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History & Heritage
A rich seam of history and culture runs through the Coffs Coast which visitors can discover and enjoy at a wide variety of attractions.
The Coffs Coast area was originally the home of the Gumbayngirr Aborigines. The excellent climate and abundant resources led to a substantial, settled population which has left much evidence in the archaeological record. You can learn more about the Gumbayngirr culture, take bush-tucker walks and admire local indigenous art at the Yarrawarra Cultural Centre in Arrawarra.
The first European to remark on the area was no less than Captain James Cook who, on 15 May 1770, named the island string running along the coast, the “Solitary Islands”.
Europeans first came to the Coffs Coast attracted by the cedar or “Red Gold”. They settled along the Bellingen and Nambucca rivers which became substantial ports exporting the valuable wood. Visitors to Bellingen can still enjoy the many fine heritage buildings from its glory days.
Real gold was discovered in the Orara Valley in 1881 when two brothers stumbled onto the first nugget while looking for stray bullocks.
The resulting gold rush was behind the growth of many of the rural towns which dot the Coffs Coast interior. Bowraville is an excellent example of one such pioneer town. Mining continued in the Coffs Coast until the 1960s. Even today, the odd “prospector” can be found searching for that elusive mother lode. At George’s Gold Mine you can experience how the miners of old lived and worked.
In the early years, cedar, gold and agricultural produce were the foundations of the area’s economy, but settlers found that bananas grew well in our climate and they tasted sweeter than many varieties grown elsewhere.
The banana industry became the backbone of the Coffs Coast’s economy. It reached its peak in the late 1960s when NSW produced 80 per cent of Australia’s bananas. The whole history of bananas in the area is on show at the Big Banana – also home to a skywalk, ice rink and ski slope.
Bananas also brought to the Coffs Coast a substantial number of Indian migrants from Queensland who had originally come to Australia from the Punjab.
These were the ancestors of Woolgoolga’s now substantial Sikh community which today makes up about a quarter of the town’s population, many of whom worship at the striking Sikh Temple which has become a local landmark.
So while you’re here on the Coffs Coast, take a trip back in time to discover what formed our unique character.
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