Jordan Barrett certainly isn’t out of place in star-studded Byron Bay. The 24-year-old appears in international ad campaigns and has over a million Instagram followers. But growing up in nearby Currumbin Valley made Byron his playground well before he found fame. “When I was a bit younger, we used to go up to the [Cape Byron] Lighthouse and the Tea Tree Lake in Byron. It was definitely much quieter, but it’s still got the charm,” says Jordan.

Preserving the town’s personality is important to Jordan, as is sharing it with visitors. “I think it's definitely still got that same exact energy. They've still got that big bus shelter in front with [the word] 'Love' on it. I still think it’s one of the most beautiful places in Australia and I can understand why lots of people want to go,” he says. “We’re so fortunate to be in Australia where we’re lucky enough to not have such a hectic COVID scenario playing out,” says Jordan, “so if you’re lucky enough to be out and about in a tropical spot … that’s where I would want to be.”

Jordan's career has seen him live and travel across the world to model for the likes of Balmain, Versace and Tom Ford, but he says “nothing quite beats” holidaying at home. Working straight out of high school meant that he never had the chance to explore much of Australia so when the opportunity arose for a summer road trip along the New South Wales coast in a Mercedes-AMG GLB 35 4MATIC, he jumped at it.

“This was my first Australian road trip experience. I got to see different waterfalls, stop along at all the beaches, take different hikes … It was nice to drive and see some of the coastal towns. I’d never seen them before. I’d never really driven anywhere in Australia,” he says. 

After venturing south from Sydney to Jervis Bay and west through the Blue Mountains, Jordan’s journey took him along the well-trafficked coastal route to Byron Bay; ample opportunity to put the compact SUV through its paces and test out some of its intuitive technology features. 

Jordan describes his experience with the optional Driving Assistance Package, a feature that he discovered on the Mercedes-Benz Instagram page. “I push the button and it literally guides you around the highway at the speed that you select, slows down behind cars in front of you, follows the road in perfect line … then you've got the touchscreen features, you've got the comfort settings … It's so luxurious but it's so sporty too. I've never experienced technology like that in anything, let alone a car.”

Jordan’s road trip highlights include excursions beyond Byron township, to what he believes are the true gems of the region. “You want to go to Killen Falls, Tea Tree Lake, Nightcap National Park, Broken Head and Lennox Head. Visit the nice little markets in Bangalow which also has great cafes and restaurants. I think for me, it's about all those surrounding areas around Byron,” he says.Jordan’s road trip highlights include excursions beyond Byron township, to what he believes are the true gems of the region. “You want to go to Killen Falls, Tea Tree Lake, Nightcap National Park, Broken Head and Lennox Head. Visit the nice little markets in Bangalow which also has great cafes and restaurants. I think for me, it's about all those surrounding areas around Byron,” he says.

It’s here that Jordan hopes to find a sanctuary to call his own one day. For many, the lure of Byron might change, but for Jordan, it remains fixed. “Byron is, to me, close to home and somewhere I like to recharge.”

Restaurant: Top Shop, 65 Carlyle Street, Byron Bay 
“Order the Breakfast Burger with the Fountain of Youth as a drink.” 

Coffee: Rae's on Wategos, 6/8 Marine Parade, Byron Bay
“Or grab a fresh OJ in the morning and you can be by [Wategos] beach when you get it.” 

Beach: “Wategos for a morning surf or I head to the right of Cape Byron for a little quiet.”

Bar: Treehouse on Belongil, 25 Childe St, Byron Bay“Order a Long Island Iced Tea and a pizza.” 

Shop: Bay Grocer, 63 Tennyson St, Byron Bay