Uki, New South Wales
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Uki (pronounced "you-kye" — IPA /ju:kaɪ/) is a village situated near Mount Warning in the Tweed Valley of far northern New South Wales, Australia in the Tweed Shire Council. The word 'Uki' is indigenous for "place of many ferns".
Uki is 4km from the turnoff to the World Heritage listed Mt Warning National Park. Mt Warning was named by English explorer Captain James Cook to warn sailors of reef hazards along the coast line. It is generally presumed Captain Cook was referring to reefs near Fingal Headland or Point Danger (Queensland).
The village is nestled at the base of Mount Warning, The Sisters and Mt Uki. Photos of The Sisters and Mt Uki in the early 1900s show these cleared of nearly all vegetation.
Early pioneers were either timber cutters (usually Australian Red Cedar which is one of the world most beautiful carving timbers : botanical name: Toona ciliata) or dairy / beef farmers. Tropical fruits have also been grown in the area. The last remaining sawmill is located on Smith's Creek Road. From Uki travellers can venture to Byron Bay through the village of Stokers Siding, and Lismore, Kyogle and Nimbin to the west. It is possible to travel to Mullumbimby using unsealed backroads.
Main buildings in the town are the Old Butter Factory (which is the site of monthly markets), and a Pub (Hotel). The town also has several stores, B & B's, a guesthouse and a primary school. On the western exit of town in the Uki Sports Oval (club building and tennis courts). Approximately 4km further west is Clarrie Hall Dam which is an important water supply for the Tweed Valley Shire and the Gold Coast in Queensland. The Dam was the first in Australia to be full at the time of opening. The Dam can be used for recreation (canoeing is highly recommended). At the inlet end of the Dam is Crabbes Farm (a 20km drive through Doon Doon), a recreational facility managed by the Local Council through a Trust.
Between 1985 and 2006 the area has undergone a significant change in demographics. During this period many Australians moved to the area for the subtropical climate and natural beauty of the area. Many of these persons were retirees from cities. This development heralded the sale of cattle farms for sub-division for residential housing and/or hobby farms.
Uki is the town on which the village of Yurriki in Robert G. Barrett's book The Godson ISBN 0-330-27162-8 is based. [1]
An early history of Uki and Surrounding District has been recorded in the publication "The Way It Was" Publisher Uki, N.S.W. : Uki and South Arm Historical Society, [1987] ISBN 0-7316-0957-3 Australian National Library [2] Call Number NLpf 994.43 W357
 |
This New South Wales geography article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
