What’s this all about? I’ll give you a clue: some here at the Arts Factory Lodge call it the sack of death, some say it’s a silver bag of wonder – the backpackers condiment! That’s right guys we’re talking about the infamous boxed wine or more commonly known as… GOON!

“Its a bitter-sweet experience that seems to get better the more you drink. Slurring words & double vision is what you can expect. In the morning you’ll be struggling to think. Just a little over $10 will cause great stories for the next day: key singing, goon spew, and many more – a guarantee for a sweet time!”

Okay… so on the one side it is a cheap alcoholic drink, that, when mixed, can even taste pretty good. On the other side, it can be disgusting, WILL give you a headache, and might contain remains of Fish and Eggs. Although some optimistic mates say: “Well then it’s like a whole meal”.

Either way, as a backpacker it seems to be inevitable to not be around this bad excuse for a drink, so I thought I’d ask you have you ever discovered that a goon sack isn’t only good for drinking, but so much more. I’ve put together the top 14 things I’ve seen innovative backpackers use it for around the Arts Factory Lodge:

1. Spaceman-accessories
2. CPR assistant
3. Reflectors
4. Pillow when drunk
5. Mirror
6. Drinking Currency
7. Endless competitions for the brave
8. A big undeserved slap to the face
9. Brake Fluid
10. Ice Pack (for that slap to the face)
11. Portable Shower
12. Dose of your needed daily fruit requirements
13. Frisbee
14. Life Jacket

So apart from the described side effects – have I won you over? Are you sold to the metallic bag?

Come and stay with us at The Arts Factory Backpackers Lodge and hear some more crazy goon stories (or try it yourself)!

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Introducing Sorrell: This gorgeous blond woman from London, is a well-known staff member down at the Arts Factory Lodge! She’s been working at the hostel for 14 years and runs the café together with her husband. Guests love to come down and see her smiling face in the mornings & get the best coffee in Byron Bay.

When I met up with her to ask her some questions about the London Marathon she ran in April, I could see her eyes lighting up as it was one of the best experiences in her life.

The story began when Sorrell was 9 years old, when she was always watching her dad going for a run. In 1981 he was 51 (now 82)  and ran the London Marathon with Sorrell standing in the crowd cheering him on. Back then there were only 3000 runners (compared to 38,000 this year) and he ran it in an incredible 2 hours, 58 mins.

Sorrell inherited his passion for running and decided the ultimate 40^th birthday present to herself would be to compete in the 2012 London Marathon & surprise her dad in doing so. But getting in was no easy feat, she applied to 6 charities and after being turned down by 5 was finally given a place by Concern, a small charity working with the world’s poorest people to transform their lives. However, to get the place, the charity set her the target of raising 2000 GBP ($3700) and so she did… she even made her first ever appearance at the hostels famous Talent Show with Cockatoo Paul and even the poor backpackers donated to the worthy cause!

So, in April 2012 she went back to her birthplace for the marathon. On her first night there one of her twin sons immediately told Grandpa they have a surprise for him. So he spills the beans that Mummy is going to be running the London Marathon – he is so overwhelmed & overjoyed that the tears roll down his cheeks.

So with 2 weeks of training left, her dad proudly came out in 10 degrees & pouring rain, with stopwatch in one hand and whistle in the other, they conquered the bad weather and trained for the marathon together! On the morning of 22^nd April, the sky was bright and no rain to be found! Among the 20,000 spectators were loads of Sorrell’s friends and family in order to support her. Including her dad, mum & sister who dashed across London to cheer her on at 3 different locations.

She said the course was amazing – running through the streets of London with masses of spectators supporting every step of the way. A major highlight was turning the corner & seeing Tower Bridge and all of London stretching ahead of her, a sight to behold without a London Bus or Black Cab in sight! With tired legs but a smile on her face she approaches the last mile of the race, with Big Ben in front she turns the corner and catches a glimpse of her husband Steve, kids Jarra & Kai and mother-in-law Sandy waving from the crowd. This gave her the last boost she needed for the final mile as she headed to Buckingham Palace, gave a little wave to the Queen and dashed across the finish line. Final time? 3 hours 53 mins & 41 seconds, she wanted to do under 4 hours and she smashed it!!

