There’s Byron as the world knows it and then there’s Belongil. The quieter, calmer sibling that lets you enjoy everything you love about Byron without being in the centre of the swirl. Bayshore Bungalows sits right in that sweet spot. Surrounded by palms and paperbarks, this collection of standalone bungalows feels worlds away while still being an easy stroll to Belongil Beach and a short pedal into town.

There’s a moment that hits everyone who holidays in Wooloweyah. You roll into this little lakeside village, the trees close in around you and suddenly everything feels softer. Life slows down. Conversations stretch out. Kids disappear on bikes and reappear with stories. The air smells like eucalyptus and lake water. In short, you’ve found the part of your holiday you didn’t know you were missing.

Turns out a few Christmas cancellations can make for the happiest holiday surprise. A handful of our most loved homes across Yamba, Angourie, Iluka and Lennox Head are suddenly free for Christmas week — and they’re ready for long lunches, saltwater swims and afternoons that last well past dessert.

If you thought you’d missed your chance for a coastal Christmas, the tides have turned. Whether you’re after barefoot mornings by the beach or evenings in the spa with a glass of bubbles, these rare December openings are pure seaside serendipity.

Oceans 8 on Convent Beach
4BR, 4B. Now available 20 – 27 Dec
Oceanfront mornings and long lunches with the sea just beyond your balcony. Every corner of Oceans 8 feels designed for slow, sunlit days.

Crest on Convent on Yamba Hill
3BR, 2B. Now available 20 – 27 Dec
Perched above the village with sweeping ocean views, this light-filled home is a front-row seat to Yamba’s coastal calm.

The Dunes House near Pippi Beach
4BR, 2B. Now available 21 – 28 Dec
A breezy modern home made for entertaining — think open courtyards, soft light and summer nights under string lights.

Penthouse on the Ritz on the river in town
3BR, 2B. Now available 24 – 31 Dec
Celebrate riverside with style. This penthouse brings effortless elegance to your festive week, right in the heart of Yamba.

Casa de lago on the lake at Wooloweyah
3BR, 3B. Now available 20 – 27 Dec
Where lake views meet laid-back living. Perfect for paddling at sunrise and winding down in the spa as dusk falls.

Marg’s on the beach at Brooms Head
3BR, 1B. Now available 19 – 26 Dec
Classic Aussie summer nostalgia meets beachfront ease. Steps from the sand, with nothing but the sound of waves to mark the day.

Every Oceanstays home comes with that signature difference — immaculately clean, generously stocked and cared for by a local team who makes holidays feel effortless. Because last-minute shouldn’t mean second best — it should feel like a little bit of magic.

Book direct to experience and save at: oceanstays.com.au
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Spring suits the Northern Rivers. The mornings are lighter, the ocean’s still cool enough to wake you up and the headlands hum with whales heading home. It’s the season for open windows, salt air and holidays that feel a little less hurried.

Spring on the Northern Rivers coast has a way of softening everything. The light is warmer, the beaches quieter, and the pace of life feels almost suspended. It’s that sweet spot between seasons — when the days are long enough for adventure but still cool enough for slow mornings and second coffees.

Here’s a little secret we’ve been dying to share. Sea Breeze Cottage, one of Yamba’s most loved holiday homes, has just been listed for sale, and you’re the first to know.

If you’ve stayed at Sea Breeze Cottage, you already know its charm. Morning coffees on the balcony, sandy feet through the door, afternoons that felt slower in the best way. But maybe, just maybe, you’ve wondered what lies beyond the big gate.

Some places just work. They’re easy. They carry that “of course” feeling — like the first sip of coffee in the morning or finding a car park right out the front. La Luna in Lennox Head is one of those places.

Direct beach access means your morning commute is a sandy path to the ocean. No shoes, no schedule, just the sound of waves and the possibility of a surf before breakfast. Inside, it’s breezy and effortless. Spaces flow, light pours in, and you’ll keep finding little details that make life smoother. It’s a house that feels like it wants you to relax.

