Byron Bay Rainforest Tour with Glowworms and Waterfalls

Leaving Byron Bay for the hinterland

The tour meets at 80 Jonson Street, the main street of Byron Bay, at 16:00 and heads inland in an air-conditioned vehicle. Within 20 minutes the beaches give way to the rolling green hills of the Byron hinterland, a landscape of macadamia farms, dairy pastures and pockets of rainforest on the slopes of an ancient volcano. The drive itself is scenic, with the guide explaining the geology and the history of the small villages you pass through.

The whole region sits inside the eroded caldera of a huge shield volcano that was active more than 20 million years ago; its central plug, Wollumbin, is visible from many of the hills. This volcanic soil is why the hinterland is so lush and why the Byron Bay rainforest tour heads west rather than along the coast: the waterfalls, the big trees and the glowworms are all up here.

The rainforest walk

The first stop is a guided walk through subtropical rainforest of the kind that once covered much of eastern Australia and today survives in protected pockets, several of them part of the World Heritage-listed Gondwana Rainforests. The track is easy, on a clear path with some roots and rocks, and the guide stops often to point out strangler figs, giant ferns, palms, fungi and the birds and animals that live in the canopy and leaf litter.

Walking here in the late afternoon is a different experience from midday: the light slants through the trees, the birds are at their noisiest and the air cools. The guide explains how the forest works as a system, from the fig trees that start life in the canopy to the creeks that feed the waterfall, and this is also where you learn what glowworms actually are before seeing them after dark.

The waterfall swim

The walk leads to a waterfall with a clear rock pool at its base, where there is time to swim before the sun goes down. The water is fresh and cool, fed by rainforest creeks, and standing under the falling water is a highlight for most guests. Bring swimwear and a towel, and water shoes or sandals with straps are useful on the rocks; the guide checks conditions and may advise against swimming after heavy rain when the flow is strong.

Waterfalls in the Byron Bay hinterland are at their fullest in the wetter months from December to April and gentler in winter, but the pool is swimmable year-round. If you prefer not to swim, you can sit on the rocks and enjoy the setting while the others do. From the waterfall it is a short walk back to the vehicle and the dinner spot.

Dinner and music at dusk

As the light fades the group sits down outdoors for a light organic plant-based dinner with fresh juice, prepared from local produce; tell us about allergies when you book. The meal is simple and wholesome rather than a restaurant dinner, and it is served while a musician plays an acoustic session, so the sound of the forest at dusk mixes with the music. It is a relaxed hour that gives your eyes time to adjust before the night walk.

This part of the evening is what makes the glowworm tour from Byron Bay feel like an event rather than a quick stop. Children usually love it, and the group is small enough that solo travellers end up chatting with everyone. Drinking water is provided throughout; bring a light jacket, as the hinterland is noticeably cooler than the coast after dark, even in summer.

Glowworms after dark

Once it is fully dark the guide hands out red-light torches and leads the group a short distance to a secret creek bank where glowworms live in their thousands. Glowworms are the larvae of a small fly that glow blue-green to lure insects into sticky threads they hang from the damp rock and roots; the colony looks like a galaxy of tiny lights along the bank. The location is kept private to protect the colony, which is why this is a guided-only experience.

Red light does not disturb the larvae, which is why white torches and camera flashes are not allowed; photography is difficult, so most people simply watch. Glowworms are present all year, with the brightest displays on humid nights and in the warmer months. After about 30 minutes at the creek the group returns to the vehicle for the drive back to Byron Bay, arriving around 21:30.