The Northern Rivers Region is located in north-eastern New South Wales, between 600 and 860 kilometres north of the Sydney CBD, and between 100 and 300 kilometres south of the Brisbane CBD. The Northern Rivers Region is bounded by the Queensland border, the Scenic Rim Regional Council area and Gold Coast City in the north, the Coral Sea in the east, Coffs Harbour City, Bellingen Shire and the Armadale Regional Council area in the south, and the Glenn Innes Severn Council area and Tenterfield Shire in the west.
The Northern Rivers Region encompasses seven local government areas: Ballina Shire, Byron Shire, the Clarence Valley Council area, the Kyogle Council area, Lismore City, the Richmond Valley Council area and Tweed Shire.
Land Use
The Northern Rivers Region is a rural, rural-residential and residential area, with some commercial and industrial land use in the townships. The Northern Rivers Region encompasses a total land area of 20,700 square kilometres, including national parks, nature reserves, rainforest, beaches and coastline. Regional centres are located at Ballina, Grafton, Lismore and Tweed Heads, with small towns at Alstonville, Bangalow, Bogangar, Brunswick Heads, Byron Bay, Casino, Evans Head, Iluka, Kingscliff, Kyogle, Lennox Head, Maclean, Mullumbimby, Murwillumbah, Nimbin, Ocean Shores, Pottsville, Suffolk Park, Wollongbar and Yamba, and many small villages and hamlets. Rural land is used largely for dairy and beef farming, timber production and crop, fruit, nut, coffee and sugar cane growing. Fishing and tourism are also important industries.
Name Origin
The Northern Rivers Region is named for the three rivers which run through the area (the Clarence, Richmond and Tweed rivers).
Indigenous Meaning
The original inhabitants of the Northern Rivers Region were the Bundjalung Aboriginal people.
Settlement
European settlement dates from the 1830s, with land used mainly for timber-getting, grazing and crop farming. Numerous villages were established in the 1840s and 1850s. From the 1860s land was used more for sugar cane growing, maize growing and dairy farming. Growth took place during the late 1800s and early 1900s, spurred by improved access and expansion in the dairy farming industry. Significant development occurred from the post-war years, particularly from the 1960s when the tourism industry boomed. Rapid growth took place during the 1970s and 1980s. The population of the Region continued to increase from the 1990s, rising from about 222,000 in 1991 to about 260,000 in 2001, and then rising to about 280,000 in 2011. The bulk of recent growth has been in Tweed Shire. Population growth is expected to continue.
Major Features
Major features of the Region include numerous National Parks (Arakwal, Border Ranges, Broadwater, Bundjalung, Bungawalbin, Chaelundi, Fortis Creek, Gibraltar Range, Goonengerry, Guy Fawkes, Koreelah, Mallanganee, Mebbin, Mooball, Mount Jerusalem, Mount Nothofagus, Mount Pikapene, Nightcap, Nymboida, Nymboi-Binderay, Ramornie, Richmond Range, Tooloom, Toonumbar, Washpool, Wollumbin, Yabbra and Yuraygir), various nature reserves, Cape Byron Marine Park, Solitary Islands Marine Park, various State Conservation Areas, the Clarence River, the Richmond River, the Tweed River, Grafton Base Hospital, Lismore Base Hospital, Tweed Heads District Hospital, Tropical Fruit World, Madura Tea Estates, The Macadamia Castle, Crystal Castle and Shambhala Gardens, Thursday Plantation, Richmond River Cruises, Southern Cross University, North Coast TAFE, and numerous beaches, waterfalls, museums, golf courses, lighthouses and small islands.
Transport
The Northern Rivers Region is served by the Ballina Highway, the Bruxner Highway, the Gwydir Highway, the Pacific Highway, the north coast railway line, the Port of Yamba, Ballina Byron Gateway Airport, Clarence Valley Regional Airport and Lismore Regional Airport.
