"Byron Bay" a Byron Bay Travel Page by Groverdean

So if you want to know, this is the place where I spent alot of my youth. Surfing, swimming, sunbathing, hanging out. That was all there was to do back then. Still in that regard the place hasn't changed much, however, it now attracts hoardes of tourists. Yes I was lucky because it is nowhere near as great a place as it once was, but it is still special for the newcomers.
In the numerous years since then the place has changed dramatically. It is hard to find a 'local' who has lived there for more than 20 years. The majority of people who grew up in the area moved away, as the character of the place changed.
Despite the negatives I see, it is still a picturesque place, still relatively undeveloped. There are plenty of beautiful places around Byron Bay so if you want to avoid the crowds you can. If you want to hang out with aload of backpackers, then you're going to love Byron.