Mullumbimby, New South Wales

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Mullumbimby is a town (population 3000) in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia in Byron Shire. It lies at the foot of Mount Chincogan in the Brunswick Valley about 10 km from the sea. It is a gateway to a number of hinterland areas of great beauty.

By the 1850's a camp site was established at the junction of the three arms of the Brunswick River. This grew to become a village and later the township of Mullumbimby. It was an excellent site because the river was tidal and could be easily navigated to that point, its central location gave access to all areas of the catchment area and it provided the best position for bullock teams to cross the river with their wagons loaded with timber.

Mullumbimby is about 4 km west of the Pacific Highway, where the Sydney via Lismore to Murwillumbah railway line crosses the Brunswick River, The line opened in 1894 and was closed in 2003 because of an argument over funding between Federal and State politicians, and despite strong community resistance across the region. Closure of the railway line between Murwillumbah and Casino has reduced transport options in the region. Mullumbimby is close to towns called Ocean Shores and Brunswick Headsand a rainforest pocket called Wilson's Creek.

The Mullumbimby town and surrounding area became a centre of alternative-culture in the 1970s and 1980s, alongside existing mainstream society, as did nearby Byron Bay and remains so today.

Mullumbimby was a separate municipality from 1908 until it was forced to amalgamate in 1980 with the Byron Shire Council. The Byron Shire Council offices were relocated to Mullumbimby in the 1990's.

Near Mullumbimby is a static inverter plant of HVDC Directlink.

Coordinates: 28°33′S, 153°30′E