The day after our hike at Wollumbin/Mt. Warning, we drove south down the Pacific Highway about 40 km to the backpacker paradise of Byron Bay. This little seaside town (only around 5,000 permanent residents) is anything but sleepy! While many locals feel it is overhyped and a place to be avoided, we decided to give it a go. The town was bustling with backpackers from around the world hanging out at cafés & pubs, strolling past the shops, and enjoying the surf. With the crowds and the traffic, it seemed like the antithesis of laidback Pottsville.
One of our reasons for visiting was the Cape Byron Lighthouse, located (wouldn't you know it?!?!) on Cape Byron. We parked the car in the centre of town and walked down to the main beach for a picnic before starting our 2-hour (return) walk. At the beginning of the track, there is a sign posted of an Aboriginal poem/song and its English translation. It expresses a sentiment that we all agreed with. The track stuck mostly to the coastline and there were plenty of elevation changes to negotiate along the way. Coming the day after our marathon hike on Wollumbin/Mt. Warning, it was challenge enough for the young (and not so young!) legs in the group; however, the girls handled it beautifully. The lighthouse was built on the top of the headland that soars 100 metres above the ocean. Perched on the precipitous cliff with a sheer drop to the waves and rocks below, it is the most easterly point on the Australian mainland. You can see Judy & the girls pointing back towards New Zealand across the Tasman Sea. The water, from our vantage point high above, appeared to be a blend of chartreuse & turquoise near the shore, and we were amazed at the clarity of it - we even saw a couple of sea turtles swimming around - gorgeous!
The last two shots were taken back on Pottsville Beach. We were returning from the creek and decided to take the track back along the main beach to our house. We were rewarded with the amazing sight of a huge pod of dolphins swimming by, many of which also took time to frolic in the waves. Judy hustled back to the townhouse to get the camera and was able to get a few shots, but by then they had passed a bit farther up the coast. It is still a real treat for us to witness these wonderful creatures in the wild! This is the biggest pod we have seen and we all just stood on the beach, "oohing and aahing" for about twenty minutes as they made their way past - amazing!
One of our reasons for visiting was the Cape Byron Lighthouse, located (wouldn't you know it?!?!) on Cape Byron. We parked the car in the centre of town and walked down to the main beach for a picnic before starting our 2-hour (return) walk. At the beginning of the track, there is a sign posted of an Aboriginal poem/song and its English translation. It expresses a sentiment that we all agreed with. The track stuck mostly to the coastline and there were plenty of elevation changes to negotiate along the way. Coming the day after our marathon hike on Wollumbin/Mt. Warning, it was challenge enough for the young (and not so young!) legs in the group; however, the girls handled it beautifully. The lighthouse was built on the top of the headland that soars 100 metres above the ocean. Perched on the precipitous cliff with a sheer drop to the waves and rocks below, it is the most easterly point on the Australian mainland. You can see Judy & the girls pointing back towards New Zealand across the Tasman Sea. The water, from our vantage point high above, appeared to be a blend of chartreuse & turquoise near the shore, and we were amazed at the clarity of it - we even saw a couple of sea turtles swimming around - gorgeous!
The last two shots were taken back on Pottsville Beach. We were returning from the creek and decided to take the track back along the main beach to our house. We were rewarded with the amazing sight of a huge pod of dolphins swimming by, many of which also took time to frolic in the waves. Judy hustled back to the townhouse to get the camera and was able to get a few shots, but by then they had passed a bit farther up the coast. It is still a real treat for us to witness these wonderful creatures in the wild! This is the biggest pod we have seen and we all just stood on the beach, "oohing and aahing" for about twenty minutes as they made their way past - amazing!