Nambucca Heads Explained

Nambucca Heads is a town on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia in the Nambucca Valley.^[4] It is located on a ridge, north of the estuary of the Nambucca River near the Pacific Highway. Its population at the was 6,668 (6,314 in the and 6,220 in the), 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.

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. 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. It is a popular holiday and retirement destination.

The town is located on the North Coast railway line, and is served by the three daily NSW TrainLink services.

History

Nambucca Heads is the current and historical homeland of the Gumbaynggirr people. Gumbaynggirr lands stretch from Pillar Valley, Tyndale, Grafton and Copmanhurst in the north, to Glen Innes, Guyra and Black Mountain to the west, and to Bowraville to the south.^[5] The Nambucca River separated the Gumbaynggirr from the Dunghutti Ngaku. The name Nambucca comes from an Aboriginal word, ngambugka, variously translated as "winding or crooked river", and as "entrance to the waters."^[5]

Europeans may have explored the area in 1818, and John Oxley surveyed the area in 1820.

The cutting of Australian 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 grow corn. 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.^[6] The North Coast railway was extended from Taree to South Grafton in 1915, but Nambucca Heads station was not opened until 1923.^[7]

Nambucca Heads has one of the oldest surf lifesaving clubs in Australia and also invented junior surf lifesaving known as Nippers.

In December 1980 the five kilometre Belwood Deviation of the Pacific Highway opened bypassing Nambucca Heads.^[8]

Local media

Radio Stations2CS-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.

NewspapersMidcoast Observer, Hibiscus Happynings, Guardian News, Coffs Coast Advocate.

TelevisionABC, SBS, Seven Northern NSW, 10 (WIN), Nine (NBN)

Schools

• Nambucca Heads Public School
• Frank Partridge VC Public School
• Nambucca Valley Christian Community School
• Nambucca Heads High School

Transport

Nambucca Heads railway station, opened in 1923, on the North Coast Line. It is serviced by three NSW TrainLink trains per day in each direction.

Notes and References

1. Web site: The Legislative Assembly District of Oxley. NSW Electoral Commission. 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.. Localities and Postcodes. https://web.archive.org/web/20240913032731/https://elections.nsw.gov.au/elections/find-my-electorate/districts/oxley. 13 September 2024. live. 2006-11-21.
2. Web site: Profile of the electoral division of Cowper (NSW). Location Description . 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.. Australian Electoral Commission. https://web.archive.org/web/20240913032249/https://www.aec.gov.au/Elections/federal_elections/2022/profiles/nsw/cowper.htm. live. 13 September 2024. 2006-11-21.
3. Web site: Nambucca Heads - Hyland Park About the profile areas . 13 September 2024 . profile.id.com.au . https://archive.today/20240913033128/https://profile.id.com.au/nambucca/about?WebID=120 . live . 13 September 2024.
4. Web site: Nambucca Heads. Destination NSW. 11 Nov 2013.
5. Townsend, N. 1993. Valley of the Crooked River: European Settlement on the Nambucca. New South Wales University Press, Sydney.
6. Web site: . Walkabout . Nambucca Heads . 2006-11-21 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20061107111217/http://www.walkabout.com.au/locations/NSWNambuccaHeads.shtml . 7 November 2006 . dmy-all.
7. Web site: www.nswrail.net. North Coast Line. 2006-11-21.
8. Changes at Nambucca Heads - Bellwood Deviation Main Roads January 1981 pages 3-6