Glance around the carparks as you walk through Elements of Byron. There’s a Lexus. There’s a Porsche. There’s a BMW. There’s a Land Rover.

There are two sides to modern-day Byron Bay, and it’s pretty clear which one we’re on here. It’s the side with the luxury SUVs. It’s the side with the money.

But then, Elements has always been about taking a step up to something fancy, something luxurious, even before Byron was really associated with that notion. When this sprawling resort opened 10 years ago, its northern NSW home was still more hippie enclave than Hollywood favourite, a place very recognisable in its humble roots.

But Byron now is a town in flux as it grapples with its modern identity and the “Hemsworth effect”. Mansions at Wategos Beach sell for $20 million-plus. Boutique hotels and modern apartments are popping up around town, even as bare-footed buskers still play by the beach and cars with “Magic Happens” bumper stickers line Johnson Street.

It’s a tricky place to define.

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And so where does Elements of Byron fit in, 10 years down the track, in a place that if anything has begun to catch up with the vibe that this upmarket resort originally set? Can the resort stay relevant? Can it give visitors what they’re after?

If what they’re after is time by the water with not a care in the world, then yes, absolutely. It’s day one of my stay at Elements, a family getaway with our two kids in tow, and already we have set up shop in a cabana by the big resort pool, we’ve ordered food that gets delivered straight onto our towels, we’ve met other families, we’re feeling calm.

Two buff blokes just near us can be heard discussing investment strategies. A group of three women are taking turns photographing each other in the pool. But this is still a relaxed place, stuck out in the bush away from the bustle of Byron.

That’s no accident: there’s been 35,000 trees planted here since Elements opened 10 years ago, adding to an already massive reforestation project across 50 acres of land. That feeling of the bush is one that has been carefully planned and curated but it now feels so natural, with extensive gardens, birdlife everywhere, native flowers and established trees providing dappled shade. Gorgeous.

We’re also staying in a new villa – one of 99 that have been added since opening – a two-bedroom abode that’s perfect for a young family. There’s a full kitchen, bigger than many apartments’ facilities; there’s a balcony looking out to the bush; there’s an iPad for information and ordering things from reception and our technologically deprived children think it’s the greatest thing ever.

Much more has been added in the past decade. There’s now an adults-only pool area called Summer Salt, which has a swim-up bar, food to order, cabanas to laze in, and an absence of kids showing you their bomb-dives. There’s a bar down by Belongil Beach, too.

There are guided walks through the rainforest, a self-guided meditation trail, a bird-watching trail, and a series of fairies for kids to find in the trees. There’s also the new Byron Solar Train, which shuttles people from North Beach, where Elements of Byron is, into town and back nine times a day.

Still, the resort isn’t perfect. If you haven’t already paid for the buffet breakfast, don’t. It’s almost $50 a head and you still have to pay extra for a decent coffee. The value isn’t there.

If you haven’t already paid for the kids’ club, which is put on during school holidays, do. It’s the only way you’ll get to Summer Salt, and the kids have a ball while you’re doing it. There’s value there.

There’s value in all the little attractions and activities around the resort too, the kids’ playground, the petanque court, the tennis court, the morning beachside yoga, the walking trails through the rainforest and along the dunes. North Byron these days is also a thriving community hub, another change in the last decade, with a great bakery and a good pub.

You can walk there from Elements. Leave the Land Rover behind.

THE DETAILS

STAY

Elements of Byron is a luxury beachfront resort about a 10-minute drive from the centre of Byron Bay, with 202 freestanding villas. One-bedroom Botanic villas start from $565 a night. See elementsofbyron.com.au

The writer stayed as a guest of Elements of Byron.

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