All of us from the Arts Factory Lodge are so proud of her outstanding performance! We are happy for her but even happier that she is back home in Byron Bay and especially back at the Arts Factory where she belongs to… and now, we’ll wait to see what she does next… climb Mt Everest???

Come and stay with us at The Arts Factory Backpackers Lodge and meet Sorrell in person!

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Days are getting colder… it is time to conjure up your favourite jeans and sweater! But no worries because there are many advantages about the winter period in Byron Bay!

First of all during daytime the weather is still good enough to lay on the beach or chill in the sun anywhere you like and still get a beautiful tan . Just make sure that you keep putting on sunscreen as the sun is not less dangerous than it is in summer.At night time it is advisable to wear your favourite jeans and sweater because it gets a lot colder during the night. But this is a great thing really because it would be a shame to have brought these clothes with you and not be able to wear them .

Plus if you are one of those people, like me, who can’t sleep during night time when it is too hot, you will have a good night rest during the winter time!

Secondly it is getting a bit quieter in Byron Bay during the winter period: beaches aren’t crowded, shorter queues at Woolly’s, or wherever you get your food, shorter queues at nightclubs so you have more time to party! And no worries you can still go to one of the best surfing beaches around Byron Bay.

Another good thing about the winter period in Byron Bay is that the local tours will be a lot better! The chance of seeing a whale during a sea kayak tour increases immensely during the winter period because from June to August thousands of humpback whales travel past Byron Bay, on their annual migration from Antarctica to their breeding grounds off the Great Barrier Reef. Then from August to November the same humpback whales return with their newborn calves.

Or are you an adrenaline junkie? Winter is the best period to go skydiving! The sky is sunny and clear almost every day!

Also the prices of tours go down during the winter period. All the local tour operators will offer their awesome winter specials! But make no mistakes in booking your hostel! It is always better to do it up front, taking into consideration that especially during the weekends Byron Bay is more crowded because of the holidays in Australia, when locals come to Byron Bay.

Come and stay with us at The Arts Factory Backpackers Lodge and enjoy the winter vibes!

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Here at the Arts Factory Backpackers Lodge our reception, travel, cafe, volunteer and admin staff really are the bones of this wonderful backpacker location. As soon as you walk in to reception you can feel the flow of good vibes, hear the killer tunes they’re playing in the background and get to know the awesome hotspots Byron Bay has to offer. So in order to get to know what to expect from the staff we made a little who-is-who for you.

Peggy – Her official title is “Property Manager” but we like to think of her as the mother of the Arts Factory Lodge. Since day 1 Peggy has been living and breathing the Arts Factory and knows every nook and cranny of the entire place. She keeps the peace, shares the love and keeps the Factory rolling.

Craigu – If you’re being naughty in the campground you’d better watch out because this guy will be on your tail. He is also our in-house didgeridoo expert, maintenance man, security guy and a true blue bloody legend. You gotta problem? -He will help you out. So better be nice to him

Brad – In plain words, Brad runs the nights. He is your man for everything in the wee hours of the morning when you’re not too sure what’s up, what’s down and what’s plain crazy. Brad will take care of you. Being a father himself, he knows hows to deal with young crazy kids. Think friendly giant is straight to the point and that is Brad.

Belinda – Some think she sounds British, some say Wales others say Venus but yes guys and girls she is just a well spoken Aussie! Quite a rare gem. But guys Belinda is the mother duck behind the desk, and also rocks up with ‘Busta’ her adorable black labradore a few times a week just to melt some hearts.

Ryan – This young fulla has been owning the reception desk for around 2 years now. After having a little break up in Airlie Beach for a few months, he just could’t hold himself back from the Factory and is now back for good to cement his place in the Arts Factory hall of Fame. And ladies, he’s totally single and ready to mingle.

Jasper – Jumping in where Ryan started all these years ago, Casper is our fresh new trainee ready to make the Factory his own. He’s only been here a few months and he’s already rocking the desk and letting everbody know who’s boss. This local lad knows the area and knows what’s up. You have got a question – he’ll point you in the right direction.

