Nambucca Heads | |
|---|---|
 Nambucca Heads aerial panorama at sunset | |
  Nambucca Heads | |
| Coordinates:30°39′0″S153°00′0″E / 30.65000°S 153.00000°E /-30.65000; 153.00000 | |
| Country | Australia |
| State | New South Wales |
| LGA | |
| Location |
|
| Government | |
| • State electorate | |
| • Federal division | |
| Area | |
• Total | 31.39[5] km2 (12.12 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 26 m (85 ft) |
| Population | |
| • Total | 6,668 (UCL2021)[4] |
| • Density | 227.8[5]/km2 (590/sq mi) |
| Postcode | 2448 |
| County | Raleigh |
Nambucca Heads is a town on theMid North Coast ofNew South Wales,Australia in theNambucca Valley.[6] It is located on a ridge, north of the estuary of theNambucca River near thePacific Highway. Its population at the2021 census was 6,668 (6,314 in the2016 census and 6,220 in the2011 census), including 5,220 (78.3%) Australian–born persons; followed by 262 (3.9%)English people, 86 (1.3%)New Zealand people, 36 (0.5%)Scottish people, 33 (0.5%)German people, and 32 (0.5%)Filipino people. and 672 (10.1%)indigenous persons.[7]
The place name is derived from an Gumbaynggirr word Ngambagabaga. Clement Hodgkinson asked two Ngamba men what the name of the area was they responded to Nyambagabaga as the spot they were standing was a bend in the river where a Ngamba giant was speared in the leg in the Dreaming[citation needed]. This location is the Foreshore Caravan Park now. Ngamba is a subsection of Gumbaynggirr Nation & Baga Baga means Knee. This was later interpreted as Nambucca.[8] It is a popular holiday and retirement destination.
The town is located on theNorth Coast railway line, and is served by the three dailyNSW TrainLink services.
Nambucca Heads is the current and historical homeland of theGumbaynggirr people. Gumbaynggirr lands stretch from Pillar Valley, Tyndale,Grafton and Copmanhurst in the north, toGlen Innes,Guyra andBlack Mountain to the west, and toBowraville to the south.[9] TheNambucca River separated the Gumbaynggirr from theDunghutti Ngaku. The name Nambucca comes from anAboriginal word,ngambugka, variously translated as "winding or crooked river", and as "entrance to the waters."[9]
Europeans may have explored the area in 1818, andJohn Oxley surveyed the area in 1820.[citation needed]
The cutting ofAustralian red cedar had started in the area by 1842. It is believed that the first house was built in 1867, when about 50 people had settled in the valley to cut cedar or growcorn. The site of the town was surveyed in 1874 and the first hotel and school were both established in 1884. It was proclaimed a village in 1885.[10]TheNorth Coast railway was extended fromTaree toSouth Grafton in 1915, butNambucca Heads station was not opened until 1923.[11]
Nambucca Heads has one of the oldest surf lifesaving clubs in Australia and also invented junior surf lifesaving known asNippers.
In December 1980 the five kilometre Belwood Deviation of thePacific Highway opened bypassing Nambucca Heads.[12]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1954 | 1,998 | — |
| 1961 | 2,252 | +12.7% |
| 1966 | 2,385 | +5.9% |
| 1971 | 2,708 | +13.5% |
| 1976 | 3,217 | +18.8% |
| 1981 | 4,053 | +26.0% |
| 1986 | 4,923 | +21.5% |
| 1991 | 5,683 | +15.4% |
| 1996 | 6,253 | +10.0% |
| 2001 | 6,121 | −2.1% |
| 2006 | 5,873 | −4.1% |
| 2011 | 6,220 | +5.9% |
| 2016 | 6,314 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 6,668 | +5.6% |
| Source:Australian Bureau of Statistics data.[13][7][14][15][16][17] | ||
Radio Stations: 2CS-FM (106.3), Star FM (105.5 & 105.1), 2MC-FM (106.7),Triple J (91.5 & 96.3), 2NVR FM (105.9)
The Nambucca Valley's community radio station,2NVR 105.9FM, focuses on Macksville, Bowraville, Nambucca Heads and surrounding communities.
Newspapers: Midcoast Observer, Hibiscus Happynings, Guardian News,Coffs Coast Advocate.
Television:ABC,SBS,Seven Northern NSW,10 (WIN), Nine (NBN)
Nambucca Heads railway station, opened in 1923, on theNorth Coast Line. It is serviced by threeNSW TrainLink trains per day in each direction.
Aldavilla, Allgomera, Arakoon, Argents Hill, Austral Eden, Bagnoo, Bago, Bakers Creek, Ballengarra, Barraganyatti, Beechwood, Bellangry, Bellbrook, Bellimbopinni, Bellingen, Belmore River, Bielsdown Hills, Birdwood, Blackmans Point, Boorganna, Bostobrick, Bowraville, Brierfield, Brombin, Buckra Bendinni, Burnt Bridge, Burrapine, Byabarra, Cairncross, Cascade, Clybucca, Collombatti, Comara, Comboyne, Congarinni, Congarinni North, Cooperabung, Corangula, Crescent Head, Crosslands, Darkwood, Debenham, Deep Creek, Deer Vale, Dondingalong, Donnellyville, Dorrigo, Dorrigo Mountain, East Kempsey, Ellenborough, Eungai Creek, Eungai Rail, Euroka, Fernbrook, Fernmount, Fishermans Reach, Forbes River, Frazers Creek, Frederickton, Gearys Flat, Girralong, Gladstone, Gleniffer, Grassy Head, Greenhill, Gum Scrub, Gumma, Hacks Ferry, Hampden Hall, Hartys Plains, Hat Head, Hickeys Creek, Hollisdale, Huntingdon, Hyland Park, Hyndmans Creek, Innes View, Jerseyville, Kalang, Kempsey, Kennaicle Creek, Kerewong, Kinchela, Kindee, King Creek, Kundabung, Leigh, Limeburners Creek, Long Flat, Lower Pappinbarra, Macksville, Marlo Merrican, Maynards Plains, Megan, Millbank, Missabotti, Mooneba, Moparrabah, Mortons Creek, Mount Seaview, Mungay Creek, Mylestom, Nambucca Heads, Newee Creek, North Dorrigo, North Macksville, Old Station, Pappinbarra, Pembrooke, Pipeclay, Pola Creek, Rainbow Reach, Raleigh, Redbank, Repton, Riverside, Rollands Plains, Rosewood, Scotts Head, Seven Oaks, Sherwood, Skillion Flat, Smithtown, South Arm, South Kempsey, South West Rocks, Spicketts Creek, Stuarts Point, Summer Island, Talarm, Tallowwood Ridge, Tamban, Taylors Arm, Telegraph Point, Temagog, Tewinga, The Hatch, Thora, Thumb Creek, Toms Creek, Toorooka, Turners Flat, Upper Pappinbarra, Upper Rollands Plains, Upper Taylors Arm, Urunga, Utungun, Valery, Valla, Valla Beach, Verges Creek, Warrell Creek, Wauchope, Way Way, West Kempsey, Willawarrin, Willi Willi, Wirrimbi, Wittitrin, Yarrahapinni, Yarranbella, Yarras, Yarravel, Yessabah, Yippin Creek.
Cowper covers an area from Port Macquarie in the south to Coffs Harbour in the north. The main towns include Bellingen, Bowraville, Coffs Harbour, Crescent Head, Dorrigo, Gladstone, Hat Head, Kempsey, Macksville, Nambucca Heads, Sawtell, South West Rocks, Port Macquarie, Ulong and Urunga.
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