Recently I had some time off so I went down to visit my parents who live in Ballina which is a little coastal town that is about a 30 minute drive from Byron Bay. If you follow my blogs and Instagram then you will know that I absolutely love Byron Bay and can’t get enough of it so of course I spent a whole heap of time mooching around Byron while I was there and I thought I would put together a list of the best photography spots in Byron Bay for all you togs and traveller’s out there.
So I guess I have to begin the list with the most iconic and recognisable thing that there is in Byron Bay…. The lighthouse!
1. The Lighthouse
Byron Bay lighthouse would have to be one of the most recognisable lighthouses in Australia. It sits up on top of a massive cliff overlooking the ocean and is pretty much the marker for the most Easterly point of Australia. It is one of the most popular spots to visit when you are in Byron Bay with people driving along the sheer cliffs to get to the top or people climbing the endless amount of steps to get to reach the summit for the magical 360 degree views. So of course the lighthouse would have to be the number 1 thing to photograph in Byron Bay.
There are a few vantage points from the top. You can jump the fence like I did above but just be careful because its a very steep drop off into the ocean on the right hand side. Or you can stay on the path for a wider view like this one below.
If you’re lucky you might spot a pod of dolphins surfing some waves below the cliffs. You will probably no doubt spot some whales off the coast during their annual migration between June and October.
2. Little Wategoes
Just down the hill from the lighthouse is a beautiful little bay called Little Wategoes which is almost like a private beach. You can walk passed little wategoes out to a point which is a beautiful spot to sit and watch the power of the ocean bash against the rocks. This is a great spot for photographing sunrise or sunset. Little Wategoes is the bay to the left of the photos below.
3. Wategoes
Further down the track and a few hundred more steps is wategoes beach. This is one of my favourite beaches and a favourite for local surfers. There are beautiful rocks to the right of the beach which are great for foreground interest or if you want to laze around on the sand and soak up the sun and hipster vibe, then head to the left hand side of Wategoes.
4. The Pass
The next well known beach around from Wategoes is The Pass. This is another beautiful beach that is a favourite for local surfers. There is a cool little rock hill that has stairs up to the top which is a great platform for watching the waves roll in and watching the surfers do their thing. The Pass is a great spot to park and start the walk up to the lighthouse. I highly recommend doing this walk. On a beautiful sunny day, its absolutely stunning.
5. Tallows Beach
Tallow Beach is a bit more of a quiet beach. Its the beach you see to the right as you are driving up to the lighthouse. It is just a big long stretch of sand with a headland at either end. Its a great spot for sunrise or sunset and is great for capturing reflections of the sky on the wet sand.
That wraps up the best photography spots in Byron Bay. I could talk all day about Byron Bay. Its one of the most unique and beautiful places in Australia and if you are visiting from overseas then this has to be on your bucket list!
Do you recognise any of these spots in you ventures to Byron Bay? I would love to know, so leave a comment below.
Awesome photography guide Larissa! I love Byron and can’t wait for the next time I visit to try out these spots!! Cheers
Thanks so much Jake! So glad this guide will help when you visit Byron Bay! 🙂
Stunning photos as always!!! The pod of dolphins are my favourite. This post is making me dream of a visit to Byron again. You brighten my days Larissa! Kate, Wondrous
Aww, you are so sweet Kate! Thank you for the lovely comment. The weather has been stunning lately which make Byron shine even more! Let me know next time you visit! 🙂
Wow those colours! Makes me long for a beach break.
haha, thanks so much Nina! I was only there a few weeks ago and Im already longing to go back! xx
What a stunning way to start my day. Such incredible photos. Some good ones there to aspire to
Awww, thank you so much for the lovely comment Tania. So glad I could brighten your day! xx
Oh Wow, your photos are just gorgeous Larissa! I was in Byron this year for the very first time and I did manage to visit some of awesome spots you mentioned and took some photos too. Yours were definitely more inviting than mine. So lovely. Thanks for sharing your talents. The Pass and the Lighthouse were definitely my fav’s.
Hi Sonya! Yes, the pass is one of my fave spots although I have so many! haha. So glad you enjoyed the blog! 🙂
Byron is one of my favourite places in the world and your photos capture it beautifully. The dolphins and that water…. swooooonnn!!
Megan || http://www.ohheyblog.com
Thank you so much Megan! Its one of my favourite places in the world too! Such a unique and beautiful place. Im so glad you enjoyed the blog! 🙂
Wow. These photos are so beautiful. Ive been to Byron Bay once and I agree, its absolutely stunning. I will be using this guide when I go there again next time. Thanks for sharing Larissa.
My pleasure Kiki! So glad you enjoyed the blog. 🙂
Gotta love Byron ! Such an amazing place!
You sure do gotta love Byron! One of my favourite places. Thanks for reading Ella!
You are such a great photographer Larissa – you have inspired me. I also love photography but am just goofing around. I love to try and capture the movement of water which you have done so beautifully. What I really like is your willingness to share your camera settings for each shoot. I am going to Byron for the 1st time next week but only for 3 days (which obviously means only 3 sunrises and sunsets). I am going to try some of your spots and settings! Thank you for the inspiration – your photos are beautiful!
Hi Kirsty, thank you so much for your kind words. I really appreciate it. I hope you get to see and photography some amazing sunsets and sunrises while you are in Byron Bay. There is so much to see and photography around there so I am sure that you will! 🙂