Adventures in Brunswick Heads
Two hours from Brisbane and 15 minutes north of Byron Bay is Brunswick Heads, a seaside town straddling ocean and river.
With its many swimming spots, tasty options to eat and charming seaside town vibe, a visit to Brunswick Heads has become one of our favourite family adventures.
Tokarina Beach
‘Bruns’ is less touristy than nearby Byron Bay. You can easily get a carpark, chain stores haven’t opened here yet, and despite being a destination for holiday makers, it rarely feels crowded.
It feels untouched - there’s a fishing tackle store in the main drag, a riverside pub and beer garden and a popular local bakery. Seaside shacks and charming holiday homes abound, and it hasn’t been overdeveloped.
It’s walkable
From the centre of town, you can easily walk between the beach, river swimming spots, shops and cafes.
Swim – river or sea?
A quaint wooden bridge links the main street to swim spots all along the river, then a surf beach which stretches south towards Byron.
Kids walk barefoot along the bridge, taking turns to jump into the luminescent water below. On a warm weekend, there’ll be swimmers, SUP paddleboarders, kayakers and people on blow up floaties enjoying the river.
Bridge jumpers
Our go-to swim spot is Tokarina Beach, a sheltered cove fringed with banksias and pandanus. It’s great for the kids and it’s a calm spot to float or snorkel and watch schools of fish swim by. Its a good idea to hang your bags high in a tree to avoid the bush turkeys who like to investigate your belongings looking for food!
There are fairies!
A trip to Bruns is made even more magical because fairies live there! Pick up a map of the fairy trail from the visitor centre and be delighted by the many little fairy homes all around town and in the banks of the river.
We particularly like the fairy who lives in the post office boxes.
Eat
We visit Yami every time we go to Brunswick Heads. The falafel wraps and super fresh and tasty, and it’s always full of people enjoying their middle eastern, vegetarian offerings.
If burgers are more your thing, head to Old Maid’s, a local institution.
Right next door is Saint Marie’s, a good destination for pizza and vino.
Street Sushi is close to the bridge and offers delicious fresh sushi, platters and smoothies.
I also love Brunswick Heads Health Foods to pick up my favourite Loco Love chocolates or a delicious dahl.
Stay
We stay at the Sails, a retro refurbed motel within walking distance of the beach. Old Maid’s and Saint Marie’s are right next door, which is very convenient.
Shop
I love local brand Lazybones for their vintage inspired clothing and organic floral bedsheets and pillowcases.
There are lots of vintage and second-hand shops with this vintage store, Miss Brown Vintage and Resould.
Bruns Books has a great collection of pre-loved and new reads.
