Food, Wine & Walking - Byron Bay

Times and locations of walks and venues may vary each day according to local weather, closures and other factors. We will deliver all elements of the itinerary but some flexibility may be required to adapt the order of the schedule on the day.

Arrive by 10am into Byron Bay and we start at our hotel with a welcome meeting and briefing to inform for the week’s activities ahead. Following a sumptuous and healthy lunch, we will drive inland to the Cape Byron Distillery on a family farm. We’ll walk through the rainforest with a Brookie’s gin & tonic in hand while hearing the story of the distillery and learning the history of the Big Scrub. See, smell and touch the different native rainforest botanicals that are used to make their award-winning spirits. Finish with a guided tasting, and learn all about the art of distillation.

After the tasting we take a walk on the stunning Cape Byron headland, climbing first to the famous lighthouse and lookout before making a circuit around the headland on a path with many stairs and stunning views. Expect to see many Humpback whales passing by the Cape Byron headland, which is the most easterly point of the Australian continent. After taking in a magnificent Byron Bay sunset we head into town, having a chance to change before we head out to dinner at an excellent restaurant, loved by locals and renowned for its incredible food. The plant-based menu is modern Asian and dishes are matched with a diverse vegan wine list, local spirits and cocktails, and their own brewed range of craft beers, cider, kombucha and other beverages.

Overnight: The Lord Byron

Meals: L, D

A full day planned today and we start the day with a nourishing breakfast bowl at one of Byron’s most iconic cafes. Today we have a wonderful walk along the coastline between the surfer’s hangout of Lennox Head and the town of Ballina. Before we begin that we will call into Zentveld’s coffee farm and roastery for a morning caffeine hit. This family farm is situated on beautiful Bundjalung Country in the hills behind Byron Bay. The cooler subtropical climate of Northern NSW means their Arabica coffee is slow ripened with only one harvest each year. At Zentveld’s they farm using regenerative practices, actively produce compost, and grow cover crops to assist in soil health and coffee production.

Then we start our hike from Lennox Head along a coastal trail. Along the way you’ll pass coves and headlands that are rich with Aboriginal history and there are many informative signboards along the way that tell the story of the First Nations people in this area. Today’s walk is a mixture of trails, sealed paths and boardwalks and the views along the rugged coastal headlands are excellent. We will finish by the compact and neat little lighthouse in Ballina before we drive off to our lunch at Harvest in Newrybar. Harvest is a contemporary restaurant led by a team of Australia’s most talented and forward-thinking chefs, showcasing the diversity of local produce and supporting the farmers, growers and artisans behind everything it serves, Harvest is one of the Northern Rivers region’s most exciting dining experiences.

Following our leisurely lunch, we visit a nearby macadamia farm for a quick visit and tastings before we transfer to the nearby town of Bangalow, nestled in the hinterland hills. Here our local Indigenous guide Delta takes guests along the stunning Byron Creek, located within Bangalow Parklands, which has been regenerated this area with hundreds of native plant species that are really important to Bundjalung people. During the walk, Delta points out a variety of these edible bush tucker plants, as well as plants used for natural medicine, jewellery, fibre, tools and weapons. She speaks about local indigenous history and shares traditional stories that have been passed down to her from her ancestors. There are opportunities to learn some Bundjalung language and we are sometimes lucky to see Binging the river turtle or Junbung the platypus. At the end of the walk, we enjoy tasting a variety of delicious bush tucker foods and have cup of bush tea and a biscuit.

Overnight: The Lord Byron

Meals: B, L
Dinner is not included tonight but we will make recommendations.

We start our day with breakfast at one of the Byron Locals’ favourite breakfast cafes with a good feed and great coffee. Today we are going to be driving into the lush hinterland rainforests, exploring the remnants of what was referred to by early settlers as The Big Scrub. This was a vast area of Gondwanan forests, that was largely cleared but pockets remain in the hillsides where the land was too steep for farming. We will walk to some of the outstanding waterfalls in the region such as Minyon Falls, Goonengerry or Whian Whian Falls (depending on local closures with track restoration). These are breathtaking waterfalls and the scenery is outstanding as we walk on both wide and narrow trails through the forest to reach the viewing points.

