GOOD vibrations

Tech entrepreneurs take on the beach with a modern tropical masterpiece called Saint Rocky's, a mix of high design principles and cool open spaces to chill out.

- Words ELIZA O'HARE

To reach Belongil Beach, one must travel through Byron Bay proper to the other side of town, over the railway tracks, towards the Treehouse cafe and dog beach. This is the 'other' Byron Bay beach, less flashy than Wategos, more chill than The Pass. It was the last bastion of dreadlocked fire twirlers and sunset bonfire doofs, but in one of those inexplicable real-estate backflips, recently segued into being the surprise hot neighbourhood in town.

The change started about 10 years ago, but has been supercharged in the last five by the halo effect around the arrival of chef Shannon Bennett and the evolution of his impressive beachfront compound. His property upped the ante with a glamorous rooftop garden and sunset bar. He also has plans to bring Vue de monde magic from his Melbourne restaurant to nearby cafe The Belongil.

Here, there's a different vibe to the mass tourism, CoolCabana occupation and Byron Bae influencers of Main Beach. This is a stretch where community rules and extended family groups gather on the sand and in the surf. Family vibes are certainly what appealed to Ida and Peter Ostick when they decided to put down roots here. Their journeys to the Byron Shire brought them respectively from Liverpool in England and California - both a long way from home - to start their family. Four years ago, finding solace by the beach during the pandemic, they were renting across the road when a block became available, so they bought it immediately.

The couple are no strangers to clever acquisitions. They were partners in SOMA, a luxury transcendental meditation retreat in the Byron hinterland, along with renowned teacher Gary Gorrow. Gary invited his brother, George, to come on board with SOMA’s design, and the results were extraordinary. So much so that it was where Liane Moriarty’s