a trip up north
what’s a road trip without a broken-down car? notes from Byron — all the places we loved
After a rocky start to what should have been a seven-hour drive, we made it… sixteen hours later… to a cosy barn on a hill in Myocum.
I’ll give you the short version… We set off, all packed and prepared at 5:30 a.m. Freshly filtered coffee in our travel cups, homemade granola with yogurt, and a car loaded with all the extra “just in case” bits - because why not. We brought our 10-month-old dog Raphy along for the ride, so I’d turned the back seat into his little sanctuary - all the cosy things for a smooth journey.
Just ten minutes into the drive, a red light starts flashing in Adam’s car (never good). We have no idea what it means, so we keep driving to see if it goes away (clueless and a terrible idea). We exit the tunnel and hit the highway - off we go! But no, the day had other plans. Two minutes later: POOF - a cloud of black smoke bursts from the engine. Turns out, the radiator was on its last legs.
After a few hours of riff-raff (and my mum, who absolutely saved the day), we drove back home, dropped the car at the mechanic, and swapped cars. Mum traded her wheels for my tiny Holden Barina for the week (angel). And just like that, we were off again.
Whenever I’m in the Northern Rivers, I always think, “Wow, I could live here.” There’s something so special about it. It’s beyond beautiful - slow, calm, and full of kind strangers who smile as you walk past.
We stayed at Casa Avalon in Myocum, a barn-style two-bedroom home on top of a hill. There were cows and a horse in the paddock next door, and the sun would rise from the sea and set over the hills behind us. The kitchen was incredible - one of those spaces that makes you actually want to cook and stay in. My photos don’t do it justice. We had the best time, and cooked a lot!
Brunswick Heads is just a 5–10 minute drive away, and it’s one of my favourite spots in the Byron area. We were there most mornings to walk the long stretch of beach and let the Raphy run free (a lot more space than he’s used to!) It’s one of those places that makes you slow down, breathe a little deeper, and think, “maybe I should stay a while.”
*Another one of my favourite places to stay is The Sunseeker. It’s just a short walk into main Byron town and a nice stroll to the ocean. This is a great option if you don’t have a car and just want to stay local. The rooms are beautiful!
We brought our own coffee, because unfortunately we’re those annoying coffee snobs - or at least I am. But we did stop by Old Maids a few mornings for a drink and a snack. They’ve got a nice outdoor area where you can sit in the sun after a swim at Brunswick Beach. I had eggs and avo one morning - simple, but it hit the spot.
We drove into Bangalow to get a bottle of wine and a quick lunch. We got a table at Wood’s, somewhere I remember visiting on one of my first trips to Byron years ago. It’s still how I remember, welcoming and delicious. I got the special, zucchini fritters, and Adam got the bircher bowl. We shared a cheese scone (a must!). Everything they do is seasonal, local and considered.
While you’re in Bangalow you must stop by the local pharmacy, it’s beautiful! I didn’t manage to get any photos but here are a few I found from their instagram. They stock Monastery, I am addicted to their GOLD face oil.
Okay this next one is an absolute must. Saint Maries may possible serve one of the best pizza’s I’ve had. We got one serving of focaccia, this was really really good. And one pizza to share. We chose the Lucky Marie (mozzarella, zucchini, caramelised onion, feta, chilli flakes, mint, honey)….. this flavour combination - I’m drooling just thinking about it. We loved it! 10/10 from us. Don’t forget a generous drizzle of chilli oil. Oh, and the pizza is only $18 during happy hour Mon - Fri. Win!
We loved it so much we were tempted to get it take away on our last night for the long drive home the following day. Can’t remember why we didn’t!?