A town is born in the 1880s
Some of the early cedar cutters became the first permanent settlers in the Byron region in the 1860s and when legislation was passed in 1861 that enabled anyone to select a block of Crown land at one pound per acre, the first European land owners, known as ‘selectors’, settled in the area.
In1888, the post office was established. In the same year, a jetty was opened at Byron Bay and it quickly became a busy shipping centre to transport timber and agricultural products – although many ships became stranded or sunk.
In 1894, the name of the town changed from Cavanbah to Byron Bay and in 1894, the railway route between Lismore and Murwillumbah opened.
The 1320-foot jetty, which was built over two years from 1886 to 1888, stood at the end of Jonson Street .
The first jetty was built in 1888, and the railway was connected in 1894, and Cavvanbah became Byron Bay in 1894.[7] Dairy farmers cleared more land and settled the area. In 1895, the Norco Co-operative was formed to provide cold storage and manage the dairy industry.[7][8] The introduction ofpaspalum improved production, and Byron Bay exported butter to the world. The Norco factory was the biggest in the southern hemisphere,[citation needed]expanding from dairy to bacon and other processed meat.
The lighthouse was built in 1901 at the most easterly point on the Australian mainland.[7] In 1930, the first meatworks opened.[7] The smell from the meat and dairy works was, by all accounts, appalling,[citation needed] and the annual slaughter of migrating whales in the 1950s and 1960s made matters worse.Sand mining between the World Wars damaged the environment further, and one by one, all these industries declined.[citation needed]
Both the North Coast Steam Navigation company and the local fishermen were
heavy users of the jetty facility and so when it became unservicable, pressure
was brought to bear to replace it. The new jetty was opened in 1928
A substantial timber jetty which was constructed in 1888 by the Public Wor.ks
Department pointed to the regions growing importance as a commercial centre.
With the advent of this port facility much of the trade of the far north coast was
conducted through Byron Bay or Cavanba, as it was then known.
Captain Cook originally named Cape Byron after Admiral Byron, not after his nephew the poet Lord Byron. However, the poetic idea took hold and many of Byron’s streets are named after famous poets.
For all its sophistication now, Byron Bay was a working class port town for much of its life. A dairy cooperative formed in 1895, supplemented by a piggery. Between 1913 and 1920 Byron’s meatworks operated near the sea shore at Belongil. From the 1930s a sand mining company extracted minerals from the beaches and from the 1950s Byron Bay Whaling Co. started capturing and killing whales until it closed in 1962.
Byron’s own shift to a holiday destination started when it was discovered by surfers in the 1960s and then by settlers coming from the cities – especially the wave of new age settlers that came to the north coast region for the 1973 Aquarius Festival. Since then it has been found by new generations of Australians and is has earned its place in international backpacking destinations.
Over the past 30 years Byron has become a place of holidays, pleasure, healing, nature and alternative lifestyles. It’s now home to many seachangers – people from Sydney, Melbourne and other cities who telecommute, start new businesses or take an active retirement.
The history of Europeans in Byron Bay began in 1770, when Lieutenant James Cook found a safe anchorage and named Cape Byron after a fellow sailor John Byron. [5]
The first industry in Byron was cedar logging from the Australian red cedar (Toona ciliata). The timber industry is the origin of the word “shoot” in many local names – Possum Shoot, Coopers Shoot and Skinners Shoot – where the timber-cutters would “shoot” the logs down the hills to be dragged to waiting ships.[citation needed]
Gold mining of the beaches was the next industry to occur. Up to 20 mining leases set up on Tallow Beach to extract gold from the black sands around the 1870s.
Byron Bay has a history of primary industrial production (dairy factory,[6]abattoirs, fishing, and whaling until 1963) and was a significant, but hazardous, sea port. The poet Brunton Stephens spoke of cattle grazing on the “mossy plains” of Cape Byron in a poem he penned in 1876.
Longboardsurfers arrived in the 1960s and used natural breaks at The Pass, Wategos, and Cosy Corner. This was the beginning of Byron Bay as a tourist destination, and by 1973, when the Aquarius Festival was held in Nimbin, its reputation as a hippy, happy, alternative town was established.[citation needed]
Shipwrecks litter the bay and surrounding areas.
On the 15th May 1770 Captain Cook sighted a “tolerable high point of land”
and named it after John Byron, grand father of the poet Lord Byron.
During the eighteen forties, the large stands of cedar in the northern N.S.W.
coastal region attracted the attention of Sydney based timber merchants who
subsequently fostered the early development of the area.
The ‘cedar-getters’ initially worked from the Brunswick River; the river being
used to transport the logs to the coast where they were then hauled through the
surf to waiting ships.
. Within ten years squatters moved onto the coastal plains and by 1862 they were
beginning to be replaced by selectors; persons who were legally entitled to occupy
freehold land. The coming of the squatters saw the first serious attempt at farming
and cattle raising.
The local economy strengthened in the 1870’s with the discovery that gold.could
be extracted from the beach sands and many people were attracted to the area in
the hope of making a quick profit.
By 1890 it was apparent that the operation of the local dairy industry should be
rationalised in order to take full advantage of the world markets which had been
opened up by the improved transportation situation. To this end, and to minimise
the variability of the milk quality, a co·operative venture was undertaken. Norco
commenced operations in 1895 and was such a success that by 1909 it had
expanded to Lismore and Murwillumbah.
In 1913 the Byron Bay Co·operative Canning and Freezing Company Ltd. was
opened on the present meatworks site, however it immediately ran at a loss and
was forced to close after a very short period of operation.
Both the North Coast Steam Navigation company and the local fishermen were
heavy users of the jetty facility and so when it became unservicable, pressure
was brought to bear to replace it. The new jetty was opened in 1928 and in the
same year Norco bought the old canning works and leased them to A.W.
3
Andersons. Andersons later purchased the factory and expanded its operations.
Mining of beach sands re-commenced in the 1930’s but this time zircon and rutile
were the minerals of interest, rather than gold.
In 1945 the Byron Bay Fishermans Co-operative was formed. The fishing fleet
used the jetty facility for loading and unloading operations and, during extreme
storms, large cargo cranes were used to lift the fleet onto the jetty, out of the
reach of the waves. This method of operation was not particularly successful
and the industry suffered severe setbacks with the loss of 6 boats in 1948, 15
boats in 1952 and 26 boats in 1954.
The February 1954 storm destroyed the seaward end of the jetty and with the
north coast railway now providing an alternative method of conveying produce to
the markets, it was not considered worthwhile to repair the damage.
The undamaged section of the jetty was pressed back into service and in the same
year Byron Bay became a bay whaling station for the catching and processing of
humpback whales. The quota for the station was 150 killings per year but by
1962, the lack of whales and the heavy overseas competition forced its closure.
By this time the dairy industry on the north coast was also having some difficulties
and in 1963 Norco moved its head office to Lismore. Shortly after this the Byron
Bay factory was closed altogether.
With the loss of the jetty at Byron Bay, the fishing fleet moved to Brunswick
Heads. The fickle nature of the Brunswick River entrance with its complex sand
shoals and offshore bars had led to the loss of many vessels since the earliest
times of development. Hence it became necessary to carry out extensive river
training works in order to make the river more suitable for the successful
operation of the fishing fleet.
I n late 1960, construction of the Brunswick breakwaters marked the start of a
major initiative to provide a workable fishing port in the region.
The economy of Byron Bay suffered a near fatal blow in 1967 when adverse
market conditions caused a closure of the meatworks forcing more than two
hundred men out of work.
A rapidly rising demand situation in the meat industry the following year
however saved the situation when F .J. Walker Pty. Ltd. took over the factory
and recommenced operations. Walkers, aware of the fluctuating nature of the
meat industry successfully undertook a diversification programme and were
4
-i
I
INSIDE THE BRUNSWICK RIVER, 1860.
Pictured is the “Emma” constructed at Brunswick Heads in 1851. Prior to the entrance
improvement works ‘in 1960, the treacherous entrance bar was responsible for many wrecks.
BRUNSWICK RIVER ENTRANCE, 1955.
Prior to construction of the breakwaters, the exposed rock reef at the entrance was already
causing realignment of the beach in the Sheltering Palms region .
~~~~~~~~~~
BR UNSWICK RIVER ENTRANCE, 1962.
On completion of the breakwaters, sand bypassing of the entrance across the entrance bar
commenced immediately. The realignment of the beach to the south is complete.
THE WRECK OF THE WOLLONGBAR, BYRON BAY, 1921 .
The “Wollongbar” , the pride of the North Coast Steam Navigation Company, carried on trade
between Byron Bay and Sydney on a weekly basis. She was driven up on the beach during a
storm in 1921, and the wreckage may sti ll be seen in front of the swimming pool at low tide.
THE SECOND JETTY AT BYRON BAY, CONSTRUCTED IN 1928.
The original Byron Bay Jetty constructed in lBBB became unsafe and was replaced by the new
jetty in 192B. The fishi ng fl eet which worked from Byron was lifted onto the jetty by cranes
for protection during severe storms. On occasions damage to fishing boats did still occur.
DAMAGE TO JETTY AT BYRON BAY,
1954.
Byron Bay’s days as a trading port came
to an end when the jetty was destroyed
during storms in February 1954. Twenty·
six fishing boats were destroyed and the
Fishermen’s Co-op moved to Brunswick
Heads. Subsequently the jetty was shortened
and used in conjunction with the
whaling station . When whaling operations
ceased in 1962 the jetty fell into’ a state of
disrepair and was eventually removed in
1972.
able to expand the factory so that it now employs some 400 people.
Mineral sand extraction reached its peak in the period 1963 to 1969 with two
companies, Cudgen RZ and Associated Minerals Consolidated Ltd. dominating
the activity.
The success of the meatworks, fishing industry and mineral extraction companies
in the late 1960’s, combined with a sharp increase in tourist activity created an
atmosphere conducive to large scale investment. The Ocean Shores Development
at Brunswick Heads and the Globetrotters Leisure Village at Byron Bay testify
to this time of prosperity and business confidence.
The foreshores of Brunswick Heads have always been a focus for recreation and are integral
to the character of the village. In the early 1960’s major changes were made to the mouth
of the river and training walls when breakwaters were constructed under the fishing ports
programme. These works included the construction of the Brunswick Heads Boat Harbour
which was completed in 1961. The development of the southern breakwater began in
1960 with the construction of the road bridge across Simpsons Creek to transport rock to
the site. This also opened up vehicular access to Torakina, Bayside and the surf beaches.
Although there has been significant development of coastal areas to the north and south
Brunswick Heads has retained a traditional Australian seaside village character and
atmosphere. Timber bridges provide access from the village centre to the river mouth and
Plan of Management
Brunswick Heads Foreshore Public Reserves
Page 6
the surf beach. The footbridge which crosses Simpsons Creek from Terrace Park was built
in 1937 and is listed as a local heritage item. Today Brunswick Heads provides the local
community and visitors a mix of cafes, restaurants, specialty shops and accommodation
options. The village also hosts a number of community oriented and family friendly
festivals and events throughout the year including the Woodchop Carnival which harks back
to the early European settlement of the Brunswick Valley.
Settlers arrive in the 1800s
When white settlers first arrived in the region in the late 1840s, the area was surrounded by the Big Scrub, an area of subtropical rainforest that covered about 10,000 hectares. Within the 40 years to the turn of last century, most of this was cleared to make way for sugar cane, cattle and dairy farmers who took advantage of the rich alluvial deposits on the caldera floor.
Captain Rous named the Brunswick River to honour Queen Caroline of Brunswick (in Germany ) and it because the hive of timber harvesting when the cedar cutters first moved into to clear the area in 1850s.
1900-1945
Infrastructure develops in early 1900s
In the first decade of the 20 th century, sporting, musical and other interest groups were founded and, as they and community infrastructure like hotels, stores and local media developed, Byron Bay grew into a town.
