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Alternative and artistic Byron Bay
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Byron Bay offers a truly wide variety of alternative therapies, extensive browsing in New Age bookshops, a wealth of crystals, and a future foretold through palmistry and tarot readings - all underlaid with a good dose of capitalism as prices for massages and tarot readings are hiked up during the lucrative summer months. The alternative culture attracts artists and artisans in droves, and galleries and artists' studios abound.
The Community Centre , at 69 Jonson St (tel 02/6685 6807, bbcc@mullum.com.au ; closed Sun), opposite the train station, is hard to miss with its bright figurative mural, and has great notice boards packed with information on everything from Celtic Shamanism to Tibetan healing workshops. The Byron Bay Arts School (tel 02/6680 7771), which offers two-hour daily workshops in everything from sushi making to Aboriginal art and surfboard repair, is also run from here - book in the foyer. One of the best New Age emporiums is the Crystal Temple at 87 Jonson St, flogging crystals, books, tapes and jewellery. They also have a wide range of alternative therapies on offer. At the rear of the Belongil Beach House on Childe Street, the Relax Haven (tel 02/6685 8304) has a float tank (1hr float $25) and massage available (float and massage $40); or the more central Samadhi Flotation Centre, 107 Jonson St (tel 02/6685 6905), offers the same, plus classes, workshops and a resident naturopath and homeopath. Quintessence, Shop 8, 11 Fletcher St (tel 02/6685 5533), offers aromatherapy massage and reflexology. The Byron Bay market , held on the first Sunday of each month on Butler Street, behind the train station, is the best way to become acquainted with the arts and crafts of the area (if you miss it, there's others at The Channon on the second Sunday, Mullumbimby on the third Saturday, Uki on the third Sunday and one at the showground at Bangalow, 13km southwest, on the fourth Sunday of each month). The Arts Factory , on Skinners Shoot Road, has several artists' workshops which you can visit (Tues-Sun 10am-3pm), and the Byron Craft Market is held here every Saturday (8.30am-3pm) with a courtesy bus (9.30am-3.30pm) from the community centre on Jonson Street. The Epicentre , on Border Street, near Belongil Beach, has several outlets and resident artists and craftspeople, plus a large art gallery showing the work of local artists ($1 donation). Beyond here, northwest of town along Ewingsdale Road, Byron Bay Industrial Estate , between Banksia Drive and Acacia Street, has a host of artisans producing everything from leathergoods to hats; the most highly regarded creative talents here are the glassblowers at Colin Heaney's Hot Glass Studio (gallery daily 10am-4pm, demonstrations Mon-Fri 9am-3pm). Back in town, one of the best alternative shops is Cat's Recycled Emporium, Shop 1/3, Lawson St, which sells a mixture of clothes and art, most made locally - everything from groovy beach dresses to mobiles made of cutlery. Also check out Love Hemp, Shop 2, Byron Street, devoted entirely to hemp clothing.
Byron Bay is host to an Australian
Writers' Festival
featuring established and budding writers, readings and signings during the last week of July; contact the Northern Rivers Writers' Centre, PO Box II41, Lismore, NSW 2480 (tel 02/6622 3599, fax 6622 7035). Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Australia,
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