| The Byron Shire covers an area of 566 square kilometres. It is located 180km south of Brisbane and 800km north of Sydney. Byron Bay town is 45 minutes south of the Coolangatta / Gold Coast airport and 20 minutes north of Ballina airport. There are a number of towns and villages in the shire, which has a population of 30,724 (Source: ABS, 2006), 30% living in rural areas. The annual growth rate is 2%, with a rate base of 13,800.
Income is sourced largely from tourism and agriculture. An estimated 1.7 million tourists visit each year. Thriving home-based businesses focus on alternative, cultural and knowledge based industries, with a growing population of artists, writers and filmmakers. The area is famed for its rural beauty and its beaches.
The average daily Summer temperature is 27 degrees celcius with Winter a comfortable 19.5 degrees celcius average. The average annual rainfall is 1,734mm.
The best way to orientate yourself to the layout and overall geography of Byron Bay is to visit the Cape Byron Lighthouse. This is the most easterly point of Australia. The southern view overlooks Cosy Corner and Tallow Beach. This long white beach runs past Suffolk Park and then meets the Broken Head rocks and the amazing Broken Head Nature Reserve. To the west you look over the town and onto the first ridge of the hinterland called Saint Helena. Slightly to the right, landmarked by the tall Norfolk pines at Main Beach, the bay slowly turns north and stretches past Brunswick Heads towards the Queensland border.
The Visitor Information Centre (ph: (02) 6680 8558), in Jonson Street just behind the bus station, is housed in the old stationmaster’s cottage. The staff are helpful and they have a lot of information on the local region. The Library is on the corner of Fletcher and Lawson Streets where internet access, local newspapers and photocopying is available.
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