This week Byron will become the permanent home of the two largest crystals in the world, a towering 5.5 metre smoky quartz geode and a 5.5 metre wide amethyst geode cave. The Crystal Castle in the Byron hinterland has purchased the natural giants in a monumental deal with a Uruguayan farmer and long term friend of the Castle. The acquisition marks the Crystal Castle’s 30 th Anniversary and they will join what is already the largest outdoor display of crystals in the world.

Naren King inside the enchanted crystal cave

“Thirty years ago we were seen as offbeat hippies out the back of Byron Bay” said Naren King, the Crystal Castle’s “Managing Dreamer”. From humble beginnings on their twelve acre property Naren and his family have guided the Crystal Castle, which encompasses the world renowned Shambhala Gardens, to their current status as a State Significant Tourist Attraction. In 2012 the Castle added the only Kalachakra Stupa for World Peace in the Southern Hemisphere, a project blessed by His Holiness The Dalai Lama. Thousands of visitors of all ages and faiths make the pilgrimage along the scenic escarpment to visit annually. Princess Mary of Denmark, Chris Hemsworth and his family, Katy Perry and Natalie Imbruglia were all enchanted. Kerry O’Brien is a regular.

Naren King and daughter Manya King with the world's biggest crystal

Both crystals, estimated to be 120 million years old, will be on display for visitors to experience. The amethyst cave, becoming known as the “enchanted cave” will also be available for group and private meditations, where visitors can sit inside the crystal for intensive inspiration. “Amethyst has many qualities, perhaps the most powerful being higher inspiration” said Naren King. “So we are creating a range of guided meditations that people can listen to whilst inside the crystal, if they choose. It’s an extraordinary experience to sit inside this cave surrounded by millions of sparkling crystals”.

The science behind crystals has long been accepted with clear quartz used in high precision surgery, computer chips, watches and electric guitars. “Amethyst and smoky quartz are clear quartz with certain minerals present” explained King, “So whilst clear quartz is programmable these crystals come with their own program, or specific healing energies. It’s no coincidence that the Pope’s ring is amethyst and the Queen’s crown is set with crystals”.

Naren King hails from globally renowned esoteric stock. To survive three years in Changi as a prisoner of the Japanese during the Second World War his father, Sydney Piddington (King changed his surname) developed an ESP show for the other prisoners of war to help maintain morale. Following the war Sydney and his young wife Lesley were signed to present a series of live radio broadcasts for the BBC “The Piddingtons”, which garnered 20 million listeners.

The broadcasts, which demonstrated the Piddingtons’ telepathic abilities, was the first BBC broadcast from the stratosphere and saw Naren’s mother as the only woman to be locked up in the Tower of London and get out alive. To this day the Piddingtons are considered to be one of the greatest two-person telepathy acts of all time.

Watch The Piddingtons Keep Millions Guessing (1950) on youtube.

“People have travelled to Byron for inspiration and dreaming for thousands of years” said Byron Shire Mayor Simon Richardson. “So it is only fitting that these beacons of hope should make their way here. I can’t wait to see them”.

For further information, visit www.crystalcastle.com.au.

NEW DATE - Saturday 25th June Join the world wide celebrations for the United Nations International Day of Yoga at the first Byron Yoga Day Festival, a FREE community event featuring inspiring teachers, artists, food, stalls and musical performers. A day of fun and festivity for all the family.

Saturday 25th June at 11 AM - 3 PM at Denning Park, Main Beach, Byron Bay

• Yoga Asanas! Flow through a fun, creative sequence culminating in a free form yoga dance and rock your asana with two live bands.
• Meditation! Learn to breathe deeply and completely, filling your lungs with fresh, ocean air then find your inner peace with wonderful meditation that is simply relaxing.
• Relaxation! Lie back under the trees, listen to the waves rolling in and find an oasis of deep relaxation and calm.
• Music! The ancient chants of India to the melodies, beats and rhythms of the modern world. Get your mantra on with The Aloha's sweet captivating medlodies, Yadudes with their heart felt soulful songs and then dance the afternoon away with DJM's Mantra Trance Experince!!! to move like you've never before.
• Stalls by the locals packed with heaps of healthy, delicious food.
• Inspirational and thought provoking talks on topics such as ‘How to Lead a Balanced Life’, Benefits of Mantra Meditation and the question of 'Who am I?’

