Head 20 minutes north from Tallow Beach Motel and you’ll come to the fishing village of Brunswick Heads, which is as famous for its waterfront pub as it is for its family friendly events.

Known as “Bruns” to locals, the seaside town prides itself on its pristine environment and annual carni, which is in its 51^st year.

Taking over Banner Park from Christmas through to mid-January, McGregor’s Family Carnival captures old-school fun with nightly bingo, amusement rides, a fishing competition, athletic carnival and woodchop program.

Christmas officially kicks off in Bruns on Wednesday December 14, where the annual twilight markets and tree lighting ceremony draws crowds from all over Byron Shire.

Brunswick Heads is a great day trip for Tallow Beach Motel guests interested in canoeing, surfing, or swimming in the sheltered surrounds of Torakina Beach.

Photo: courteous of Veda Dante ,copyright 2011

An initiative of Oceanika Merfins and Tangaroa Blue Ocean Care Society, the community event brought together people of all ages keen to keep Byron’s iconic beaches free from rubbish.

Kazzie has combined her love for nature with the aspirations of her business Oceanika Merfins by delivering a strong message of sustainability and social responsibility.

Photo: courteous of Oceanika Merfins, copyright 2011

The fourth annual Mullum Music Festival proved a hit with Byron Shire locals with close to 5,000 people soaking up the vibrant vibe.

More than 60 musicians put on 100 performances in venues ranging from Mullum High and the Bowlo to the Drill Hall, Courthouse and Civic Centre.

This year’s eclectic line-up featured artists from the USA, Canada, Jamaica, West Africa, New Zealand and Australia offering a range of genres spanning country, folk, reggae, rock, dub and indie-pop.

Jamaican roots-reggae royalty The Congos was the hottest ticket in town while local artists including Ilona Harker, Kathryn Jones and Greg Sheehan flew the flag for local talent.

A festival highlight was undoubtedly the New Orleans-style street parade, which wound its way from Heritage Park to the Civic Hall. Hundreds of people joined the musical march, which featured percussionists of all ages performing classic tunes like Louis Armstrong’s “When the Saints Go Marching In”.

Photo: courteous of Veda Dante ,copyright 2011

Not only are there national and international performers at the music festival, there is also a wide range of craft stalls, bars, international food, rides, activities for children, street theater, and much much more! We took a trip out and about to take a look and had a fantastic time!  Getting to see some great acts like Mr Bob Dylan, B.B King, Ben Harper, Elvis Costello and Michael Franti! A must to do at least once in a life time!

With so much fresh local produce available, eating your way around the countryside is a popular pastime in the Northern Rivers.

A number of outlets have been set up to showcase local cuisine, such as the Macadamia Castle at Knockrow just north of Ballina, where you can sample macadamias plain, roasted, salted, honey-coated, chocolate-covered and just about any other way you like ‘em.

At Tropical Fruit World in the Tweed Valley , you can try a range of exotic produce that you won’t find in your normal greengrocers – like chocolate pudding fruit, jak fruit, casimoras, carambolas and cactus fruit. You can also see how all these fruits are grown on a tour of the property and, whatever you do, don’t leave without trying their ice-cream.

As you drive around the hills and ridges, particularly around Lismore, you’ll notice all the lush coffee plantations. Serious caffeine addicts should stop at Clunes for the unique ‘coffee tasting’ ceremony, where their extra-strong espresso will soon sort out the men from the boys, or head out to Zentveldts at Newrybar where you can sample the award-winning blends that may soon be featured on Starbucks menus in Australia. In the Tweed region, you can visit the Madura Tea estates and sample the brew preferred by the NSW Government offices.

For fresh seafood straight from the trawler you can pretty much try any coastal town. The co-op culture is alive and well at Yamba, Iluka, Maclean, Evans Head, Ballina and Tweed Heads.

Among the ‘seachangers’ who have recently settled in the Northern Rivers are a host of award-winning chefs whose sophisticated cafes and restaurants attract rave reviews from the most respected food guides. ‘Eat Streets’ have developed along beachfront esplanades and in country towns where you can easily while away the afternoon or evening sampling unique regional cuisine and Australia ‘s best wines.

One of the best new restaurants in Byron is the new Italian at the Pacific, right on the beach next to the iconic Beach Hotel.

Northern Rivers Tourism has produced an excellent glovebox guide – On the Gourmet Food Trail – which lists all the places where you can sample local products from crabs and oysters through to olives and stonefruit. It also lists the most popular ‘Eat Streets’ and food festivals, like Taste of Byron, Casino Beef Week and Lismore’s Herb Festival, that are held on an annual basis.

Stretching from the mighty Clarence River up to Tweed Heads on the Queensland border and out to the foothills of the Great Divide, the Northern Rivers region of NSW offers a wealth of diverse holiday experiences.

In this one compact region, you’ll discover the endless stretch of Pacific Coast beaches that gave birth to the Australian surfing legend; lush rolling countryside dotted with quaint and quirky townships; rugged cattle country; mystical rainforests; and deep river gorges disappearing up into the mountains.

From the early days of white settlement when timber-getters logged out the great stands of red cedar, the Northern Rivers has attracted an eclectic mix of cultures. In Maclean on the banks of the Clarence River , the Scottish heritage of the town’s founding fathers is still alive and well. In New Italy, a boatload of shipwrecked Italians established a unique European enclave in the bush. In Nimbin and Byron Bay , the counter-cultural revolutionaries have joined forces with environmentalists to create their own style of alternative communities. And 300kms of coastline interrupted by some of the world’s most famous pointbreaks attract a thriving surfing culture.

In more recent years, the influx of city escapees seeking a more meaningful lifestyle has added a touch of sophistication. Health spas, spiritual retreats and luxury hideaways are now nestled in the hills and valleys of the hinterland, offering five-star accommodation and your choice of masseurs, alternative therapists, naturopaths and pampering practitioners to soothe body and soul.

For food lovers, traditional seaside havens like Yamba, Ballina and the Tweed Coast and country centres like Bangalow, Grafton and Lismore are now home to cosmopolitan cafes and chic restaurants that have attracted the attention of the most respected food guides.

For an even more back-to-nature foodie experience, you can pick up your own fresh produce at the colourful art, craft and farmers’ markets held every weekend in a different town, or meet the ocean and river trawlers when they deliver the day’s catch to the many local seafood co-ops.

Whether your idea of the perfect holiday is lazing on a sun-drenched beach, bushwalking through pristine rainforests, tootling through picture-postcard scenery along winding country roads, hunting for antiques and quirky treasures at sleepy villages and country markets, or pampering the spirit with a relaxing regime of massages and therapies .

.in Northern Rivers NSW you’ll be more than spoiled for choice.

There is over 300 market stalls at the byron bay markets providing not only a major source of income for participants, but also a social and cultural focal point for the whole community. The Byron Bay Market draws people from all over the world that leave raving about the ?lifestyle? here. The market is also an internationally known buskers venue. These things have helped put Byron Bay market indelibly on the travellers’ map.

The Byron Community Market has been invaluable in the region as a business incubator. The Byron market has is a vehicle for crafts-people, artists and all kinds of fledgling businesses enabling them to test the turbulent waters of the local economic seas.

The Byron Community Market gives preference to local stallholders who make and grow what they sell. Mass production and the consumer society have made it increasingly difficult for communities to retain their cultural authenticity and individuality. The Byron Market provides a venue that facilitates and supports the art, craft and culture of the people who make Byron what it is.