Our next destination is the superb Lilium Love Cafe – a very special place nestled in the hinterland hills. The food and products are ‘100% organic, seasonal, medicinal and consciously created’. We will enjoy a delicious late lunch before heading back to town in time to take in a spectacular Byron Bay sunset.

This morning we transfer to Brunswick Heads for breakfast at a popular local cafe there before we start a wonderful walk along the Tyagarah nature reserve, following a mixture of a fire trail through bushland and a walk along the shore. The beach walking is on an open and flat expanse of ocean beach that has wonderful views across the bay to the Cape Byron headland. Look out for white-bellied sea eagle sea eagles and other seabirds along this wonderful shoreline walk. Reaching the car park at Tyagarah we meet the van for a break and have morning tea. We then continue on our way to reach the outskirts of Byron at beautiful Belongil beach, walking into town for our lunch at the Stone & Wood Brewery. We get to sample tasting plates of their food and beers, in a fun and convivial space.

The rest of that afternoon is free time to explore Byron or just relax by the beach or pool. In the evening we’ll be heading to the sensational Karkalla restaurant in town. Karkalla is the passion project of Mindy Woods, proud Bundjalung woman of the Widjabul Wia-bul clan. Featuring locally sourced, seasonal produce and native indigenous ingredients, Karkalla delights diners with the novel tastes of the local bush and produce.

Overnight: The Lord Byron

Meals: B, L, D

We start our final morning with a last delicious Byron breakfast at the popular Byron Bay General Store, a firm favourite with locals and visitors, followed by a walk along the stunning open expanses of Tallows Beach to finish our trip. We have a late checkout (12 noon) and those who are heading to the airport that same afternoon can be transferred back.

Meals: B

• 5 x daily hikes with an expert RAW leader and driver / support vehicle
• Twin-share accommodation at the centrally located Lord Byron Hotel
• 4 breakfasts at iconic cafes
• 4 lunches at outstanding local venues, including Harvest Restaurant
• Dinner at the Karkalla Byron Bay
• Dinner at Yulli’s Byron Bay
• Rainforest and gin tasting tour at Cape Byron Distillery
• Visits to macadamia and coffee farms
• Bush tucker walking tour with an Indigenous guide
• Trailhead transfers each day
• Carbon offset for your trip and a native tree planted
• 10% GST

• Travel insurance
• Transport to Byron Bay from your location
• Any meals not specified
• Single supplement (on request only)

The walking is quite moderate on this trip, the coastal hikes follow a mixture of well-defined paths and trails, with some beach walks taking place on broad relatively flat expanses of beach. The day that we hike to the hinterland waterfalls is a bit more demanding as we will follow narrow trails through the scrubland and requires proper footwear such as walking shoes. If you are a regular walker of reasonable fitness and used to bushwalking then you won’t find this overly difficult.

The food on this trip is a highlight of this trip. We eat out at some of the local’s favourite venues throughout the region. Meal choices are aimed at supporting you with healthy, nourishing and delicious fresh food and taking advantage of some of the excellent vegetarian / vegan meals (though there are also non-vegetarian meals / venues each day). We will visit some of the hinterland’s primary producers and eat at venues that support the concept of growing their own produce, sourcing the rest locally and putting an emphasis on community in their approach. We will also be enjoying some of Byron Bay’s best venues for eating out in a town that is probably Australia’s foremost for conscious and healthy eating.

Please advise us of any dietary restrictions prior to or at the time of booking, so we can prepare accordingly. Many common dietary restrictions can be catered for but this may not be a suitable trip for people with very restricted diets and we reserve the right to refuse a booking on this basis.

You will be staying The Lord Byron in central Byron Bay. The hotel is a modern light-filled building that is home to 30 rooms and three fully-furnished apartments. Enjoy the tranquility of a property surrounded by lush foliage, a divine swimming pool and spa with wraparound decking, spacious cabana, and tennis court. From shops, cinema and cafes on your doorstep to the glow of golden hour spent poolside, your hotel experience at The Lord Byron will complement a wonderful week of walking, food and relaxation.