Hour by hour
The plan
Nothing is locked except check-in, the horses and check-out. If the surf is pumping, everything else moves.
Day 1 · Thursday 1 October
Get there, get wet
Tent up, boards out, and a headland walk to finish the day.
- 12:30Leave Palm BeachAbout 1 hour 10 down the highway. Snacks in the car.
- 2:00Check in at Broken Head Holiday ParkEarliest we're allowed in. Find the site, put the tent up together.
- 3:30First surf of the tripSurfStraight out the front. The beach entrance is right next to the camp.
- 5:15Walk to the Three SistersExploreThrough the rainforest to the headland and Kings Beach. Look for turtles off the rocks.
- 6:15Dinner at campFirst night is always the best one.
- 7:30StarsLook upNo city lights out here. See how many satellites you can count.
Tip: get the tent up before the first surf. Doing it wet, cold and in the dark is a rookie move.
Day 2 · Friday 2 October
Dirt and animals
Mountain bikes in the morning, koalas and mini golf after lunch, surf before dinner.
- 6:45Dawn surfSurfBest waves of the day, and nobody else is up.
- 9:00Duck Creek Mountain Bike ParkBikes35 minutes to Alstonville. Nine kilometres of trails. We ride Flatline, the green two way loop, as many times as you want.
- 12:00Lunch in AlstonvilleBakery. You've earned it.
- 1:30Byron Bay Wildlife SanctuaryAnimalsKoalas, wombats, kangaroos, snakes and an 18 hole mini golf course. Challenge accepted.
- 4:00Surf at Seven Mile Beach, LennoxSurfLong, gentle and sandy. The best learning beach on this coast.
- 6:30Fish and chipsEat them on the grass at Lennox, then back to camp.
Important: there is no drinking water at Duck Creek and only one portaloo. Take two litres each and go to the toilet before you leave camp.
Day 3 · Saturday 3 October
Horse day
Two hours in the saddle, through the forest and out onto the sand. Then whales.
- 6:30Dawn surfSurfQuick one. Don't be late for the horses.
- 9:30Zephyr Horses: Forest to BeachHorsesTwo hours. Through sub-tropical woodland, then out onto the beach. Maximum 8 riders. Long pants and closed shoes, they give you the helmet.
- 12:30Lunch in ByronSore legs, big grin.
- 2:00Cape Byron LighthouseWhalesWalk to the most easterly point of mainland Australia. October is the best whale month of the whole year. Look for the puff of spray first, then the tail.
- 4:00Swim at WategosSwimSheltered, warm and usually full of people having a good time.
- 6:00Ice cream in townNon negotiable.
Clocks change tonight. At 2am NSW jumps forward an hour for daylight saving. Queensland doesn't. So put your phone on Byron time, and remember 10am check-out tomorrow is really 9am at home.
Day 4 · Sunday 4 October
One more wave
Last surf, pack up, one last look for whales on the way out.
- 6:30Final surfSurfYour body will think it's 5:30. Worth it.
- 8:30Pack up campShake the sand out of the tent now, not in the garage next weekend.
- 10:00Check outThat's 9am Queensland time. Don't get caught out.
- 10:30Last whale watch, or kayak with dolphinsChooseEither one more look from the lighthouse, or book Go Sea Kayak: two hours, and if you don't see a dolphin, turtle or whale you get to come back free.
- 1:00Drive homeSalt in your hair, sand everywhere, asleep by the Tweed.
