Noosa - Byron Bay

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After leaving Hervey Bay, I stopped in Noosa for two nights, and Byron Bay for one. I will be taking the overnight bus to Sydney this evening.

Noosa is a really laid-back town, spread over a winding river estuary. A great spot for surfing - so I'm told. The river banks are lined with expensive looking houses and apartments, and the town full of posh designer shops.
The hostel I stayed in was a little out of town, but probably the nicest one I have stayed in. Free hourly buses into town made the distance less of a problem.
Noosa headland is also the site of a national park, with rainforest and eucalypt forest along the coast. I walked to the cliffs of Hell's gate and back on Wednesday. I saw quite a few goannas idly strolling through the undergrowth there. They don't seem to mind humans at all, walking really close to the path. There were Blue tongue lizards everywhere too, but still no koalas in sight...
I took much advantage of the free kayaks available at the hostel, and paddled the river at dawn and sunset, and watched the pelicans waking up. There were oystercatchers, cormorants, and what could have been another sea eagle. There were some even more impressive houses and gardens out in the mangroves, with their own little private docks. It seems there are some very rich people in Noosa.

My introduction to Byron Bay wasn't a good one. After a tiring bus journey I arrived at my hostel in the town centre where I was sharing with 20 others crammed into a large, untidy dorm room. This was also the most expensive I had stayed in yet. The town itself, after exploring a little, seems like a really nice friendly town to stay in. I can see why some backpackers end up staying here for months. There are lots of nice vegetarian restaurants and alternative shops here, though clothes are very expensive. I think Byron Bay is somewhere I could stay for longer, were I to visit again.
This morning I took a walk to the Cape Byron lighthouse - the most easterly point of Australia, and spent this afternoon browsing the various shops, relaxing and preparing for my final mammoth bus journey tonight down to Sydney.

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Photos

Noosa
Posh waterfront apartments

Noosa
Holiday resorts at Noosa

Noosa River
Looking up towards the headland

A flock of ibis
or 'Queensland Chickens' as they are known locally. On the road down from Hervey Bay.

Honeyeater - Noosa National Park
Apologies for the awful focus. These appropriately named birds feed on nectar from flowers.

Scribbly Gum - Noosa National Park
Another appropriately named species, the squiggles in the bark are caused by moth larvae.

Australian Magpie - Noosa
These nasty birds aren't real magpies - they're not even corvids - they're related to butcherbirds and currawongs. About as common as European magpies, but bigger, in nesting season they attack humans who get too close.

Cape Byron
The lighthouse that marks the most easterly point of Australia

Cape Byron
The view from the lighthouse

Byron Beach
There is often live music on the beach at night. Unfortunately when I was here the beach was infested with schoolies.

Byron Bay is full of hippies
The christmas tree in the town centre, enough said.