The sleepy riverside township of Brunswick Heads is more relaxed than nearby Byron Bay. Photo / Getty Images
The sleepy riverside township of Brunswick Heads is more relaxed than nearby Byron Bay. Photo / Getty Images
Looking for a laid-back escape in Northern NSW? Look no further than Brunswick Heads, writes Cassie Tannenberg.
From a less than stellar start as a no-name settlement, Brunswick Heads is stepping out from Byron Bay's shadow as the cooler sibling on the New South Wales' far north coast.
Located astraightforward 90-minute drive down the Pacific Highway from Brisbane or 30 minutes from Gold Coast and Ballina airports, Brunswick Heads is a classic coastal hamlet at the mouth of the Brunswick River, set amid the lush and mountainous landscape of the Byron hinterland.
While the river is a calm spot for kayaking, Brunswick Heads main beach is popular with surfers. Photo / Getty Images
Less hippie than nearby Nimbin and Mullumbimby and less hipster than Byron Bay just 15 minutes' drive south, "Bruns" borrows from both as an old-school seaside village freshened by an influx of seachangers who have introduced new eateries and businesses and refurbished existing shops and motels.
Originally inhabited by people of the Bundjalung nation, British Captain Rous chartered the Northern Rivers region in 1828, naming the Clarence (now Tweed), Lennox and Richmond rivers before seemingly running out of inspiration, referring to "another river" before settling on Brunswick River.
This anonymity, plus a certain treacherous rocky bar that caused quite a few shipwrecks, kept Brunswick Heads off the tourist map until the 1920s when space for campsites and horses was at a premium. Luckily there are more accommodation options now with holiday parks, houses and apartments throughout the town, plus a hotel and four motels.
The Sails Motel & Pool Club is one of the recently revamped vintage motor inns that channels a retro Palm Springs poolside feel and low-key laidback vibe.
A 1960s original, the 22-room motel has two onsite eateries: Saint Maries Pizza & Wine Bar and Old Maids Burger Shop with an all-day gourmet burger menu and barista-made coffee, plus a pastel-hued pool with bar bites, cocktails and drinks.
Bookings are recommended for Saint Maries on Friday and Saturday nights when the cosy candlelit and alfresco venue manages to be both family-friendly and impossibly cool with DJ tunes alongside woodfired pizzas and pet-nat wines.
The Brunswick Hotel is a relaxed spot for a drink or hearty lunch. Photo / Getty Images
Brunswick Heads definitely punches above its weight in the food stakes with more than 24 dining options that also include the popular Bruns Bakery, Park Street homemade pasta bar, Honour Espresso & Salumi Bar, La Casita Mexican diner and Bottle & Hoop for takeaway fine wines and cheeses, plus the heritage Hotel Brunswick for a beer garden experience.
Things to do
Brunswick Heads' year-round population of around 1,900 swells with weekend day-trippers and families during school holidays and the town has everything you need for a beach stay, including one of Australia's last video stores.
Village shops also run the gamut from vintage and new-age finds through to local designers at Family Studio Showroom, surf and resort wear boutiques and toy stores, plus there's the Bruns market on the first Saturday of the month with fresh produce, food and crafts.
Unsurprisingly, outdoor activities still revolve around the Brunswick River. With its even flow, you can swim at high tide or wade out to sandbanks at low tide and spot fish, turtles, rays and crustaceans through the clear water, and spy dolphins and whales in season from the breakwall.
Timber bridges provide access to riverside Torakina Beach, a protected sandy spot at the breakwall that's ideal for families, and the patrolled surf beach that follows the coastline up to Byron Bay with tennis courts and the community centre on the foreshore. Other popular water-based endeavours include surfing, fishing and boating, including guided river tours.
Torakina Beach at Brunswick Heads is a sandy and sheltered swimming spot that's popular with families. Photo / Getty Images.
Older kids can try stand-up paddleboarding, canoeing or kayaking on the river with equipment for hire from Brunswick Buccaneers (look out for the pirate boat in Banner Park), while the playground will keep the littlies busy.
The Brunswick Head Fairy Trail will also enchant kids on an easy walking route through town to spot handcrafted fairy houses in local businesses and organisations. Pick up a free map from the Visitor Centre to locate the hidden homes.
Of course, no beach trip is complete without an icecream and fish and chips. Bruns has two gelato shops offering generous scoops, plus two chipperies with freshly caught fish burgers, salty hot chips and crumbed crustaceans. Cross the historical wooden footbridge to the park to eat your catch or make use of the picnic facilities near the playground.
For most visitors, Brunswick Heads is a day trip on a Byron Bay vacay but while this sleepy seaside village remains a well-kept secret for now, people won't be sleeping on this holiday hotspot for long.
