Matthew Michaelis
Death is sometimes nature’s way of telling you to slow down. There’s one certainty in life and that is we eventually leave it. So, a little life before death is in order and most of us are already waking up in the closest thing to heaven.
I for one appreciate every day I breathe the fresh air of the Byron Shire. We have a diverse range of landscapes, both commercial and natural, to explore – let’s not leave it all to the visitors.
Tourists come here in droves and it’s nice to know that this brilliant countryside is available all year round to its residents without fuss, froth or bubble.
Here’s a quick drive through some of it:
A Bex and a cup of tea
Driving around the winding roads from Bangalow, you’ll pass through Bexhill. Their ‘claim to fame’ here is the open-air cathedral overlooking the Corndale valley. Originally all churches were in secret vales in green forests.
The ‘cathedral’ has a lovely view so have a quick meditation or direct your interstate visitors to take some pics while you have a Bex and a lie down.
Friday evenings at Bexhill Community Hall you can grab a superb wood-fire pizza made by the famous Il Caretto pizza man himself – Andrea. Starts at 5pm, goes till around 8pm.
Clunes – a sign to slow down
Worth stopping or at least slowing down for is Clunes. I’ve driven through many times, hit the top of the hill and the 50 sign, the foot goes on the brake, the mind is on the position of the speed camera, and suddenly I’m through the other side of town.
For me the camera has been a block, but I recently slowed down to a stop and had a stretch, a coffee, a burger and a cake. I’m glad I did; while I was milking the locals for all the info, I found out that Norco (the milk co-op) started here – I was impressed.
Pleased to meet you; meat to please you
The first places you’ll see on the verge coming into town in Clunes will be the nursery and the butcher shop. The butcher shop is a little over 100 years old, I was told (the exact quantity of years was hazy with those I spoke with).
What’s important to note is that this small butcher supplies the ‘hatted’ local at Harvest with their meats. They supply some other good food outlets including the Eltham Pantry and the Eltham Hotel, both great Byron hinterland locations.
A speciality of theirs is their smoked chicken and ham prepared and smoked in house. Enquiries – 6629 1359.
Shacking up with an old romantic
The Old Romantic Shack in Clunes is an eccentric business and has an owner who is straight out of an Agatha Christie novel.
Ethereal and calm, Leonie Wilmoth handmakes fineries, the likes of lampshades, and displays them with gentle lighting in her shop brimming full of bric-a-brac.
Crockery and clothing sit comfortably with interesting restored furniture. If you are excited about collecting pieces, it’s likely you’ll find something to wet your whistle here – 39 Main Street, Clunes. Phone: 6629 1722. theoldromanticshack.com.
Benchmark general store
Familiarity can breed contempt but not if it’s your own family running things. Clunes General Store is more than a general store; it’s a lifestyle for many of the locals.
Owners Karen and Bryan Dixon built three sizeable benches specially for locals to have a lazy afternoon or morning chat and often those seats are placed with their bums. The Dixons are flanked by their kids Jireh, Jared, and Leah. Jared, the winemaker, can be found working the bottle-o; Leah works the front of house with the folks; while Jireh, the elder daughter, with hubby Sho, put on the Shoza Gyoza Friday nights – serving fresh gyoza dumplings at the cafe from 4pm until around 8pm (mobile: 0406 354 788).
Thursday evenings at Clunes Cafe from 5pm, Andrea from Il Caretto is serving his famous wood-fire pizzas until around 8pm. Every day in the cafe there’s a great coffee brewing, fresh scones, cakes, burgers and fare of all kinds on the menu.
Pizza enquiries on: 0403 806 849. Clunes General Store enquiries on 6629 1340.
Park and get a fix on Clunes
If you’re interested in local history, have your car tuned, or fill-up and sit awhile with the owner of the Clunes workshop and garage, Garry Johnston. The second generation to run the business, he bought the yard from his father in 1985.
His dad Col started the workshop in 1947 when he was working in the shadow of the local blacksmith. Over the years the blacksmith grew smaller and the mechanical work grew until the blacksmith was consigned to history (a bit like Netscape or the compact disc).
Unplug, recharge and retreat to SummerHills Retreat
Are you after a slice of Tuscany in Byron Bay? This accommodation takes advantage of the geography. Far enough for even locals to retreat to, but close enough to send your family and friends to when they’re visiting. It’s located on Binna Burra Road, four minutes to the Bangalow pub.
Here you’ll find panoramic views of the Nightcap mountain range. Set on 113 acres of forest and picturesque gardens, it’s a total chill-out zone in the Byron hinterland.
Framed by relaxing walking trails (2–4km), koalas, echidnas and yoga in the garden (or in the yoga room). They’ve got relaxation down pat – massages on the pool deck, dips in the saltwater pool.
Well equipped self-contained cabins and villa accommodation, modern and attractive fit-outs, a spa bath in every suite. This is a local haven to unplug and recharge at and if you can’t disappear totally then don’t worry, SummerHills Retreat has free WiFi. For information contact www.summerhills.com
Falling for nature
On a clear day you might be lucky to see all the way out to the coast from the Minyon Falls lookout. The water tumbles over the falls to a deep palm-shaded gorge 100m below.
The tops of the cliffs are wooded with Australian eucalypts, such as blackbutt and scribbly gum, and at the base is a striking natural pool made for swimming. A quick stop, or there’s a picnic area with plenty of trees, barbecues and picnic tables.
A couple of bushwalks leave from the picnic area, including Boggy Creek walk, which takes you to Rummery Park campground, and Minyon Falls loop walk, which takes you down to the base of the falls.
Info: nationalparks.nsw.gov.au/nightcap-national-park/minyon-falls-lookout/lookout.
Cycle of discovery
If you’re a fit camper then cycling on tracks and trails is a fab way to experience the brilliant landscapes found around the Byron hinterland parks. Thousands of kilometres of trails are open for cyclists criss-crossing parks in NSW.
Heady mountain-bike single-track or multi-track experiences are on hand in certain national parks. You can cycle on many of Nightcap National Park’s trails and roads. If you’re heading off on your bike, check all the safety concerns and suggestions set out by National Parks of NSW: environment.nsw.gov.au/NationalParks/cycling.aspx.
Other action enterprises worth looking into:
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