Byron Bay is the hippy capital of Australia. After the Aquarius festival in 1973- the down-under answer to Woodstock - a cabal of hippies and alternative lifestylers, just never left. These days you will probably see more million dollar beach homes than tee pees and house trucks.  But Byron Bay still has more spiritual healers per capita than any other city in the western world.

On the far northeast coast of NSW, just 140 kilometres from Brisbane; the qualities that attracted hippies in the ‘70s are still attracting migrants to Byron Bay. The area is stunningly beautiful. Some of the coast is craggy and exciting; then there are peaceful stretches of white sand beach. There are some excellent surf breaks here- and almost everywhere on this part of the Aussie coast. Head to the lighthouse on Cape Byron, for a great view of the coastline and back towards town. Inland, the hinterland is lush and forested.

9000 people give or take a few, live in Byron Bay. Janson St, the main shopping street is full of restaurants and cafes, pretty wooden stores painted all the colours of the rainbow, with wide cool porches. The town is host to some well known cultural events: an annual art and music festival, the East Coast Blues and Roots Festival, the Byron Bay Writers Festival and the annual lighthouse run, to name just a few.

If you look very hard, you can still find a tidy family home for $500,000, but such a gorgeous town is not going to escape the coastal property boom- and many properties now sell for well over the million dollar mark. To rent a 2 bedroom home in Byron Bay, you are looking at $450 per week minimum. If lifestyle and not money is your only object, try Wategoes Beach for dream properties with absolute beach frontage.