Otherworld -Byron Bay

*image is from Otherworld official site https://byronbay.com/experiences/otherworld/

So I finally went. I have been dying to get in there ASAP and feed on back my thoughts, before too much time had passed. I saw a potential experience or 'thing to do' that was as good as something I would travel to the Gold Coast or another City to see but was instead wonderfully located much closer. Otherworld primarily identifies itself as an art gallery but what it really is, is an interactive immersive light experience.

Here's the gist. OTHERWORLD is located in the old Woolworths building on Johnson St in Byron Bay. Some of us (from the time before when) know which one this is. The rest of you can ask your phone. It was this boarded up "thing" for some time, in a mighty large carpark, that hosted a few other smaller businesses that were not getting enough exposure since Woolies left for their new building.

It's looking very well attended to now. The business exposure for its neighbours needs a huge uplift but I was absolutely delighted to gain an unpaid carpark immediately upon arrival without any effort or shaking of fist or threat of immediate tow. We didn't need wheelchair access but it was notable that there were multiple accessible parking spaces available and not getting abused. The entry was pretty cosy and welcoming.

Inside are multiple interactive light exhibits that exceeds anything else like it on the Far North Coast. This probably because there is absolutely nothing like it at all. Good-o. You would find something like this in London, Ohio... you get my drift.. As someone who was happy to travel to 'Infinity'. I found the location, price and experience, pretty satisfying. it was also different so I wasn't just filling a hole or passing time. It was good.

If you are one of those folk that measure their money's worth by depth, seconds and square metres you may be fixated enough to notice that the gallery is about 45seconds pace by 45 seconds. You would only notice that if you are a weirdo and do not engage with exhibits/art and are merely there to cross the floor, make loud sighing noises and make anyone else wish you had not arrived.

For the rest of us you will find potential to extend to over 90 mins of something to do. 'Stay as long as you like' though, as staff have told me. Engage and enjoy as little or as much as you want. I have heard that some stay for many hours.

The whole place has tonnes of nice things to take photos of or pose up on, and take photos of yourself. Some of these were absolutely brilliant, I especially like the mirror ones. I'd post em on up but they are particularly personal and identifying so you are gonna have to go get your own photo. Perhaps of yourself or some other people in your life that feel or give joy. You would like those ones, I'm sure.

There's also one of them posing spots for people who can't miss out on having some wings in their life. Get them while you can before returning back to the real world and feeling like they have been clipped.

There's lots of different ways to interact, not just pose on things, you can hover your camera over art to get an interactive vid, image, you can touch things that tell you to touch. There's a few exhibits you walk past and you are also cast on the wall to become part of the light show.

I think sometimes what we really want is a lounge area and that everyone else interacts but we get to sit down, have a drink or stare into space or something. This place has got that too.

You can skip the dome movie but I recommend you slow the heck down and factor in time to enjoy as much as you can properly. Maybe you really should just chill and experience the dome movies. At the time of my visit they started at 15 mins past each hour. There was three sets (I Think!) with a 5 min break in between each. It took almost and hour to watch them all but it goes crazy fast.

If you don't like animated cinema screening on the inside ceiling of a dome or are unable to sit too long you might sook about it. If you are bringing others or say.. children.. they can enjoy peacefully as you interact with other exhibits. If you really want to soak in OTHERWORLD slow down and give yourself a chance to take it all in.

I won't upload everything of course. If you want to go then you would not wish the full content was spoilt for you. If you aren't that interested then you probably won't want to see them anyway. If you just need a little more of a nudge to make the decision to go or not, perhaps check out their website. It has a good chunk of images on there. It's not for everyone but I was absolutely delighted and so was a child and another adult that had accompanied me. You will have to make the judgement yourself

These exhibits were well worth my time and the drive. I felt the gallery had such potential to appeal to such a wider customer base. I found myself towards the end of the time we had set aside, feeling an urge to find someone that hadn't been there yet and bring them back and come again.

It's definitely not something abosutetly everyone would want or need to attend multiple times at $30 a ticket. You need to go at least once. I myself would definitely go again because I simply felt how much I needed to share it with someone and see them experience it after all the limits and strains we have felt in the last 3-5 years. It was just ...nice.

Find out more about OTHERWORLD via their webpage. Maybe it's not for you, but maybe yeh.. it's definitely for someone else and they might just need it in their life. Anyway, check it out. See what you think.

...until we meet again....

M