Mullumbimby New South Wales | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 28°33′S153°30′E / 28.550°S 153.500°E |
Population | 3,589 (2021 census) [1] |
Postcode(s) | 2482 [2] |
Elevation | 6 m (20 ft) |
Location |
|
LGA(s) | Byron Shire |
State electorate(s) | Ballina [3] |
Federal division(s) | Richmond [4] |
Mullumbimby, locally nicknamed Mullum, is a town in the Byron Shire in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. It promotes itself as "The Biggest Little Town in Australia". [5] The town lies at the foot of Mount Chincogan in the Brunswick Valley about 9 kilometres (5.5 miles) by road from the coast. At the 2021 census, Mullumbimby and the surrounding area had a population of 3,589 people. [1] It is known for its hippie subculture, and it has been referred to as "Australia's anti-vaxxer capital". [6]
The Bundjalung people were the first people who lived in the area of Mullumbimby before the arrival of Europeans and remain the traditional owners of this place. [7] [8]
This section needs additional citations for verification .(May 2024) |
The first European to explore the area was Captain Henry Rous in 1828. [9] [10]
The area was used for dairy farming and fruit growing. [11]
In 2022, the town was affected by floods. [12]
In the 1850s Europeans had established a camp site at the junction of two arms of the Brunswick River. This grew to become a village and later the township of Mullumbimby. Mullumbimby was originally a centre for the timber industry. Notably, red cedar was collected in great quantities from around the area, a part of the far northern New South Wales' "Big Scrub". [14]
The town was a logical site for settlement by the timber hunters, as the Brunswick River is tidal in the town and navigable to that point, allowing logs to be floated down the river to its mouth at Brunswick Heads. The town's central location gave access to most of the catchment area, and it provided the best position for bullock teams to cross the river with their wagons loaded with timber. At low tide it is still possible to see the shallow region where the bullocks made the crossing of the Brunswick River, under the current "Federation Bridge" on Murwillumbah Road.[ citation needed ]
The name "Mullumbimby", meaning "small round hill", was given to the district by Aboriginal people. The name is derived from the Bandjalung-Yugambeh dialect mulubinba (possibly also pertaining to a native fern which grew in the vicinity). [15] Although some sources claim this is because of the proximity of Mount Chincogan, Chincogan is probably too prominent in the landscape to fit the name. [16] An alternative theory is that it refers to another smaller and rounder hill. Suggestions include a medium hill to the north of Left Bank road, on which the towns water tower is located, or a smaller hill on Coolamon Scenic Drive, situated on the Daly Family Farm, near the current golf course. This latter hill is possibly supported by the abundant grass flats which surrounded it, known as Mullumbimby Grass. These naturally open grass flats, presumably hunting grounds for the local Bundjalung tribes, were later used by early European timber hunters to graze their bullock teams. [14] The significance of this area lay not only in the feed it provided, but that some grasses in the naturally cleared area aided bullocks which had swallowed salt water when dragging timber into the surf for collection by nearby ships.
Mullumbimby was a separate municipality from 1908 until 1980 when it was forced to amalgamate with the Byron Shire. The Byron Shire Council offices were relocated to Mullumbimby in September 1996. [17]
Byron Shire, including Mullumbimby and nearby Byron Bay, became a centre of alternative or counter culture alongside the extant mainstream culture in the 1970s and 1980s, and remains so today. The male choir Dustyesky performs Russian-language folk songs and received major coverage on the Russian television broadcaster Channel One. [18]
Once the most notable specimens of the valuable timber trees had been collected (most notably red cedar, but also Australian Teak, Hoop Pine, Rosewood, Silky Oak and Black and Red Bean), the Big Scrub timber trade collapsed and Mullumbimby became primarily a farming community. Like many areas of the Big Scrub, allotments were given in Mullumbimby and the surrounding areas by the New South Wales government on the condition that the owner cleared the land for agricultural use. [19] Beef and dairy, along with bananas and sugar cane have traditionally been the notable products of the area. However, the subdivision of many of the larger farms and the emergence of numerous small scale farmers has led to a higher diversity of products. A weekly farmers' market has been developed to exhibit local produce. [20]
A static inverter plant of HVDC Directlink is located at Laverty's Gap near Mullumbimby. This inverter plant was previously the site of a 288 kW hydroelectric power scheme that powered Mullumbimby, Byron Bay and Bangalow from 1926, using water from a weir in nearby Wilsons Creek. [21] [22] The scheme was the fourth hydro electric power station in NSW and only the fifth on mainland Australia. [23] Powering Mullumbimby for the first time in 1925, the scheme made Mullumbimby one of the first country towns in NSW to receive electricity. [23] Although decommissioned in 1990, it is now of state heritage significance. [23] The hydroelectric scheme was designed by William Corin (1867–1929). [24] The site is being considered for pumped-storage hydroelectricity. [25] [26]
The Mullumbimby Star, which was published under a number of names over its history, was a newspaper published in the town from 1902 to 1982. [27] [28]
Mullumbimby has several heritage-listed sites and the controversial Slater mounds have been nominated as local heritage. The best known heritage sites include:
Year | Pop. | ±% |
---|---|---|
1921 | 1,329 | — |
1933 | 1,362 | +2.5% |
1947 | 1,609 | +18.1% |
1954 | 2,017 | +25.4% |
1961 | 1,966 | −2.5% |
1966 | 1,981 | +0.8% |
1971 | 1,891 | −4.5% |
1976 | 2,028 | +7.2% |
1981 | 2,234 | +10.2% |
1986 | 2,453 | +9.8% |
1991 | 2,612 | +6.5% |
1996 | 2,870 | +9.9% |
2001 | 2,989 | +4.1% |
2006 | 3,129 | +4.7% |
2011 | 3,164 | +1.1% |
2016 | 3,248 | +2.7% |
2021 | 3,589 | +10.5% |
Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics data. [30] [31] |
In the 2021 Census, there were 3,589 people in Mullumbimby. 70.4% of people were born in Australia. The next most common countries of birth were England at 5.9%, New Zealand at 1.9% and Germany at 1.6%. 81.0% of people spoke only English at home. The most common response for religion was No Religion at 59.2%, followed by Not stated 10.3%, Catholic 7.7%, Anglican 5.9% and Buddhism 2.9%. [1] Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander people made up 1.8% of the population in 2016. English, Australian, Irish, Scottish and German are the most common ancestries. [1]
This section needs additional citations for verification .(May 2024) |
Mullumbimby is about 4 kilometres (2 mi) west of the Pacific Highway, near where the now closed Murwillumbah railway line crosses the Brunswick River. The line opened in 1894 and was closed in 2004 because of an argument over funding between federal and state politicians, despite community resistance across the region. Closure of the railway line between Murwillumbah and Casino has reduced transport options in the region.[ citation needed ]
The Brunswick River starts in Mullumbimby, at the meeting of Main Arm and Mullumbimby creeks.[ citation needed ]
Mullumbimby is close to the localities of Ocean Shores, Brunswick Heads and Wilsons Creek. Its hinterland area includes the locales of Goonengerry, Huonbrook, Koonyum Range, Main Arm, Montecollum, Palmwoods, Wanganui and Wilsons Creek and coincides with the postcode area of 2482 [2] which has a diamond shape of around 35 km by 45 km.
The main geographical feature of Mullumbimby, Mount Chincogan, was a minor lava plug of the now extinct Tweed shield volcano. The nearby Mount Warning was the main plug.[ citation needed ]
Reported stones arrangement on the Slater mounds on the western side of Saddle Ridge is thought by some to date back to the Paleolithic Age, and pre-dates Stonehenge. [32] The arrangements were communicated in the late 1930s by the Brunswick Heads headmaster to Mr Frederic Slater who attempted to make headlines across Australia with this as a highly significant Aboriginal site. Slater and some other researchers believe the inscriptions on the stones contain the earliest form of human language. Others regard this as pure pseudoscience. There is claimed to have been intentional destruction of the site and the 1930s-described stones have disappeared. [33]
Mullumbimby is a hotspot for conspiracy theorists in Australia. Many locals are hippies or live alternative lifestyles. The town has low vaccination rates and many locals have protested against vaccines, 5G technology and water fluoridation amongst other causes. [34] [35]
Mullumbimby is a hot spot for the anti-vaccination movement. As of 2013, the town's vaccination rate was the lowest in Australia, with only 46% to 49% of children aged one, two and five years old in the 2482 postcode fully immunised, in contrast with a state average in the low 90s. In Mullumbimby, between 2015 and 2016 only 52% of five year olds were fully vaccinated, compared to the national average at the time of 92.9%. [36] Richmond Valley, a region close to Mullumbimby, had the lowest overall vaccination rate, in part due to a high number of "conscientious objectors" to the practice. Health officials have cited education and timely reminders as key factors in improving the vaccination rate. [37] [38]
The Byron Shire, in which Mullumbimby is situated, is also the only remaining local government area in the Northern Rivers region to reject fluoridation of its water supply. [39]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, despite state government-mandated restrictions, many businesses in Mullumbimby welcomed unvaccinated and unmasked individuals into their businesses, saying that the mandates imposed by the government were discriminatory. [34]
The Mullumbimby Giants is the local rugby league club that competes in the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League competition. [40] [41]
Lismore is a city located in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia and the main population centre in the City of Lismore local government area, it is also a regional centre in the Northern Rivers region of the state. Lismore is 734 km (456 mi) north of Sydney and 200 km (120 mi) south of Brisbane. It is situated on a low floodplain on the banks of the Wilsons River near the latter's junction with Leycester Creek, both tributaries of the Richmond River which enters the Pacific Ocean at Ballina, 30 km (19 mi) to the east.
Byron Bay is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of New South Wales, Australia. It is located 772 kilometres (480 mi) north of Sydney and 165 kilometres (103 mi) south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjacent to the town, is the easternmost point of mainland Australia. At the 2021 census, the town had a permanent population of 6,330. It is the largest town of Byron Shire local government area, though not the shire's administrative centre.
