Bellingen, New South Wales

Bellingen New South Wales
Sunrise at Bellingen, NSW
Bellingen
Population:	2,721 [1]
Postcode:	2454
Coordinates:	30°26′53″S 152°54′04″E / 30.448°S 152.901°E / -30.448; 152.901Coordinates: 30°26′53″S 152°54′04″E / 30.448°S 152.901°E / -30.448; 152.901 [2]
Elevation:	15 m (49 ft) [3]
Location:	547 km (340 mi) from Sydney
LGA:	Bellingen Shire Council
County:	Raleigh
Parish:	North Bellingen
State District:	Oxley
Federal Division:	Cowper
Mean Max Temp Mean Min Temp Annual Rainfall 25.6 °C 78 °F 12.0 °C 54 °F 1,517.3 mm 59.7 in

Bellingen is a small town (pop 2,721) on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Bellingen Shire Council. It is approximately halfway between the major Australian cities of Sydney and Brisbane. The Bellingen area is a mixture of valley, plateau and coastal environments.

Bellingen is known by some citizens around the area as "Bello". Bellingen township lies on the not-quite-spelled-the-same Bellinger River; this different spelling is most likely the result of a misinterpretation of some poor handwriting. The name Bellingen was first mentioned by Clement Hodgkinson as the native name for the area, and is believed to come from "Baalijin", the Gumbaynggir name for the Quoll (Native Cat). He refers to the river as the "Bellingen River" in his 1845 book, "Australia From Port Macquarie to Moreton Bay".

Bellingen was one of the filming locations for the 2003 comedy film Danny Deckchair, written and directed by Jeff Balsmeyer. Bellingen was also the notional setting of the book Oscar and Lucinda written by Booker Prize winning author Peter Carey. The film version of the novel Eucalyptus was set to be filmed in Bellingen as well before it fell through.

In fact Bellingen has a strong affinity with the arts and is home to four festivals: the popular Global Carnival (often known simply as "Global"), the Jazz and Blues Festival, Stamping Ground Dance Festivaland Camp Creative.

The first and original festival, an annual event, was the Azalea Festival, which included a procession of floats, the local brass band and pipeband, and various community organisations marching down Hyde Street to the cheers and applause of the spectators.

Bellingen is home to well-known current events reporter George Negus, writer Victor Kelleher, pianist David Helfgott (subject of the film Shine released in 1996) and author Steve Biddulph. Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist was born in Bellingen.

History

The Bellinger Valley including Bellingen was first settled by Kooris - the Gumbaynggir People - long before European settlement. Bellingen was originally known as Boat Harbour, changing its name to Bellingen in 1870. In the 1830s, Bellingen was literally a backwater where red cedar was shipped to the mouth of the Bellinger River. From the 1840s onward red cedar attracted more and more settlers. In the 1890s, Bellingen was selected as the government centre of the valley, due to its location at the tidal limit of the Bellinger River and the availability of fresh water. A period of rapid growth ensued.

By the early 1900s, red cedar supplies were virtually depleted, except for those that survived in the inaccessible upper reaches of the Bellinger Valley. The indigenous population had been decimated by disease and inability to move across the land to locate traditional food supplies, and many were killed in their bid to drive away the cedar getters and new settlers from traditional Gumbaynggir land. 'Black Jimmy' is reported to be the last full-blood member of the Bellinger Gumbaynggir People. Black Jimmy died in 1922 and is buried in Bellingen Cemetery. The Gumbaynggir People have since moved between districts and have inter-married. Most of the old customs have long since disappeared.

The dairy industry crashed in the 1960s with the rise of the European Common Market, when export prices fell (with Britain no longer relying on Australian dairy products) and the margarine industry finally overcame long-standing draconian laws restricting its production levels. Dairy farming still continues to a lesser extent.

Rainforest logging ceased altogether in 1975. Sclerophyll forest logging is still carried out, but to a much lesser extent than in the past.

In 1950, Bellingen came to national fame with the birth of the Sara Quads (Sara family quadruplets). From the 1970s until the present, alternative life-stylers purchased land in the area and built owner-built homes. Numerous intentional communities were established, such as Shamballa Co-operative Limited, Shamballa (still extant) in 1973. The rural lifestyle of Bellingen and surrounds has consequently diverged and is now a mix of traditional and non-traditional farming. Many of today's residents, such as artists, craftspeople, writers, musicians and horticulturalists, have established home-based activities. Due to high rainfall, its proximity near the valleys of the Bellinger and Kalang rivers,^[4] Bellingen is also known for frequent flooding over the year.^[5] Tallowood Point near Bellingen often has the State's highest annual rainfall.

Tourism has been encouraged in recent years by the cafe, market and festival culture.

Notable residents

Adam Gilchrist - past Australian test cricket wicketkeeper/batsman

Amiel Daemion - Singer (most notably: totally addicted to bass)

Ben Cropp - Ocean adventurer, shipwreck hound, marine conservationist, and filmmaker

Daimon Downey (MC Double D) - MC from ARIA winning band Sneaky Sound System

David Helfgott - Multi award-winning Australian Concert Pianist

George Negus - Australian author, journalist, and television presenter.

Keith Froome - Australian national Rugby League Test captain

Vic McCrystal - Legendary fishing expert and writer

External links

• Bellinger Magic - the official visitor guide to the Bellingen district
• Bellingen Online

References