FF Tour - Days 10/11 Byron Bay

Tropical Fruit World

The rain cleared as we left Coolangatta: a mercy that was too late to curry any favour with me and we made our way across the border within minutes and over Terranora Creek which is often mistaken by travellers, for the Tweed River . It flows east and joins the Tweed about 2kms away. The Tweed proper is crossed at Chinderah just a few kms further south.

Our main stop for the day was only a short hop to the south - 20kms - Tropical Fruit World, inland from Kingscliff. A broad deflection off the M1 and then a rather sudden but well marked detour for a few more kms along the Cudgen Rd, some of which rather shakes the confidence of what you will find beyond, as it narrows and winds up a steep hill to the site.

Tropical Fruit World is a leader in agri-tourism, with its sustainability focus and the diversity of what it grows. The farm was purchased by Robert Brinsmead in 1972 and the main crop was then avocados. By 1983, this rich soil which has flowed across the original landscape from the caldera of the Mountain Warning volcano, was sustaining a variety of fruit grown across all sections of the steep hills which make up the property. Today, it offers a Fruit Market where a vast range of fruits in season can be purchased; a restaurant and gift shop; an an outstanding, two hour long farm tour.

We had a cuppa and then took the tour. 

Fruit tasting

Starting in a presentation area, you are introduced to the usual and unusual fruits during an informative tasting session. The information supplied is excellent and the fruits delicious, although I was a little shy of some of the more unfriendly looking varieties. From there, a big tractor pulls a covered dolly, with comfortable enough seating, down the ridges of the farm and past the various plantations, on a track that brushes past the produce within arms reach. There is a stop halfway down to eat freshly harvested bananas and to crack open some macadamias. We also got to watch the Australian Stingless Bees going into and out of their hives.

Down at the base of the ridge, there is an animal farm designed to captivate the kids on the tour, although quite a few young couples were led by the doh-eyed female to feed the cuter ones. I was more interested in the Keeper's dog which had come to work for the day and was housed in a nearby pen. After expending our variously stocked quantities of baby animal captivation, we boarded a low covered punt for a near circuit of a man-made island along an equally man-made creek. Years have passed since the island was piled up and the water pumped in and nature has been allowed to run its own course so unless told this was a manufactured environment, the visitor would hardly guess. There were a few more things to sample and some equipment for the kids to throw, hit and climb on. We were more interested in the tortoises and birds, which all seemed very happy.

Back on the tractor to retrace our path to the top of the ridge and a nice lunch in the restaurant.

This is a well-run facility and although a commercial enterprise, its environmental cred is legit. The soil and the high rainfall have been allowed to develop a paradise which is farmed, not ravished, for its produce. It was detour well and truly worth taking.

With less than 60kms to travel to our next two night stop, Byron Bay, it was an easy and quick drive to our digs at the Discovery Parks camp on the western edge of Byron, beside Belongil Creek. Parked on a huge site, with shade and a short walk to the amenities, it was a quick set up and then into Byron proper and the main beach. Nothing much has changed. Lots of semi-naked bodies, not many of them flattered by the lack of clothing, crowds and many easy ways to waste your money. Love and mungbeans may be the sales pitch but it was cold, hard commercialism at inflated prices in every shop I walked into.

Byron Bay Lighthouse

After a quiet night at the camp, our full day out in and around Byron was a lot more pleasant than I expected. We started with drive up to the lighthouse and the old parking wizard scored one of the fifteen parking spots available to the steady stream of campervans and sports cars driving to the summit. The old Keeper's quarters have been lovingly restored and there was an interesting historical display across several rooms. The National Park staff were really friendly and helpful solving a little issue I had with annual membership (the free one I get as a consequence of enough birthdays). The walk up to the lighthouse is steep but worth it, with spectacular views up and down the coast on a day that was all clear blue skies and a gentle breeze. Tours of the lighthouse are only available on certain days - this wasn't one of them - so best to check beforehand with the Information Centre. We wandered up and down to a few of the lookouts which extend further out along the headland, spotting whales and birdies. 

Of course, it was a herd of renegade goats that the Cape was famous for, with visitors staggered at their ability to climb and survive off the cliffs. They were removed in 2006, a hundred years after the original two were bought here by a lighthouse keeper. A herd of more than 40 goats had become a nuisance and cleaning up after them around the lighthouse and their pilfering of clothing from the clotheslines finally became too much. One last rebel, Wategoat, left the Cape in a spectacular if somewhat tragic act of rebellion in 2013. Sick and ailing, he had perched on a narrow ledge, bleating his discomfort and misfortune. A rescue mission was mounted and an abseiling rescue team carefully made their way to his ledge in order to save his goatish soul. Just as they were within reach, he issued a series of expressive, mournful bleats and jumped to his demise onto the sea-battered rocks below.

We contemplated his fate from behind the safety rails and made our way to the cafe.

Solar train

Back in town, we took a ride on the Solar Train, which traverses 3kms of the original path of the once Casino to Murwillumbah line. The rail motors were original built in Sydney in 1949 at the same Chullora yards which built Beufort aircraft bombers during WWII. The carriages have been converted to run on electric motors, powered by batteries charged from solar panels. Its only about a 25 minute return trip to North Beach, for most of its journey along Belongil Creek. Its not expensive and its unique, so worth doing. I liked that modern technology was being used to support old technology from a 4.6 billion year old power source.

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Ice creams and window shopping followed - Sue - and some people observing at a cafe - Peter. One heavily beaded, ancient surfer with string bracelets and tye-dye shirt, regaled the cafe with a loud retelling of his prostate journey. Another sun-bleached, leather-skinned even more ancient old hippie extolled her certain knowledge of a whole range of disparate conspiracy theories which were strung together on the tenuous thread of the threat of vaccinations. 

Byron pretty much delivered on expectations based on previous experience. I wouldn't live there regardless of the tax haven.