A day of fun and festivity for everyone! Join the festival via their Facebook Event Page or visit www.yogadayfestival.com.au NOW & share the LOVE by inviting all your friends too.

Here at byronbay.com we love being able to showcase and highlight everything that makes Byron special and instagram is perfect for timely and stylish images. Here's a sample of some of our most popular recent images. Be sure to follow and tag us @byron.bay.nsw #visitbyron - comments too: www.instagram.com/byron.bay.nsw.

Boardshop Australia captured a Naked Bike Ride traffic jam in Byron Bay.

Matt Chesher captured this aerial view of Wategos Beach from a'chopper'.

byron.bay.nsw, byronbay.com's instagram account posted this very popular image of the Cheer Up, Slow Down, Chill Out sign.

Leana Mckenzie took an excellent shot of the sand art that often 'appears' on Byron's beaches.

Nikos Giannakaros titled this photo 'Magical Place' - enough said.

Born in New Zealand but currently living in Byron Bay, Austin is a street artist, graphic designer, creator, and founder of NITSUA.

Austin is a multi-talented creative with a distinctive bright and bold aesthetic. You’ve probably seen his eye-catching murals around Byron Bay, or maybe noticed the groovy tables he designed at The Tree House in Belongil. Austin has also worked with bands including Wolfmother, designing album artwork and tour posters. His style is an accumulation of a unique background in textile, print media, and product design beginning back in 1997, when he worked as a graphic designer in the fashion and skateboard industries.

In addition to his street art and visual art, Austin’s unique style is translated into commissioned wallpaper, video art, homewares, and furniture. Using stencils, spray paint, brushes, and a huge amount of colour, Austin’s solo projects completed under the brand NITSUA (Austin spelt backwards) have been hugely successful, catching the eye of well-known Australian artists.

NITSUA has come to represent freedom, interpretation, inspiration, and the desire to create art. Austin currently sells a range of original artwork, as well as prints. These stunning creations epitomise his exceptional eye for colour and design, which fuses psychedelic imagery, street art, and Byron Bay.

Learn more about NITSUA at www.nitsua.com.au and browse a range of affordable NITSUA art prints available for sale.

WILLOW is a one of a kind interactive and digital magazine, with a strong online presence. She has been created to provide support, love and empowerment to help women transition into motherhood with ease.

With focus on gentle birthing and conscious parenting, WILLOW provides a wealth of information for the parent looking to lead by the heart.

WILLOW is more than a magazine, she is also a community and opportunity for mothers and parents to share, interact, support and nurture themselves and others through the newness and uniqueness of every birth from conception through to the early years.

The founders Fiona Olsen, Arihia Henry and Sandra Colley are all young mothers themselves and with the support of professionals and experts are proud to present to you the Issue 1 ­ The Conception. Among her pages you’ll find expert advice, real life experience and relevant conversation on topics covering pregnancy, birth and beyond. This trinity of #startupmoms share a combined background in child care, special needs education, business management, neuro/training, kinesiology, yoga, writing and nutrition.

Willow ushers in the new business fractal of giving and receiving, through seeding a philanthropic model that creates a new paradigm for parents, families, communities and corporate spaces.

May no mama ever feel alone or unsupported again.

20% of every purchase sold will be donated to a chosen mother baby charity, with the first edition of The Conception donated to Yaysan Bumi Sehat foundation in Indonesia. Bumi Sehat provides free birth care for mothers and babies.

