Byron Bay and area

Macadamia Castle is a good place to take the grand kids. The macadamia nut is found in this area. You can treat yourself to complimentary tasting from a variety of flavours. You can also buy some gifts in their extensive gift shop.
There are baby animals such as rabbits, sheep, chickens, calves, ducks, kangaroos and emus. Your children or grandchildren, can feed the kangaroos and emus and also hold baby rabbits. Reptiles and native birds are also on show.
If you want to make it a full day there is mini - golf, playgrounds (two age levels), face painting, flying fox, picnic area and an adventure tree house.
They also have a train that takes the kids around the park for $2.

The castle cafe is an award winning cafe and make great pancakes. I suggest you share unless you are a big eater. I had to leave half of my mango and macadamia ice cream pancakes.

Markets Took a trip to Bangalow market on the 25th September. It was really good but very crowded as it was the first week of the school holidays. All sorts of good quality goods for sale not like Nimbin which was terrible and not good quality. But you do have to go to Nimbin just to look at it and say you have been. We went to a good cafe there in the main street. You could eat inside or outside and they had a sandpit/play area for kids. They also had native lizard art made out of bottle tops attached on trees which looked effective.
Went to Byron Bay market today 2nd October. It seemed bigger than the Bangalow market and there was entertainment. I noticed a lot of the same stalls too. Very good quality stuff and I enjoyed wandering around having a look.
Eating out My favorite place to eat at is the RSL (Byron Bay Services Club). Not far from Woollies on the main road towards Suffolk Park. The meals are amazing in size and very reasonable. They also have raffles and some good prizes are won. There is a kids room for over 3's, so you can take the whole family. They have pokies of course for those who like to have a bit of a flutter. Another good value place to eat is the Suffolk Park Hotel. They have a playground within the hotel and tables close by so you can watch the kids. Menu is quite reasonable too.
Travelling with pets Coming from Adelaide, I have never had to worry about my dog getting ticks. I have added this section because my daughter has two dogs which she relocated from japan. It cost her about $7000 for both of them. Very expensive when you don't have a lot of money. But under the circumstances it wasn't an option not to bring them. (Long story)Two nights ago we were woken up by a frantic son in law (my daughter was in hospital after the birth of her baby)saying that one of the dogs was unwell. My nephew went out to the farm to check and due to not being able to speak Japanese and my son in laws English is limited they thought of taking her to the vet in the morning. My daughter rang me at Midnight to say she was worse and could I contact the vet of which I did. We made it in time, any longer and she wouldn't have made it. Bloody paralysis tick nearly got her. She had to stay at the Vet for two nights and I have had her with me for two days as she has to be kept quiet. Even though she seems ok, it weakens their heart and she could suffer from heart failure. The poor thing has no idea what is going on and the other dog is fretting. So please if you take a pet on holiday keep looking for ticks especially if you are like me and come from a place that doesnt have them. The vet said the dogs who are new to the area are more susceptible. They build up some immunity as the years go on. You can treat them with tick spray from the pet shop. Cats also get them. The syptoms were a cough, vomitting, legs giving out so unable to walk. It paralyses their throat and their organs, so if untreated they suffocate.

Short trips/ Byron Bay

I haven't written anything for awhile but this will change. This blog will follow my short trip to Byron Bay, to be with my daughter and son in law for the birth of my second grandson. This is a special time for us all as they have had to evacuate from Japan. My son in law is Japanese and my daughter is South Australian. Their first son was born in Japan and I was lucky enough to be there for the birth which was an amazing experience. My grandson is now 2 and his brother is due within days, and will be born in Mullumbimby birthing clinic, which is a short distance from Byron Bay. She is hoping for a water birth and would like me to share the experience with her and her husband. So different from when I gave birth, but I am looking forward to the experience.

I arrived here on the 17th September and will leave on the 14th October. I flew from Adelaide to the Gold Coast, then it is a 40min ride on the freeway to Byron Bay.

I am staying in Suffolk Park which is a few k's from Byron, in my 2 nieces house. My daughter is staying at a friends farm and there is not enough room for anyone else but it is close by and and I see them everyday.

My nieces are the Director and Manager of Surfing Byron Bay and run lessons for schools, tourists, adults and anyone who wants to learn to surf. The director has owned and run the school for at least 10 years. She has two children and because her mum, my sister, died over a year ago I have become a surrogate nana which is ok by me.

Surfing is in our family as my father made surfboards in Adelaide and our family of 5 kids had no choice. My brother went on to be a surfboard manufacturer and my sister started the womens surfing. I don't get in the water and surf but I enjoy watching it. My daughter and her husband are both surfers, she is a freelance journalist specialising in surfing and he is a surfing photographer and travels the world following the best surfers and getting great shots. It is only natural that my 2 year old grandson should take up the sport. He can be seen at the Byron Bay beaches on the weekend surfing on his dads back. He has been a hit with some of the tourists. He has been on a board as early as 9 months old. It is a good healthy sport and he sleeps well after a day of surfing. Imagine how good he will be when he is older. It is also a favorite all age groups especially those who have always wanted to have a go and thought they were too old. In fact I met someone whose 80 year old mum learnt to surf and loves it.

Byron Bay is an interesting place because of its mixture of residents. On one hand there are the very very rich and then there are the hippy type residents. Of course then there are the tourists who come to see the beautiful beaches and lifestyle. No need to dress up here, it is so nice being in shorts, casual tops and thongs and just putting a brush through your hair and leaving off the makeup. But if that is what you want you can go to the upmarket restaurants and hotels and dress up too. Everywhere there is natural, organic, sustainable, recycling language whether it is on brochures, in shop windows, newspapers etc, it is the focus of the area.

Byron has some of the best beaches, where you can kayak, surf, snorkel, whale watch, dolphin watch and lots more. A short drive or bike ride away is the lush countryside where you will pass macadamia and coffee farms. Also there is the Open Cathedral at Bex Hill. My niece got married there many years ago and it has the most beautiful view. It is 10 years since I was there for the wedding and it is still beautiful. There is a small wooden church to shelter in if it rains.