The Best Beaches To Check Out Near Byron Bay

From backpacker Main Beach to the gorgeous Wategos, a curve of sand below the Cape Byron Lighthouse, there are several magnificent beaches to choose from in Byron Bay. But take a short drive outside town and you’ll be rewarded with fine, white sand lapped by warm subtropical waters. Here are the beaches beyond Byron to visit – so dust off your togs.

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Broken Head

Just 15 minutes by car south of Byron Bay, the small community of Broken Head has become synonymous with its most famous resident – Chris Hemsworth. But even his ripped physique can’t compete with the raw beauty of this beach, which curls towards a rocky headland that generates some of the best waves around. Opposite the beach you’ll find a grassy picnic area with barbecue facilities, and not much else.

Scooped out of the rocky coastline between Broken Head and Lennox Head lies a clutch of small, pristine beaches off the beaten trail. Accessed by Seven Mile Beach Road, a narrow dirt track that winds up behind Broken Head, Whites Beach is the last bay you reach before the long stretch of sand ending at Lennox Head, known as Seven Mile Beach. Protected from northerly winds and backed by coastal rainforest, Whites is a suitably picturesque spot to while away a few hours. Keep in mind that this is a beach you’ll want to bring your best manners to, as it’s very much a locals’ spot.

Torakina Beach

Tucked inside the southern break wall of the Brunswick River, tiny man-made Torakina Beach is almost always crystal-clear and swell-free, so it’s a great choice for families. Known as Torakina Park, the grassy bushland the beach backs onto offers picnic tables, toilets, showers and barbecues. Best of all, it’s just a short walk across the timber bridge over Simpsons Creek to the Hotel Brunswick for a beer and a chicken parmi.

Harry Hills Beach

Right by the northern Brunswick River break wall lies another calm, idyllic beach, and getting there is half the fun. Known as Harry Hills Beach, this tiny spot is most easily reached via kayak, with swimming across from Torakina not recommended due to the strong currents and boat traffic. If you’d rather drive, you’ll need to head north to the village of New Brighton, then south on North Head Road until the road ends. From here it’s a 400m (1,300ft) walk to the beach.

Lake Ainsworth

When the coast is too windy or rough, a handful of small beaches fringing the huge freshwater lake at the southern end of Lennox Head, 25 minutes’ drive south of Byron, offer the perfect sheltered spot. Stained brown by the tannins in the melaleuca trees (also known as tea trees) that surround it, the lake is perfectly safe for swimming. Used for centuries by the Indigenous Bundjalung people for medicinal purposes, the tea tree-infused water may even leave your skin feeling fresher when you get out.

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.