THE BRUNSWICK BOOM
No longer the Northern Rivers’ best-kept secret, Brunswick Heads has become one of the region’s brightest stars. Dotted with hipster cafes, trendy bars, Art Deco architecture and breathtaking natural beauty, the beach town manages to retain a sleepy wonderment, encouraging crowds to just keep flocking.
The History of Brunswick Heads
A seaside village at the mouth of the hypnotising Brunswick River, Brunswick Heads became a magnet for sun-starved holiday makers in the 1920s. The suburb crept onto radars after the 1880s when an influx of cedar cutters sparked the construction of a small commercial centre. Camping grounds arrived before holiday cottages emerged and original homes still stand to form today’s architectural mish mash of Art Deco, classic beach shack and modern coastal cool. A sheltered boat harbour with rock walls and a marina was built in the late 1950s and a traffic bridge was erected over Simpson’s Creek ten years later, forever improving access into the idyllic coastal destination.
Although just under 2,000 people call Brunswick Heads home, the rolling waves of Brunswick Beach (known locally as ‘Bruns Bar’) hooks surfers across the country, Torakina Beach is a kid-friendly haven in any family’s book, and the
Brunswick River and Simpson’s Creek attract fishing folk of all calibres.
Explore What Brunswick Heads has to Offer
While solid staring competitions with enchanting waterways and beaches demand serious time, there’s also action-packed fun to be had. If you’ve got little ones in tow, make tracks to the Visitor Information Centre on Park Street to launch into the Brunswick Heads Fairy Trail. There you’ll score clues to a collection of fairy houses, handcrafted from recycled objects and built into unexpected locations around the suburb. A wonderful initiative that sparks imagination and a deep connection to our natural surroundings, it’s a treat for all ages.
Tick off another non-negotiable at the Brunswick Picture House, home to some of the wider region’s most fearless performances. Built in 1950 and neglected for more than 30 years before its restoration to magnificence in 2016, the beloved cultural hub is abuzz with creative genius. Check the website (brunswickpicturehouse.com) for scheduling but expect a revolving door of film, circus, cabaret, comedy shows and music.
Adventurers are also offered their fix in Brunswick Heads. Time your trip to October when excellent whale watching conditions abound and tours set sail from the Brunswick Marina. Spying gentle giants making their way from an Antarctic summer through this corner of the world is nothing short of soul-stirring. Additionally, October typically delivers the annual Brunswick Nature Sculpture Walk, a collection of thought-provoking, nationally sourced works, exhibited throughout the suburb.
From its salt-streaked air to that go-slow pace, Brunswick Heads hums with an intoxicating beach culture. And the easiest way to feel like a local is to dress like one. The town is littered with brilliantly curated clothing boutiques including New Wave Store, which specialises in attitude-plus apparel for grown-ups and kids, and Oh My Goddess, a hot spot for swimwear, lingerie, jewellery and women’s fashion.
Afends, a Byron Bay label, delivers eco-conscious skate-inspired apparel, and if you’re in town on the first Saturday of the month, seek out the Brunswick Heads Market in Memorial Park for further locally crafted threads plus fresh produce, plants and homewares. Speaking of home decorating, Re Sould Antiques offers a sensational edit of vintage furniture, lighting and homewares, while Bruns Books is a much-adored retailer of new and used reads plus beautiful greeting cards and trinkets. Don’t miss The Little Dispensary for a personalised health consultation and all manner of wellness products, and Sunshine Trader for children’s toys and clothing, and accessories.
Stay for a While in Brunswick Heads
Choose your own adventure in the shoreside hamlet with accommodation to suit every style of visitor. Level up your visit at The Sails Motel, home to Saint Maries over on Tweed Street, where a distinct 1960s-inspired renovation provide endless Instagram fodder.
The Brunswick is a boutique hotel located just a few minutes’ drive from the town’s centre, offering beautifully appointed, utterly serene suites for humans and their four-legged friends. Doggy beds and pet-friendly dining options are even available upon request. Finally, while Reflections Brunswick Heads is a budget-friendly holiday park, its absolute waterfront location provides million-dollar views of Simpson’s Creek. A footbridge to Brunswick Beach is located right outside the park, ensuring
life’s a beach every day of the week.
The Taste of Brunswick Heads
Whatever you’re craving, authentic odes to global cuisines come on tap. Be transported to the neon-lit alleys of Japan, or tequila-laced cantinas of Mexico, or wine-drenched trattorias of Italy, through international plates jazzed with exceptional flair. Roco Ramen & Sake is a standout, a one-hatted, hole-in-the-wall eatery and bar whipping up beautiful noodle broth alongside Japanese-inspired dishes and ridiculously slick cocktails. Trouble San, located on the corner of The Terrace overlooking Simpson’s Creek, pays tribute to the flavours of Japan, too. Favoured for post-swim drinks and traditional bites, the restaurant nails Takoyaki (octopus balls), Salmon Tataki (crumbed salmon) and more. Saint Maries is your go-to for a carb overload. Pudgy, perfectly blistered pizza and flavour-crammed pastas are devoured by locals who converge on this hot spot for relentless good times. Dreaming of Mexican? La Casita on Fawcett Street is always a vibe, loading up tacos and shaking killer margaritas inside a dusty pink, cactus-speckled fit out. Other scenes to be seen include Birds of Paradise Rotisserie, an Instagram-friendly chicken shop on Booyun Street bagging up crinkle cut, chicken salt-dusted chips, charred birds and fresh salads. Hotel Brunswick, an institution on Mullumbimbi Street, is home to the suburb’s mightiest pub meals and cold ones. Bruns Bakery, on the corner of Fingal Street, knocks up sweets and savouries so good that queues wrap around the building and The Lilium Lair, a dark and moody restaurant and cocktail bar, is so sexy you’ll mistake it for a speakeasy in the big smoke. Once you’ve slept your indulgences off, do it all again at Brunswick Heads’ best breakfasts. Old Maids is always pumping, dishing up excellent morning elixir and all-day breakfast burgers in a diner-style setting that spills onto the street. Meanwhile, The Salt Mill, right across the road, is another must-experience if you’re as fanatical about coffee as we are.
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