Brunswick Heads is one of many pearls in the Byron shire. It is a village ever-evolving nestled at the mouth of the Brunswick River in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales. Brunswick Heads is still quaint despite the gentrification that has brought into town excellent top-rated restaurants and cafes, a selection of must-visit retails shops, including a few excellent op-shops and the beautifully reborn Brunswick Picture House, where cheeky cabaret shows, cultural and community events, live music from Australian emerging artists, can all be enjoyed on a regular basis.
As an Italian residing in the Northern Rivers who has permanently settled in Byron Shire, I like to write and take pictures in my spare time with the intention of inspiring others, visitors and residents alike, to make the most of everything our shire has to offer. “Simple Pleasures”, the tourism tagline chosen by the local chamber of commerce fits perfectly with the relaxed vibe the town exudes.
This is Maurizio Viani, and today I am going to share my top 8 free activities in Brunswick Heads, Byron Shire, Northern Rivers, New South Wales, with you!
-
On a Sunday night, watch the fire twirler at the drumming circle.
Every Sunday afternoon, a drumming circle gathers on the grass reserve between the surf lifesaving club and the ocean. It is an opportunity for hippies, “ferals”, locals, and visitors to mingle and dance to the tribal rhythm of the drums. It is a relaxed affair. Perfect for people watching while lazing on a picnic blanket.
When the sun goes down, performers torch their twirling sticks and light the evening with their skills’ display. It is enchanting to watch, and it is a great way to end a day after discovering Brunswick Heads.
-
Walk on the breakwater at twilight
In Brunswick Heads, the sun sets over Mount Chincogan, a bi-headed hill on the outskirts of Mullumbimby. On its way down, the sunlight fires the river beautifully. It is a colourful and calm spectacle best savoured from the end of the South Wall, with the breakwater jutting out into the ocean.
-
Watch the wildlife around you
A thick flock of pelicans live in the nature reserve on the other side of the river and visit regularly to scavenge off lucky fishermen’s catch: seagulls, terns, kestrels, kingfishers, cockatoos, lorikeets, galas, kookaburras, swallows, willy wagtails, etc. Birdlife is abundant and loud in Brunswick Heads.
Dolphins often enter the river mouth to hunt, whales pass by the coast on their migrating journeys, manta rays hide under the sandbanks, and flathead, brims, jewfish, and mullet keep fishermen happy. At low tide, soldier crabs emerge from their sandy dens under the mangrove roots and swarm the wet riverbed. They do look like attacking battalions moving sideways, fast, and in tight formations.
-
Join the local kids and dive into the river at high tide
The Brunswick River is shallow, and diving is dangerous. The footbridge and the car bridge are two old bridges that cross the river bend. At high tide, one end of the car bridge stands in just enough depth to allow kids to dive in, and they do. In droves.
-
Browse the shops, monthly markets, and “Old & Gold” stalls
The town offers good opportunities for fun shopping or just browsing. On the first Saturday of the month, a market sprouts in its reserve by the river, and once a year on the Kings Birthday June long weekend, the whole town turns into a vintage shop for “Old and Gold," the mother of all car boot sales, a fantastic opportunity for treasure hunting all around town.
-
Watch wood-chopping competitions at the “Fish n’ Chips” Festival
Every January, competitors from all over Australia gather in Brunswick Heads for a weekend of woodchopping at explosive speed! It is a magnificent display of old-world skills, and it is fun to watch.
-
Catch a free concert at the pub
The Brunswick Hotel has a rich programme of free performances in its beer garden. The hotel attracts a mixed, family-friendly crowd. You will find 16 different beers on tap, sourced locally, nationally, and internationally. Sit under the Poinciana trees in the beer garden and enjoy your choice of classic pub meals. For families, the hotel offers a Kids Back Yard, which is a safe, fun place for kids to play covered by large shade sails for sun protection, and a misting system creates comfortable temperature control. Hotel Brunswick iswhat you would call a classic Aussie pub.
-
Walk for miles on pristine beaches
Walking south on the beach from the break wall, one finds the patrolled beach, where it is safe to swim between the flags; the dog beach, where hounds big and small enjoy a wild and carefree run; and then the beach continues in the wilderness all the way to Tyagarah and then further south to Byron Bay. It is a 3-hour solitary stroll to Byron. A meditative exercise guaranteed to clear your head of any worry It is best to go in the late autumn or early winter when the sun is not too hot.
… Or sit down and enjoy the simplest of pleasures a beautiful place like Brunswick Heads can offer: do nothing.
Please feel free to contact me to enquire about my photographic work, see more of my photography, and follow my Instagram page:
