‘There’s no egos’: Elyse Knowles makes bizarre claims about Byron Bay

The Block’s Elyse Knowles is loving her new bohemian life in Byron Bay – and she wants everybody to know about it. 

The 26-year-old model and her boyfriend Josh Barker packed up their lives in Melbourne four months ago and relocated to the coastal NSW town.

And in a gushing interview with WHO magazine on Thursday, Elyse said the move had completely transformed her mental health and made her a better person.

Without a hint of irony, the Myer ambassador claimed that Byron Bay locals have ‘no egos’ and better ‘morals’ compared to people who live in Melbourne.

She said: ‘Yeah, there’s no egos [in this community]. In other places, people tend to care about themselves and that’s it. And they’ll do whatever it takes to benefit themselves. I was over it, I couldn’t stand it.

‘My morals are all about helping others and lifting other people up as you go. But I was finding it hard to surround myself with those types of people all the time [while living in Melbourne].’ 

New horizons: Elyse and Josh packed up their lives in Melbourne four months ago and relocated to the coastal NSW town 

Elyse went on to reveal that she enjoys the relaxed vibe of the town, where A-list celebrities are allowed to just be ‘normal people’.

‘Yeah, I see Elsa [Pataky, Chris Hemsworth’s wife] walking the dogs at the beach. They’re normal. They’re just humans,’ she said.

She explained that Bryon Bay and its surrounding areas will be her ‘forever home’, adding: ‘We love it. I can’t see [Josh and I] moving anywhere else.’

Epiphany: In a gushing interview with WHO magazine on Thursday, Elyse said the move had completely transformed her mental health and made her a better person

Is she serious? Without a hint of irony, the Myer ambassador claimed that Byron Bay locals have ‘no egos’ and better ‘morals’ compared to people who live in Melbourne

According to the 2016 census, there were 9,246 people in Byron Bay, and a significant portion of them hailed from Sydney and Melbourne.

Despite Elyse’s rose-tinted portrayal of the beachside town, Byron Bay has a dark underbelly including a deadly drug culture.

Last year, the holiday paradise was plagued by ‘zombie drug’ flakka, leading violent users to wreak chaos throughout the town.

Haven: Elyse revealed that she enjoys the relaxed vibe of Byron Bay, a place where celebrities such as Chris Hemsworth (right) and Elsa Pataky (left) are allowed to just be ‘normal people

The perfect place: Elyse explained that Bryon Bay and its surrounding areas will be her ‘forever home’, adding: ‘We love it. I can’t see [Josh and I] moving anywhere else’

Police footage released to the media in February 2018 showed youths snorting drugs in public, addicts being arrested and people passed out in gutters. 

At the time, Tweed Byron Police Detective Inspector Matt Kehoe said flakka users were a nightmare for law enforcement, adding that the drug was worse than ice.

‘They have an incredible pain threshold, it has been described as superhuman strength,’ he told Seven News. ‘It is disappointing, you do see drugs being dealt openly here.’

Dark side of paradise: Despite Elyse’s rose-tinted portrayal of the beachside town, Byron Bay has a dark underbelly. Pictured: A drug user on the streets last year

Despite this seedy and dangerous reputation, the town has become a mecca for celebrities in recent years.

Byron Bay’s most famous residents are Chris Hemsworth and his wife Elsa Pataky, who are constructing a multi-million dollar mansion at Broken Head. 

Other star locals include soccer legend Tim Cahill and The Project’s Carrie Bickmore, who owns a holiday home there.

Hollywood actor Matt Damon is also a frequent visitor with his wife Luciana Barroso.

Earlier this year, Byron Bay overtook Sydney as Australia’s most expensive place to buy a house – a phenomenon locals have called ‘the Thor effect’, in reference to the influx of celebrity arrivals led by the Hemsworths.

Too expensive for you! Earlier this year, Byron Bay overtook Sydney as Australia’s most expensive place to buy a house – a phenomenon locals have called ‘the Thor effect’, in reference to the influx of celebrity arrivals led by the Hemsworths