Rhian – This little ripper all the way from Llangollen, Wales has been here as long as i have been picking my nose. She’s more Byron than a grain of sand and doesn’t mind the odd frosty beer from the Buddha bar after her shifts. She has also started riding a skateboard since she has moved to Byron.. legend!

Natasha – Down from tropical Mission Beach in far North QLD, Tash has been loving life in Byron Bay and at the Arts Factory Lodge for around 6 months now and looks like she’ll be here for a while longer. She has been getting into surfing since moving down to the Bay and should be as steezey as Lane Beachley in a month or two.

Lachy (By Belinda and Rhian) – Lucky rocks the travel desk at the Arts Factory on a daily basis. He has been with Nomads Backpacker Hostels for years now and has ended up in Byron Bay after a number of years in NZ. We love Lachy, with his sideshow bob dreadies, that awesome ocha aussie accent and crazy aussie slang that many backpackers struggle to understand. Lachy will make you feel welcome and help you out with any local info you need.

Jolene & Janneke – Trekking over together all the way from the Netherlands, these two dutchies are on a 6 month internship with the Arts Factory from their college back home. They have already been surfing, horsesurfing and ventured to Nimbin. Who knows what the next few months will hold for these ladies but I’m sure by the time they leave, they’ll be the brownest dutchies in the Netherlands.

Eva – Eva joined the Mad Travel team a few months ago and since then has been showing off her skills and knowledge of this lovely country of ours. Originally from Sunshine Coast, she’s now down in Byron Bay to relax and soak up everything the Bay has to offer.

Luca – Most Italians love garlic, this Italian loves beers and ice hockey… whaaa? But hey we love him and he is the legend who drives our bus so how can we not!? This will be the first friendly face you see when you arrive in the Bay. He will take you under his arm and guide you all the way to our awesome reception team. Respect Luca!

Jess - Cafe and coffee professional Jessie Rose has been making my mornings easier since I started here at the Factory. She makes a meeean coffee and when she’s not doing that, she’s melting hearts in the recording studio with her amazing voice or out and about in Byron Bay performing.

Cafe Steve – Local legend Steve has been running the Surf Cafe at the Factory for a number of years now and never seases to serve up a special for our inhabitants. Shakes, coffees, juices, fruit and awesome munchies… means there is a decent feed not too far away!

So there they are. All-stars among legends out here at this awesome place! So for the cosiest, coolest and funkiest stay in Byron Bay book yourself into the notorious Arts Factory Backpackers Lodge yeeew!

Written by Lachy Emmerson

The Arts Factory Backpackers Lodge has many amazing free activities such as Didgeridoo lessons, Cockatoo Pauls BushTucker Walk, our Weekly Talent show, Yoga classes and even our Mad Travel Desk has free wine and cheese from time to time. All these events are greatly recognized and loved by everyone here at The Arts Factory Lodge. But there seem to be only a few who are aware of the best free service offered.

That service being the one and only shuttle bus to town. The bus runs for you well into the night, it runs in the pouring rain and on the hottest days. The bus carries your heavy bags and gets you to town or picks you up there.

The Night Bus

Between 7 am and 10 pm it is known as “bus to town” but from the hours of 10:00 pm to 4 am the bus transforms into… “the night bus”. This bus has a much different look to it. Although nothing on the outside appears to change, the inside shifts into a buzzy night world. The destinations, habits and conversations seem to be altered in a much different way. Very few people are catching the night bus with intentions of leaving Byron Bay but instead they are going to Mondays Cheeky Monkeys V.I.P night to play fun games, win sweet prizes and drink free beer or if it’s Tuesday they’re heading to COCOMANGOS $5 all you can eat pizza buffet.

The night bus doesn’t only go to town! When all the free beers have been drunk and all the pizzas been eaten, after you have won sweet prizes and before you pass out on the road, there will be the night bus to shuttle you home.

Coming at 4 am – just like the caterpillar, the night bus needs to sleep in order to transform into a butterfly. At 7 a.m the night bus is now day bus, the caterpillar now a butterfly the goon bag now a pillow and your cameras memory card now priceless. The night bus doesn’t ask for much in return just that you remember it and think of it sometimes, and if the chance to meet again shall arise then let it be taken. I guess what I am really trying to say is, Dear Bus To Town: I love you in any light.

