Byron Bay: Home of The Pass
Byron Bay sits on Cape Byron, the most easterly point of the Australian mainland, and that geography is exactly why its waves are so good: the cape catches swell that wraps around from multiple directions and funnels it into a string of right-hand points. The best known, The Pass, can produce long, walled-up rides on its day and is regularly ranked among Australia's finest waves, while the gentler wrap at Main Beach right in town is a genuine beginner-friendly wave.
Byron's surf culture grew up alongside its history as a whaling port turned counterculture town, and that laid-back, board-riders-welcome character is still very much part of the place today. This stream covers the main town beach area so you can judge size and crowd before you paddle out or wander down for a look.