PHOTOS : DESTINATION NSW
Cape Byron Lighthouse
Three Blue Ducks
The Farm Byron Bay
DAYS 4 - 6 BRUNS TO BANGALOW
Once a sleepy fishing village , the riverside town of Brunswick Heads has undergone one of Northern Rivers ’ most exciting metamorphosis in recent years . While the town has always had many great cafes , and bars — including the iconic Hotel Brunswick , with its poinciana-shaded beer garden and colonnaded red-brick 1940s architecture — many highly-acclaimed restaurants have also made little old ‘ Bruns ’ a rival to neighbouring Byron Bay as a dining destination . A firm favourite was always Fleet , a produce-focused restaurant in Bruns that wife-and-husband duo Astrid McCormack and Josh Lewis opened in 2015 . The tiny 16- seat restaurant sadly closed during the hellish years of Covid and flooding the region endured , but we hear the couple plan to re-open in mid-2023 , so follow their Instagram to keep up to date (@ fleetrestaurant ) and be sure to book a table , stat ! For a more casual meal , do as the locals do and head to the funky little wood-fired Mexican cantina , La Casita , on the edge of town for authentic tacos and margaritas in their rustic terracotta courtyard , or opt for woodfired pizza and negronis at popular Italian joint Saint Maries . Get up early the following day to make the drive south to Byron Bay to catch the sunrise from Australia ’ s most easterly point with a walk along the iconic Cape Byron Walking Track . Or be the first to watch the sun come up on the sunrise tour with Zephyr Horses — their ‘ Forest to Beach ’ rides take you through tea tree forests and over the dunes for a spectacular ride along the beach . Zephyr Horses also run slow-paced riding tours of The Farm Byron Bay in Ewingsdale most Fridays and Saturdays , with a behind-the-scenes look ( on horseback !) at their sustainable agricultural operation and environmentallyconscious farming . Stay on for breakfast afterwards and grab some buttery pastry goodness from The Bread Social , The Farm ’ s artisan bakehouse , or hang around for a memorable lunch at Three Blue Ducks , the restaurant , cafe and produce store at The Farm with an ethos for creating simple , seasonal dishes packed with nutrients and flavour . You can also bring a rug and set yourself up with a picnic in the gorgeous fields of The Farm — Three Blue Ducks can provide the hampers , including a variety of meats , cheeses , dips , bread , other artisan goodies . holidaysforcouples . travel 27