Byron Bay, New South Wales, Australia - Day 2
Saturday, February 1, 2025
Slow start to our Saturday in Byron Bay.
Our apartment at Outrigger Bay Resort is the perfect distance from the lively shops and restaurants so it’s not too noisy, but within walking distance to all the action. Andi and Aden went for a walk around town together this morning, stopping at Boost smoothie shop on the way back to buy a drink for Tory.
Meanwhile, Tory slept in and I spent the morning blogging.
Andi and I decided we’d have lunch at The Farm. The Farm is a working farm, plant garden, and produce store located on the outskirts of Byron Bay. There’s also a restaurant called Three Blue Ducks and gelato shop on the property. All the food served in the restaurant is grown on the farm, and the menu looked to die for. Andi was worried it might be too fancy for the kids’ tastes, but no worries — The Farm had a “little ducklings” menu, too, with several food options for kids. In general, Australia seems to be a very kid-friendly culture. Kids are welcome everywhere, and no one seems to be bothered by them running around barefoot through restaurants and cafes.
There are a lot of signs advertising The Farm when you arrive into Byron Bay. It’s also listed as one of the top things to do in town, so I was skeptical that it would be as neat as it seemed. Usually, the heavier something is marketed, but more commercialized it feels. Fortunately, that wasn’t at all the case regarding The Farm. This place was incredible!
It’s free to visit The Farm to see the animals, or walk around the property. There are guided farm tours and animal feedings as well. There’s also a gift shop, flower market, gelato stand, and a restaurant which does cost money, but The Farm welcomes people “bring your rug and take a stroll” through the gorgeous fields without any pressure to buy something.
We planned to have lunch at Three Blue Ducks Restaurant, but there was a 15 minute wait for a table when we arrived around 1:30pm. No problem; the four of us browsed through the gift shop, and then walked through the lovely farm pastures. We saw white ibis birds, crested pigeons, goats, chickens, sheep, and a miniature cow.
The 80-degree air temperature seemed a bit cooler on the farm. There was a nice breeze blowing across the fields providing relief from the humidity. Tory and Aden were happy to see the animals. It was an picturesque scene of families enjoying gelato under shaded picnic tables, others strolling through the meadows, and laughter and voices carrying from the restaurant across the way.
We were seated for lunch around 2:00pm on the restaurant’s open-air covered patio. Three Blue Duck’s lunch menu looked fantastic; it was hard to make a selection. Andi, Aden, and I decided to share several plates and Tory picked buttered noodles from the kid’s menu.
The falafel platter with hummus was my favorite. The flavors of cucumbers, mint, tomato, onions, and pickles were so fresh. Andi and Aden liked the market steak with green beans, mustard, and roasted potatoes best.
It was one of those meals that Andi and I could’ve stayed and enjoyed for hours.
The Farm was closing soon, so we decided to grab dessert in Byron Bay. Tory and Aden wanted fro-yo again, so we drove back to our apartment at Outriggers Bay, and then walked to YoFlo for a treat.
Andi and I have been trying to hit 10,000 steps everyday, so we dropped the kids off at our apartment and then went for a sunset walk along Main Beach and through town. The Byron Bay Night Market was taking place, but it was mostly artisans selling clothes and candles, and several food trucks.
I’m glad we made time to visit Byron Bay. Both Burleigh Heads and Byron Bay are coastal surf towns, but Byron Bay has more of a relaxed, hippie feeling to it. I love the walkability of both places, and being around so many happy people. Our hearts are happy, too.
