Location

The Richmond Valley Council area is located in the Northern Rivers region of northern New South Wales, about 730 kilometres north of the Sydney CBD and 230 kilometres south of the Brisbane CBD. The Richmond Valley Council area is bounded by Lismore City and Ballina Shire in the north-east, the Coral Sea in the east, the Clarence Valley Council area in the south, and the Kyogle Council area in the north-west.

Included Areas

The Richmond Valley Council area includes the localities of Backmede, Banyabba (part), Bentley (part), Bora Ridge, Broadwater, Bungawalbin, Busbys Flat (part), Camira, Casino, Clearfield, Clovass, Codrington, Coombell, Coraki (part), Dobies Bight (part), Doonbah, East Coraki (part), Ellengowan, Esk (part), Evans Head, Fairy Hill, Gibberagee (part), Greenridge, Hogarth Range (part), Irvington, Kippenduff (part), Leeville, McKees Hill (part), Mongogarie, Mount Marsh (part), Myrtle Creek, Naughtons Gap, New Italy, North Casino, Piora (part), Rappville, Rileys Hill, Shannon Brook, Six Mile Swamp, Spring Grove (part), Stratheden, Swan Bay, Tabbimoble, Tatham (part), The Gap, Tomki, Upper Mungogarie, West Bungawalbin, West Coraki, Whiporie, Woodburn, Woodview, Wyan and Yorklea.

Land Use

The Richmond Valley Council area is a rural and rural-residential area. The largest township is Casino, with villages at Broadwater, Coraki, Evans Head, Rappville and Woodburn. The Richmond Valley Council area encompasses a total land area of 3,050 square kilometres, including national parks and nature reserves. Rural land is used largely for agriculture, particularly cattle grazing and sugar cane and wheat growing.

Name Origin

Richmond Valley Council is named after the Richmond River which runs through the area, which was named after the fifth Duke of Richmond.

Indigenous Meaning

The original inhabitants of the Richmond Valley Council area were the Bundjalung or Galibal Aboriginal people.

Settlement

European settlement dates from the 1840s, with land used mainly for pastoral purposes, particularly timber-getting, sheep and cattle grazing, and sugar cane growing. Growth took place from the mid to late 1800s as many small townships were established near the rivers, with the Richmond River being a major port. Gradual growth continued from the 1960s. The population of the Council area gradually increased from the 1990s, rising from under 20,000 in 1991 to over 23,000 in 2016. Most of the recent growth has occurred in and around the townships of Casino and Evans Head.

Major Features

Major features of the Richmond Valley Council area include Broadwater National Park, Bundjalung National Park, Bungawalbin National Park, part of Mount Pikapene National Park, the Richmond River, Bungawalbin Nature Reserve, Hogarth Range Nature Reserve, Mount Neville Nature Reserve, Tabbimoble Swamp Nature Reserve, Yarringully Nature Reserve, Bungawalbin State Conservation Area, Jackywalbin State Conservation Area, Yarringully State Conservation Area, Doubleduke State Forest, Jabiru Geneebeinga Wetlands, various beaches, Aranyani Bison Adventure Park, Casino Miniature Railway, Broadwater Sugar Mill, Northern Rivers Livestock Exchange, Casino Golf Club, Coraki Golf Club, Woodburn-Evans Head Golf Club and Queen Elizabeth Park.

Transport

The Richmond Valley Council area is served by the Bruxner Highway, the Pacific Highway and the north coast railway line (with a station at Casino).