Wander Women – women who are choosing solo travel are heading to Brunswick Heads.
- Kevin Fitzgerald
- Jul 3
- 5 min read
Updated: Jul 4
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics 2025 show that up to 36% of Australian women are always or often feel rushed or pressured for time.
In response, women are embracing solo travel as an opportunity to step away from everyday pressures, recharge, and reconnect with nature.
According to the Wander Woman Report 2026 commissioned by Reflections Holiday Parks, 72% of these women are seeking relaxation and an escape from routine.
Women are choosing to travel on their own terms, prioritising experiences that offer freedom, well-being, and connection with nature.
Associate Professor Tamara Young from the Newcastle Business School at the University of Newcastle says, “For many women, solo travel is not about being alone for the sake of it. It’s about having the choice to make their own choices, spend time on their own terms and reconnect with what matters most to them.
How to travel to Brunswick Heads?
Brunswick Heads is a charming, unhurried coastal village in the Byron Shire in the Northern Rivers region close to the Queensland border.
The Ballina Byron Gateway Airport and the Gold Coast Airport are the closest airports to Brunswick Heads. Byron Easy Bus operates a service from these airports.
Brunswick Heads is an easy drive from Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Where to stay in Brunswick Heads?
Brunswick Heads has 4 motels:
Haku is in the centre of Brunswick Heads and only a few hundred metres to the ocean.
The Brunswick, The Sails Motel and The Chalet Motel all have swimming pools and are an easy walk to the centre of Brunswick Heads and to the river and beaches
Brunswick Heads has 3 Reflections Holiday Parks all on the water.
I recommend Brunswick Heads and Massy Greene as they are situated close to town so you can easily walk to the town centre and to the beaches.
Where to eat in Brunswick Heads?
Old Maids is a great place to have breakfast, with welcoming staff that make you feel comfortable and at home. They have great food, and you can sit alone or perhaps start up a conversation with some of the many locals who love coming to this café to socialise.
Bottle & Hoop is fascinating place to visit and chat with the owner. The shop is an eclectic mix of wine, beer, sake & spirits, as well as local and imported cheese, charcuterie & more.
The local farmers’ markets are a great place to wander, buy fresh food and locally produced goods, as well as mingle with locals. New Brighton Markets are on Tuesday 8am to 11am, and Mullumbimby Markets are on Friday 7am to 11am.
Pink Lotus is a Vietnamese restaurant that is comfortable to sit and eat alone and enjoy the tasty food. You can also get a takeaway and sit in Terrace Park beside Simpson Creek.
Trouble San is a Japanese restaurant that has a vibrant atmosphere and great food.
Lello’s Pasta Bar is a great place to eat dinner if you love top-quality Italian pasta.
Yami is a small café that serves authentic and flavoursome Middle Eastern cuisine. A great place for breakfast or lunch.
In the Pink is a great place to enjoy an ice cream or gelato. Lots of flavours to taste.
You can also buy food and enjoy a picnic in the green parks that are beside the Brunswick River and Simpson’s Creek
What to do while visiting Brunswick Heads, NSW, Australia?
One of the great things about Brunswick Heads is that it is small, flat and easy to walk around. You can park your car and walk everywhere in town:
Torakina Beach is a safe, sandy beach within the Brunswick River. It's a great place to swim and not be knocked over by waves.
Brunswick Heads Mains Beach is a long stretch of beach that mainly has no human development behind it. A beautiful place to walk and feel connected to nature.
Brunswick Picture House has a variety of high-quality performers to entertain you.
Brunswick Heads Massage is a local business operating for over fifteen years that offers high-quality, professional, and caring massage in a clean and quiet premises in the heart of Brunswick Heads. You will probably leave without your tension, feeling deeply relaxed and nurtured. You may even want to go and have a daytime sleep.
B3 fitness offers fitness classes including Pilates and yoga; breathwork; and magnesium baths, cold plunge and sauna to leave you feeling energised.
Nia is a joyful, low impact, movement class at the Memorial Hall on Saturdays from 9.00am to 10.00am.
Walk past Torakina Beach and out along the south wall of the Brunswick River, and you can see sweeping views along the beach all the way to Byron Bay, as well as sometimes dolphins and whales. A great place to be at sunrise and sunset.
You can hire a kayak from Brunswick Buccaneers and paddle along the Brunswick River, Simpson’s Creek or Marshall Creek.
M. V. Jasmine is the first luxury floating venue in Byron Bay offering a Mediterranean-inspired on-river dining experience that curates, collaborates & celebrates our region set on the backdrop of the iconic River Brunswick.
Vision Walks Eco Tours operate wildlife tours including koala, platypus and night vision tours. They also offer a shuttle bus service to Crystal Castle.
Brunswick Heads Laundromat is a great place to wash and dry your clothes, as well as meet the amazing women who work in the laundromat and make cleaning your clothes an opportunity to connect with some locals who love living here.
If you have a car?
You can drive yourself to the nearby towns of Mullumbimby and Bangalow for a walk around these beautiful towns.
You can drive to Minyon Falls and take a short walk to the top or a four-hour walk to the bottom of the falls
You can drive to Killen Falls and take a short though rocky, walk through the rainforest to the top and bottom of the falls and the swimming hole.
You can drive to Protesters Falls in the World Heritage Nightcap National Park. A 1.4km return walk (about 40 minutes)
You can drive along the old highway to the delightful little town of Burringbar. There is a quiet and lovely park in town to sit and have a picnic.
You can drive further to the Tweed Regional Gallery on the outskirts of Murwillumbah. Visit Apex Dining café for breakfast or lunch and take in the breathtaking views.
One of my favourite things to do is drive to the Byron Arts and Industrial Estate, park my car and catch the electric train into town and then walk around the shops. I love the train trip in old railways carriages converted into an electric train.
How do you feel after visiting Brunswick Heads?
Brunswick Heads is quiet, uncrowded and unrushed outside of summer holidays and Easter. You have plenty of space to unwind and slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures of the town, including its parks, river, ocean, sunrises, and sunsets.
The pace of Brunswick Heads allows you to enjoy moments on your own as well as a chance to stop and talk with locals or fellow visitors.
These delights including your massage and time in nature, allow you to achieve a sense of peace and clarity. Your body and mind will enjoy the break and chance to connect with your inner beauty and settlement.
So how will you feel after visiting Brunswick Heads? I am not sure, but you will probably feel like you are glad you chose to come and may even plan to come back.
Comments