magic little beach swimming area made a very good impression on us in a very short trip. We walked out to the actual "Heads" and with a slightly breezy day on hand I could see the reason for so many boating accidents on bars in these southern waterways.Very sloppy and not nice looking at all!

Kylz also found us a couple of very close Geocaches which we took time to explore and find while in the area. The girls are always keen for this strange new hobby, and it is funny to see them each time, jostling for the best view of the emerging trinkets as Kylz lifts them from their plastic lunch box "treasure chest".

We had a yarn with a couple of colourful locals during our stay and came away with an appreciation for this very hectic yet simple and accommodating place.Beautiful beaches, bustling main streets and shops ((not to mention the night life!) (I was told by a couple of hungover young lads from the coast!?)) it really does have something for everyone!Bye Bye from Byron as we continue Round Oz!