12 Aug Creative industries make Byron Bay even better

City-born creatives have been making their way north to Byron Bay for a while now. Many come because they’re looking for a change of pace—a simpler life without the traffic. A life where you surf before work, ride your bike everywhere, reduce your carbon footprint, and keep an eye on your food miles.

Today, it’s said that Byron Bay is home to the highest number of professional creatives outside of Melbourne and Sydney. And much as many may move to Byron in an attempt to address their work/life balance, the thought that this new wave of sea changers have come here just to “slow down and chill out” is as far from the truth as you can get.

What they’ve been doing has transformed our town. They’ve been busy breathing energy into the start-up culture that we’ve become famous for. They’ve been hunting out opportunities and making magic happen. Visit the industrial estate any day of the week, and you’ll discover an entrepreneurial hub that grows by the day.

Our community has always been a haven for artists and creative people. And this new wave of talented creatives is focused on being as good in their chosen field as they possibly can be. And because of their collaborative spirit and strong sense of shared values, they’ve been welcomed by our town.

The success stories continue. Spell is a prime example of what can happen when you bring together talent, passion and purpose. Then there’s Stone and Wood. Brook Farm muesli. Global Therapeutics. Parkway Drive. The list goes on.

Whether they’re creating a fashion label, building a new app, setting up a local cafe, or creating an inspiring, small-scale, independent store – the end result is worthy of any city. In fact, who needs the city when you have so much going on in Byron Bay!

It’s well known that creative industries drive economic growth and create a community of happier, more satisfied people. So, thank you, to all the artists, photographers, musicians, designers, filmmakers, entrepreneurs and writers who call Byron Bay home. Your spirit of creativity is appreciated by us all.