Frangipani
Open-hearted girls, straw-coloured hair, perfect fake tans, longing for a summer affair.
Van-lifers making friends with self-styled campers, doing dishes on public land. My friend quips, nobody cares. Hipster patois swirls in cafes and pubs whilst pampered pets and off-leash kids bark and fraternise. Wetsuits hang from rear-view mirrors, an emblem of faith or casual ordination. A laneway poster silently screams “Range Rovers Ruined Paradise” as a wave of raunchy RAM utes with no fucks given bring bougie apparel and beige-clad women. Drones buzz above, boards everywhere, bins overflow, infrastructure says no, frangipani scent in the air. My friend quips, nobody cares.
B.E. Crowle is a Byron Bay-based creative and emerging writer with an interest in the social impacts of gentrification and community resilience. She recently completed an Associate Degree in Creative Writing at Southern Cross University.