WILLOW was launched on the 28th of March 2016 and intends to be a tri­annual publication. Find issue 1 at: www.bit.ly/the­conception.

Learn more by visiting www.willowmagazine.org and be sure to follow Willow on Facebook &/or Willow on Instagram.

BBIFF 2016 is on 30 April 10am - 11pm at The Elements of Byron Resort

Byron Bay has long been a fashionable holiday destination for the young and glamorous, now it is so much more! The Byron Bay International Fashion Festival is in its second year and earmarked to become an important date on the fashion calendar for emerging labels and international brands.  Last year's event showcased "15" local, national and international brands in a series of shows with the spectacular backdrop of Byron Bay's Main Beach.

This year the brand new five-star beach resort "Elements" will host the festival amidst its lush gardens, breath-taking pools and private beach. The day into night programme of indoor and outdoor runway shows will present everything from swimwear to lingerie, sport-lux, casual and evening wear modelled by a diverse group of beautiful models.

Patrons of the festival are encouraged to truly savour the location by staying at the resort and enjoying a "festival only" reduced rate in the beautiful villas and bungalows.

The festival will utilize all aspects of this beautiful location. The  state of the art pavilions equipped with the latest wi-fi technology will set the stage for the ticket only runway shows.  Enjoy international fashion films poolside on the "drive-in" style cinema screen, media and designer interviews in the main restaurant, group shows on the private beachfront and pool, and an exclusive wrap party that will bring to an end a day full of innovation, fashion and potential new collaborations between business and designers.

In the grounds surrounding the main festival buildings there will be an all day "shop the runway" fashion expo where the public and ticketholders can shop the many stalls of fashion, beauty and accessories and enjoy live music. Also open to the public are two sample shows, one on the beach and a swimwear showing poolside to showcase a selection of garments that will appear in the runway shows.

For further information and tickets, visit www.bbiff.com.au.

Fun music, enthusiastic fans, a variety of food and an all-round great festival vibe - another Byron Bay Blues Festival to remember. My headliner highlight was The National my blues highlight was Blind Boy Paxton, my rock-n-roll highlight was the Eagles of Death Metal, my weirdo highlight was The Residents and my food highlight was the Tempura Vege Bowl from (Federals) Doma Cafe.

Bluesfest hosted 82 bands, a total of 633 artists and their tour party members and recorded a tad over 100,000 attendances over the Easter long weekend. You can always tell the artists really enjoy playing Bluesfest, here's what some of them had to say:

“This is a much heralded festival and it’s our first day here and we understand why..” VINTAGE TROUBLE

“The overwhelming feeling I get at Bluesfest is that people love music..” GRAHAM NASH

“Probably one of my favourite shows we have played in a really long time” ST. PAUL AND THE BROKEN BONES

“Bluesfest is one of the best line-ups that I have ever had the opportunity to be a part of” ALLEN STONE

“It’s an honour and a privilege to be here” THE WAILERS

“I think Bluesfest manages to outdo itself every year" DUSTIN THOMAS

Please browse more of byronbay.com's 2016 Bluesfest images on our facebook page: Thursday images, Friday images, Saturday images, Sunday images and Monday images.

Born and raised in Bologna, Italy, Donatella Parisini is a professional portrait and fashion photographer based in Byron Bay, Australia. Her career in fashion commenced in her early twenties – working as a model and a stylist in Europe’s major cities before relocating to Australia in the mid 90s. Here her unique creative style combined with her genuine passion for life and connection, led her to transition to her current role as one of Byron Bay’s most highly renowned professional photographers.

Known for her keen eye for beauty and composition and an undeniable ability to relax and elate those around her, Donatella’s technical expertise, infectious positivity and decades of industry experience has attracted clients nationwide. Her work includes cosmetic campaigns, independent designer collections, look books, accessory lines, modelling portfolios, musician promo, professional rebranding, portraiture and fine art photography. Her work has been featured in numerous publications both in and out of Australia.

