Border Ranges
National Park
Imagine a place where time has almost stood still. A place where variety of plants and animals, many of which trace their ancestry back to the ancient super continent of Gondwana. A place containing a complex mosaic of climate and geology which encourages species to continually evolve.
The Border Ranges National Park is just such a place - one of the special places in the world. It has been included on the World Heritage list as part of the Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves in recognition of its global difference. The park and surrounding area along with the Daintree in North Queensland are recognised as the two most bio-diverse areas in Australia.
Perhaps only four percent of the wilderness which existed 200 years ago remains. Rainforest wilderness is even rarer, because rainforest, common at the time of European settlement was sought after for timber and farming land. Although some of the Border Ranges was logged for timber, the scars are healing well. Over time the natural plant and animal communities will be restored.
In an era dominated by fierce conflicts between logging and conservation interests the Border Ranges National Park was gazetted in 1982. In 1986 it gained World Heritage status. It abuts the Lamington National Park in Queensland and this area represents the largest single intact area of rainforest on the continent. It is managed jointly by the National Parks Service and the traditional owners, the Githabul people.
The Border Ranges National Park is the iconic
national park of the Northern Rivers Region. While substantially
managed as a wilderness area the extensive road system gives
access to the calder rim and other areas. This degree of accessibility
is unique among the other rainforest parks in the region and
allows a wide access for the less active and younger generations.
Located at the headwaters of the Tweed, Richmond,
Wilson and Clarence Rivers the Border Ranges truly are the
genesis of the Northern Rivers region.
The Village of Nimbin is situated in a valley in the sub tropical North East corner of NSW. Local attractions are the colourful painted shops, murals, sculptures, arts and market. Surrounding region consists of National Parks of local native fauna and flora from the mountains to the most easterly point of the Australian coast.
The original tribal people were the Widgibal clan of the Bundjalung. Nimbin was an important site for male initiation. The land was considered sacred. During the 1800’s pioneer European settlers cleared land for the timber industry and began farming bananas and dairy mainly. The land provided families with homes, food, employment and community. The 2nd wave of settlers came in the 1970’s with ideas of, alternative home building, organic growing and farming, solar, wind and water power development and the creation of land co-operatives with a blend of ‘new age’ spiritual and tribal.
Today Nimbin is a vibrant community reflecting the past and
celebraSeptember 29, 2009n="center">Nimbin provides an example to the world of how communities working together can find creative, sustainable solutions to the many environmental and socio-economic dilemmas facing us all as we plunge into the new millennium.
Nimbin Village
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