School holidays can be chaos, but they don’t have to be. Along this stretch of coast you’ll find three towns that turn the break into something far simpler: Saltwater days, good-everywhere coffee and just enough activity to keep the whole family smiling.

School’s out. The kids are humming “Are we there yet?” in the back seat. You’re staring at two weeks and wondering how to turn them into magic instead of mayhem. Here’s your answer: Yamba in the Spring school holidays. Equal parts energy-burner, memory-maker and sanity-saver.

This is your guide to surviving (and secretly loving) the holidays by the sea.

Let’s start with the obvious: the beaches. We’ve got five of them all facing different directions which means no matter the weather or the swell, you’ll find your perfect wave (or your perfect patch of sand to do absolutely nothing on). Add in a break wall made for glorious morning walks, a lighthouse that nails both nostalgia and Instagram and a surf club with generations of lifesaving stories woven into its walls, and you’ll wonder why you didn’t pack up sooner.

It doesn’t happen often, cancellations are rarer than leftover pavlova on Boxing Day. But every now and then, the universe slides one across the table. A handful of our most coveted homes are suddenly up for grabs, just in time to swap the stress of tinsel and to-do lists for ocean swims, barefoot mornings and a glass of something cold on the deck.

Arriving for a holiday should feel effortless. The bags are packed, the trip’s behind you and all you want is to step through the front door and exhale. At Oceanstays, we’ve designed every step of our check-in process to make sure that’s exactly how your holiday begins.

At Oceanstays, the coast is our backdrop and teamwork is our strength. Every great holiday begins with people who care about the details, and right now we’re looking for Cleaners and Hosties to join our crew.

These roles are perfect if you’re looking for flexible hours, including if you want to work between school drop-off and pick-up.

School holidays sneak up fast, don’t they? One minute you’re packing lunchboxes, the next you’re Googling “things to do with kids before I lose my mind.” Here’s your golden ticket: $100 off our remaining school holiday stays. Big houses, beach pads, poolside escapes - They’re all waiting, but only for a hot minute. Consider this your last-chance escape plan.

Your school holiday survival plan:

We’ve rounded up the last stays so you don’t have to scramble.

The September/October holiday is around the corner and if you’re already wondering how to fill two weeks of energy, noise and snack demands — we’ve got you. At Oceanstays, our homes are spotless, stocked with thoughtful touches, and cared for by a local team who’s here seven days a week. To make life easier, we’ve rounded up the school holiday stays that solve the big family questions: where will the kids swim, where will the dog go, where will everyone spread out, and can we get that beach fix too?

You know how it goes. The school holidays sneak up on you. One minute you’re packing lunchboxes, the next you’re staring down two weeks of snack raids, sibling squabbles and endless cries of “I’m bored.” Somewhere in the middle of all that chaos, you’re supposed to have organised a holiday.

If you’re still scrolling listings late at night with a vague sense of panic, you’re not alone. And the good news? You don’t have to.

Keep this between us. Pippi Beach is Yamba’s long, open stretch with that easy flat walk to town. It’s quiet when you want it, close when you need it and still a quick walk up the hill to Main Beach and the Pacific Hotel for that classic Yamba moment. Same sunshine, same sea breeze, more value.

Jamba Yamba is back — three days of music, art, food, workshops and good times set against Yamba’s most beautiful backdrops. From the sound of guitars drifting across the park to the scent of something sizzling at the food stalls, it’s the kind of weekend that fills your head, your heart and your camera roll.

There’s something undeniably special about Lennox Head. A coastal gem where the ocean breeze kisses the shore and the laid-back atmosphere invites you to slow down and truly unwind. Now, add Oceanstays to the mix and you’ve got the perfect combination for a holiday that feels different.

When friends and family travel for a special occasion — whether it’s a wedding, milestone birthday, anniversary or just a long-overdue reunion — where they stay can shape the whole weekend.

That’s where we come in. At Oceanstays, we make it easy for you to upgrade your guests’ experience from “just a bed” to “I’ll be talking about that place for years.”