Byron Bay

Do you know that feeling when you arrive at a popular destination and you’re not sure if you like it? That was me when I spent a week in Byron Bay for work last month.

My co-workers and I stayed at a hotel with a heated magnesium pool, tiled floor-to-ceiling open showers, with architectural curves in all the right places. We enjoyed meals at vegan restaurants and drank fizzy water with probiotics and turmeric.

The air was breezy and balmy, never too humid, never too hot. Cool mornings glowed with golden light, the horizon of the sea visible from my balcony. It was as if I was in a hazy dream, or a dreamy haze determined to convince me I was better simply for being there.

As a location, it was beautiful, perfect for photography. I couldn’t help but notice the mid-luxury high rises under construction, extensive wine menus at snack bars, and a certain flowiness to the aesthetic, including that of the woman who double-parked behind my friend’s car and excused herself in a breezy voice, saying, “It's what locals do here.”

I’d raised my eyebrows at the word “local”, especially when the individual^[1] and her giant Range Rover were right in the middle of a region with the highest homelessness rate in the state.

Aside from that, as if there’s a way to excuse it all — I had a great time connecting with my co-workers. Our events were well planned and organised, we enjoyed our time together, some meeting for the first time. We could’ve been anywhere, and this worked out the best for everyone spread across the country and overseas.

Anyway, photos below.

Hat tip: Thanks to Karolina for researching all the places photographed here.