-Lauren Lucio

Come and stay with us at The Arts Factory backpackers Lodge!

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The most unique hostel in Byron Bay (and maybe also in New South Wales or even east Australia!) is without a doubt the Arts Factory Lodge! There is this special relaxed atmosphere, people singing and making music around the hostel, everybody is friendly and nobody judges. But there is a reason it is called The ARTS Factory Lodge, which is the Arts in and around the property that makes the hostel to what it is.

The biggest and most famous painting in the hostel is 18 meters long and is painted on the back of the hostel (close to the parking lot). Above the painting you can see signs which tells you all about the importance of the wildlife and what they stand for. The painting has been made to show the importance and necessity of sharing the culture, knowledge and power of the people from the land, “The Indigenous Australians”.

Like I said before, the painting is all about the importance of the wildlife, to begin with:

The Sea Eagle: A symbol for knowledge, power and grace.

Followed by the Kangaroo: A symbol to always look and listen, as answers don’t always comes with words.

The Sugar Glider: He observes and teaches the humble and quiet ways of life.

The Koala: Which means we can all live with just the bare essentials.

The Bush Turkey: Who always is cleaning up to build a nest, to ensure the bloodline remains.

The Cassowary: Who shows that raising children is not just a females job;)

The Crocodile: Which is a symbol of respect, respect for everything.

Fresh Water Turtle: No matter how deep we go, we must always come up for air which means we shouldn’t dwell to much into the spirit worlds as we are living now.

The Frilled Neck Lizard: Who just like Aboriginal people is not aggressive as assumed, always tries to avoid physical confrontations.

The Python: Symbol for creativity.

The Goanna: Who teaches us not to be greedy and also is the goanna able to see two different worlds, as it can clime up in trees but also be under water.

The Echidna: Which as a symbol for self protection and awareness.

The Cockatoo: Which is a curious animal, always looking around and also a symbol for awareness.

The Brown Snake: Commands respect for your surroundings as he is aggressive, territorial and extremely poisonous, if you do not have respect for this creature it may bite you.

The Emu: Show us just like to Cassowary that raising the children is not just a female job and is a curious bird, which can lead to his downfall, for example, Young Aboriginal boys would dress and imitate the female Emu luring the male Emu away from the eggs.

Manta Ray: Which is a symbol for grace.

The Humpback Whale: Who stands for wisdom, grace and knowledge. He also shows us the importance of song lines.

The Dugong: Shows the importance of recognising the basis of indigenous Australian cultures, The relation between mother and child.

Dolphins: A dolphin is a family oriented animal, so relatives are very important.

The Shark: Reminds us that everything has a place in nature.

Stingray: Which is a graceful cleaner of the ocean who teaches us patience, grace and wit.

Box Jellyfish: Symbol of respect and awareness of your surroundings. His powerful sting only teaches this one time.

The Mud Crab: A symbol for standing up for your rights and standing your ground.

At the end of the painting there is a meeting place symbol which represents Byron Bay and especially The Arts Factory Lodge, because here people from all over the world are sharing knowledge, law, culture, live and way. Through the rest of the painting you see people living, celebrating and maintaining this life, law, way and land.

The whole painting is streaked with a serpent and when you look at the its tail you see a spirit man, who is sharing this story for us to enjoy. When we can go back to our spirit, our instincts, ourselves, our land, then we can live the dreaming and come together at these sacred meeting places without greed and prejudice and really learn to co-exist with each other, nature and more important; the land. The hand prints are from people all over the world. They placed their spirit in the painting to showing understanding and respect for this story.

Come and stay with us at The Arts Factory Backpackers Lodge and enjoy all the beautiful artwork!

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Want something a little different to do while cruising the East Coast of Australia? Then take a few days to stop and enjoy Byron Bay and join in the Nimbin MardiGrass 2012.

On the 5th and 6th of May 2012 we have Nimbin MardiGrass –  “The 20th Annual Cannabis Law Reform Rally” which will take place in Nimbin, only a 1h 15mins drive inland from Byron Bay just past Lismore.

