Nimbin - the town the 70's forgot

The public washrooms at Nimbin

We decided to take a road trip inland to the little town of Nimbin, then out to the coast to Byron Bay and back home to Surfers Paradise.  Although it wasn't planned, how could we not stop in a town with a name like this?

Tumbulgum - just down the road from Murwillumbah.  

There wasn't much there, except for a lovely little riverside park.  And then we saw this house with a rather extraordinary decoration on the front verandah.  No idea why they chose this, but I had to take a picture!

A gun-wielding scarecrow on the balcony of this house.  Love the
gangster hat.

Nimbin came highly recommended by our relative Brian, and by our daughter Allison.  It was a step back in time to the early 70s - wow!  It was kind of fun, but kind of weird at the same time.  Apparently there was a quirky museum here, but it burned down last year.  It's likely there was quite a 'heady' scent in the air that day, as I understand it had a large collection of cannabis leaves!

A little history on the area - the first white settlers were a surprise to the local aborigines, as the area was considered to be a place of male initiation, and not a place for women.  However, the family stayed and soon the area was a large dairy and beef cattle raising zone.

Well, what else would you call your soccer team in Nimbin?

A very colourful village.

The main drag of town.  

The people of this region call it the Rainbow Region.  Apparently, because of all the valleys and hills here,  rainbows are spectacular and frequent.  That's one reason.  The other is that since the early 1970s, and the first Aquarius Festival, Nimbin has been home to people who are focussed on developing alternative living styles.

It's not just fences that get painted like a rainbow here.

You can buy tie-dyed bedspreads.  I resisted.

Nice decorations :-)

Pretty much says it all

This probably captures the essence of the place best of all.

OK, I can work with this.

No library here.  Just a book exchange.

Aboriginal rock garden sculpture.

This is remarkably similar to west coast Canada first nations art.

The rainbow theme continued.

Fence decor.  This was a large stuffed flying heart.

This camper fits right in.

Pretty leaves growing beside the parking lot.

The Nimbin Rocks outside of town are considered to be mystical by the local Bundjalung tribe.  The legends say visitors are welcome, but should not set up homes here as nothing will prosper in the shadow of the rocks.

Famous Nimbin rocks outside of town

We wandered around town for an hour or so, and then headed to Byron Bay.  The drive through the hills and valleys to get here was really beautiful.  Lots of winding little roads and several macadamia nut farms.  I've never really thought about such a thing, but clearly they would have to exist.  Now I know.

Beautiful tree we saw on our drive.

We actually turned the car around so we could
go back and take a picture of this!

Byron Bay is a sweet little town, with what else?  A beautiful beach.  We wandered through town, did a little shopping and then headed back home.  Our hosts told us there was a shark attack there recently on a tourist taking a surf lesson.  I don't think it ended well.  Glad I decided not to go swimming there. Allie spent a fair bit of time in BB when she was in Australia a few years ago, so it was fun to see one of the places she had told me about.

Byron Bay lookout.  I don't think there are shark nets on this beach.

Glen did a little more exploring than I did.

Looking down the beach the other way.

The Australians have a wonderful sense of irreverence.  The photos below are good examples of what we've seen while here.

Seen at a shop in town.  

The sign on the back of that truck?
"You Dump It, We Pump It.  Dr. Pooh"