A five minute drive from Byron Bay CBD Donatella’s fully equipped photography studio in Suffolk Park provides a relaxing and professional environment to see your visions realised. Only a minutes walk away Tallows Beach and Arakwal National Park provide a plethora of easily accessible locations in Australia’s stunning natural landscapes. Kitchen and bathroom facilities are available for use on site with contacts for Models/Hair/Makeup/Styling/Catering by request.

” My work is a blend of all the places I have been, the people i met and loved, the music I have danced, the books I have read and the art that i see and inspire me and keep the passion alive . It is a privilege to be standing on Bundjalung country, I am grateful with all my heart for being welcomed to such a beautiful corner of this planet, it is an honour to share this experience in this magical place. I respectfully acknowledge the past and present traditional owners of this land the Bundjalung people. Together we acknowledge the contributions of Aboriginal Australians and non-Aboriginal Australians to the education of us and all children and people in this country we all live in and share together “. Donatella Parisini

Enjoy a sample of Donatella's work and learn more by visiting www.donatella.com.au &/or following on social media: www.facebook.com/DonatellaPhotographer, www.instagram.com/dotheinstathinghy" or www.twitter.com/ontweettoo.

The Lismore Lantern Parade is an annual community arts festival held on or around the longest night of the year, being the Winter Solstice. It is recognised as the iconic event for the City of Lismore along with the North Coast National.

The Lismore Lantern Parade attracts in excess of 30,000 people each year and provides a safe and enjoyable experience for all those involved. The festival celebrates community, art and nature with arts, crafts, workshops, regional cuisine, a spectacular parade, lanterns, parade bands, street theatre, music, carnival dancers, illuminated puppets, fire art and pyrotechnics and much, much more.

Lanterns, fire and outdoor celebration are deeply embedded in many cultures from China, Japan, Burma and Vietnam to Europe and Africa. The lantern represents a positive metaphor for community optimism and hope throughout the world and it was from this tradition that the Lismore Lantern Parade was born. The universal and multicultural theme makes the Lantern Parade appealing to people from all walks of life and nationalities.

The 2016 Lismore Lantern Parade will be held on Saturday, June 25.

For further information visit www.lanternparade.com.

Images by www.natsky.com.au.

The Byron Arts Classic is an exciting community event held annually around Easter time that celebrates the talent and diversity of artists from the Northern Rivers and beyond.

The Byron Arts Classic was established in 1982 as the Easter Arts Classic, which ran until 2003. In 2010, after a seven-year break, the event was renamed, restored, and hosted at the Byron Bay Community Centre. It has been there held annually ever since.

During the weeklong celebration, the Byron Theatre is transformed into a multi-tiered, floor-to-ceiling exhibition space titled the ‘Dawkins Gallery’. The ground floor is home to an inspiring sculpture garden, and photographs, paintings, and works on paper line the walls. These continue on the second and third levels, where smaller artworks are arranged more intimately. What makes this exhibition unique is that up-and-coming, and even amateur artists are hung side-by-side with established, well-known local talent. The exhibition gives everyone the opportunity to share their art with a large audience.

Each year, the exhibition starts off with the coveted Gala Awards Night, where acclaimed judges determine the very best artists of that year’s Arts Classic. Awards are handed to the young, the beginner, and the established working in all mediums, from sculpture to photography, from print making to oil painting. Guests enjoy the colourful array of artwork amid live music. All works are for sale.

The Byron Arts Classic attracts artists from Byron Bay, Ballina, Lismore, Tweed Heads, and more. The exhibition aims to showcase the varied ideas, values and talents of the region to both members of the Byron community and visitors from near and far.

The 2016 event opens Thursday 24 March – Wednesday 30 March 10am-4pm with a Gala Awards Night Wednesday 23 March 6pm til late. For further information, visit The Byron Arts Classic website.

Registrations are open from the Monday 1st February until 4pm Monday 29th February. Full details available online.