Why not make  a holiday of it and book your stay at The Arts Factory Backpackers Lodge before, after, or during the “rally”. There are regular buses running from the hostel to Nimbin every day, which can be booked through our awesome team here at the MAD Travel desk.

It is a weekend  full of cannabis law reform activities, including live music including local favourites Fyah Walk, 4.20 Mass enlightenment, float parades, ganja faeries, and much much more. You definately have to be there to believe it. Why not go along and  join in the Hemp Olympics, who doesn’t want to be the champion of a joint rolling competition?

Categories include, artistic rolling, speed rolling, rolling in the dark etc. If rolling is not your thing don’t worry you can always join in the tug of war (2 teams and a hemp rope, trying to drag the other team over the line). Bong throw and yell (throwing a bong full of stinking bong water whilst yelling free the weed), and guessing the Correct weight (without  scales figuring out how much the weight is). Entry is $2 per event.

Of course it’s not only games there is so much more to do. If you have a Kombi van you can join in with the Kombi konvoy. The vans will gather in Byron Bay and drive to Nimbin at 11.30am on Saturday 5th May, which will be an awesome spectacle.

You can buy a $50 Weekend MardiGrass Golden Bud Pass which gives you entry to all events Friday, Saturday and Sunday. $100 includes camping. Alternatively you can buy a One day MardiGrass bush pass for $25 for Saturday or Sunday events.

Check it out guys, but be warned a few days stay has been known to turn into a few months or even a year with us here at The Arts Factory we are a haven for hippies and all things arty !

Come and stay with us at The Arts Factory backpackers Lodge!

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Don’t feel like cooking for yourself? So you go out for dinner or get a takeaway! Only problem is… you’re a backpacker, so where can you have cheap but delicious food in Byron Bay? We from the Arts Factory Lodge feel for you so we put together a ‘menu’, so you can go out for dinner all week for only $48.80!

Eating Out in Byron  Bay – Cheap Food!

Monday:

Definitely go to Cheeky Monkey’s for a $5 Mexican meal including a free margarita! The menu is limited but choice enough for everyone! Even the ones who are vegetarian can have a good and nice meal at Cheeky’s during Mexican Monday!

Tuesday:

Domino’s time! This time you get a pizza for $4.90! Also a limited menu but once again choice enough! Veggie pizza, pepperoni pizza etc. And for one dollar extra you have a can of coke with it! Cheap enough for me!

Wednesday:

Burger time! Beloporto’s is a hamburger place where you can get a complete meal for only $10,90! Including a burger (can be veal, chicken … ) delicious fries, sauce and a drink of your choice! And the burgers are delicious I can assure you!

Thursday:

Buddha Bar! Which is right across the parking lot from our hostel! Just a 10 second walk and you will find yourself in one of the most relaxed bars in Byron Bay! Almost every night they have live music and they have a special deal as well! Every night they have a buy one get one for free meal! This is very beneficial when there are two of you. For example have a $20 meal and get one for free, so you both only pay $10! There are conditions though… you have to spend $10 at the bar to get this deal but hey, who wouldn’t want to have a drink with their meal!

Friday:

How much fun would it be to have a meal at our own cafe! Every night they serve cheap dinners! For only $6 you already have a complete meal! Have a meal with all the new friends you made at the Arts Factory Lodge, sit down, eat, chat, drink your own goon and I’m sure you’ll have a fun night!

Saturday:

And Saturday night we are going to have another Mexican dish! This time from Aztec Byron Bay! They sell taco’s from $4,95! And they also have a special offer! Buy one meal and get one for free! For example if you buy a San Antonio’s nacho plate for $12,95 and get the second one for free, means that you only pay about $6,50! What else do you need?!

Sunday:

Because at the end of the week you probably have enough of all the fa(s)t food, on Sunday you should go for something more healthy! But of course we do not want to spend a lot of money and that is why you should go to Heart and Halo and order take away! Here they have delicious vegetarian dishes starting from $5,50! Do I need to say more?

So I say get your butt over here and enjoy all the lovely and especially cheap dinners Byron Bay has to offer!;)

Come and stay with us at The Arts Factory backpackers Lodge and eat as much as you can!

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