Northern Rivers is the most northeasterly region of the Australian state of New South Wales, located between 590 and 820 kilometres north of the state capital, Sydney, and encompasses the catchments and fertile valleys of the Clarence, Richmond, and Tweed rivers. It extends from Tweed Heads in the north to the southern extent of the Clarence river catchment which lies between Grafton and Coffs Harbour, and includes the main towns of Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Ballina, Kyogle, Lismore, Casino and Grafton. At its most northern point, the region is 102 kilometres (63 mi) south-southeast of the Queensland capital, Brisbane.
Ballina is a town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, and the seat of the Ballina Shire local government area. It lies 740 km (460 mi) north of Sydney and 185 km (115 mi) south of Brisbane. Ballina's urban population at the end of 2021 was 46,190.
Murwillumbah is a town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, in the Tweed Shire, on the Tweed River. Sitting on the south eastern foothills of the McPherson Range in the Tweed Volcano valley, Murwillumbah is 848 km north-east of Sydney, 13 km south of the Queensland border and 132 km south of Brisbane.
Uki is a village situated near Mount Warning in the Tweed Valley of far northern New South Wales, Australia in the Tweed Shire. At the 2011 census, Uki had a population of 765 people. Its name may have come from an aboriginal word for "small water plant with a yellow flower and edible root". The name UKI was actually derived from the limber mills in the area. Prime timber for export was marked UK 1, as in timber destined for the United Kingdom - grade 1. Hence UK1, which colloquially named the township UKI.
Leeton Shire is a local government area in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. The Shire is located adjacent to the Murrumbidgee River and falls within the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area.
Bangalow is a small town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia in Byron Shire. The town is 765 kilometres (475 mi) north of Sydney and 167 kilometres (104 mi) south of Brisbane, just off the Pacific Highway. It is on the Lands of the Bundjalung people.
Byron Shire is a local government area located in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. The shire is located adjacent to the Coral Sea about 50 kilometres (31 mi) south of the Queensland border. The shire, administered from the town of Mullumbimby, covers an area of 566.7 square kilometres (218.8 sq mi), and has existed as a local government entity since 1906. The shire was named for Cape Byron, itself named by Captain James Cook in May 1770 in honour of Vice-Admiral John Byron.
Billinudgel is a town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, and is part of Byron Shire. The Murwillumbah railway line once passed through the town and a railway station was opened there in 1894.
Brunswick Heads is a small town on the north coast of New South Wales, Australia in Byron Shire. At the 2016 census, the town had a population of 1,737 people.
Ocean Shores is a coastal town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia with Billinudgel to the north and South Golden Beach and New Brighton to the east of the town. Established in 1977, Ocean Shores was originally a land holding owned by Wendell West of Washington with backing from American singer Pat Boone, and was named after Boone's residence in Ocean Shores, Washington. It is located in the Brunswick Valley – a valley including the towns of Mullumbimby and Brunswick Heads. The town has a local shopping complex and a large golf course. At the 2021 census, Ocean Shores had a population of 4,818 people.
Brunswick River is an open mature wave dominated barrier estuary, located in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia.
Wilsons Creek is a locality in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia in Byron Shire. It is in the valley of what is now named the Wilsons River and is 5 km from Mullumbimby. It has a public school and numerous farms along the river.
The Murwillumbah railway line is a mostly disused railway line in far north-eastern Northern Rivers New South Wales, Australia. The line ran from Casino to Lismore, Byron Bay, Mullumbimby and Murwillumbah, opening in 1894. It is one of only two branches off the North Coast line,. Train services to the region ceased in May 2004. The line from Casino to Bentley and Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek was formally closed on 23 September 2020 to facilitate the construction of the Northern Rivers Rail Trail.
Wilsons River, a perennial river and part of the Richmond River catchment, is situated in the Northern Rivers district of New South Wales, Australia.
Brunswick Valley Heritage Park, also known as Mullumbimby Heritage Park, is a rainforest arboretum and recreation park located on the banks of the Brunswick River in Mullumbimby, north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. Established in 1980, the arboretum has 300 species of local rainforest trees grown from seeds and cuttings collected from the surrounding forests. It is open every day of the year and access is free.
Mullumbimby Hydro-electric Power Station Complex is a heritage-listed former hydroelectric power station at Wilsons Creek Road, Mullumbimby, Byron Shire, New South Wales, Australia. It was designed by William Corin and built from 1924 to 1926. It is also known as Lavertys Gap Power Station and Mullumbimby Power Station and Substation. The property is owned by the Byron Shire Council and Essential Energy. It was added to the New South Wales State Heritage Register on 27 June 2014.
Main Arm is a locality located in the Northern Rivers Region of New South Wales. It is located in the Byron Shire local government area and is approximately 32 kilometres (20 mi) from the regional centre of Byron Bay and the closest town is Mullumbimby which is 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) away.
Upper Main Arm is a locality located in the Northern Rivers Region of New South Wales. It is located in the Byron Shire local government area and is approximately 25 kilometres (16 mi) from the regional centre of Byron Bay and the closest town is Mullumbimby which is 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) away.