Construction of the lighthouse, which had begun in 1899, culminated in its opening in late 1901. It was regarded as a significant event in the district. A banquet was arranged and special trains carried visitors from Lismore and Murwillumbah for the opening by the premier – whose arrival was delayed. Bad weather in the waters off the Cape prevented the dignitaries from landing before dawn the day after the official proceedings were due to take place. This would not be the last time such official proceedings were disrupted by late arrivals, but the Byron locals quickly learned to party in the meantime as they waited for their guests.
The first stationmaster at the Byron Bay Railway Station was appointed in 1904 and the refreshment room (which is today the ‘Rails Hotel’) was opened in 1908.
When the Local Government Act was passed in 1906, the government appointed a provisional Council until the first elections later that year.
In 1906, the local newspaper of the time reported the arrival of the first party of tourists to visit the Brunswick Valley , although other reports suggest that travellers had arrived on foot much earlier.
The first letterboxes received mail in 1908 and, during the following year, the first telephone exchange opened with eight subscribers.
Growth despite adversity during the war years
When World War I was raging in Europe, the population of Byron Bay had grown to 1500.
The first electricity to the town, powered by Mullumbimby’s hydroelectric works in Wilsons Creek , was switched on in 1926.
Work on a new jetty was nearing completion in 1928 and it officially opened the following year. It was an important lifeline for the town, accommodating rail carriages that run along it and to the railway station.
Byron Bay weathered the storm of the 1930s depression better than most of Australia because of its butter and meat industries. Surprisingly, during the height of the depression, the meatworks re-opened after closing its doors seven years earlier and provided work to the unemployed.
During the 1930s and after World War II, the number of organisations, clubs and societies operating in the region continued to grow in number and were often the impetus for the development of community services like sporting fields, road improvements and sanitation.
The Byron Bay Jetty’s
The Byron Bay Jetty’s
Words and Photos by Max Pendergast
There were actually two jetty’s built in Byron Bay, the first in 1888 at the top end of Jonson St, where the small Groin is now. Unfortunately the 1888 jetty only offered a relatively shallow mooring. In 1921 the jetty was seen as a contributing factor in the grounding of the “TSS Wollongbar”.
The “New” Jetty was completed in 1929, situated approximately 100 metres west of Don St. Most of us kid’s “grew up” playing on that jetty, mainly because there was nothing much else to do and as it was 670 metres long, there were heaps of marine life to see, and the fishing was terrific. It had two large cranes on railway tracks at the end and they were used to load ships with railway sleepers and other goods. There were also about ten or so fishing boats, like small trawlers permanently moored to the jetty, and they could be lifted out with the cranes in the event of a big sea. There were always rail tankers loaded with molasses to be loaded onto the ships, we used to dip our fingers it the molasses every now and again for a taste.
During the whaling season from 1954 to 1962, the jetty enticed large crowds to watch. One crazy friend of mine Rodney Bienke had a great trick (he thought!) to impress some of the visiting young girls. He would wait until a large shark (And there were many!) cruised along side the jetty, then Rodney would jump off the jetty and “Bomb” dive the shark,landing right on top of it’s head! The shark would take off one way in fright and Rodney would quickly climb back up the piles to the jetty to be lauded as a hero by all the young girls (Dangerous way to impress a chick!).
In the 60’s when we were surfing and the surf was pumping, we could walk out behind the line up, throw our board over the side and jump in and surf back to the beach (didn’t have jet ski tow ins back then).
Another urban legend about the jetty was the “Blood Pipe”. There was no Blood Pipe per se, everybody imagines a 150mm diameter pipe gushing blood from the abattoir out to sea! The blood was too valuable because it was used for blood and bone fertilizer, there was however a pipe which pumped waste water from the plant out to sea and sure it had traces of blood in it which was only to be expected coming from washing down the floors of the abattoir. Did it attract sharks? I don’t know. I do know there were lots of sharks around when the whaling was in operation, which was to be expected when there were sometimes two or three 30 to 40 ton whales moored to the jetty.
The Northern Jetty, Byron Bay 1931
Old Jetty in Foreground, New Jetty in background (1965)
In the 1970’s the Public Works dpt. Deemed the jetty to be unsafe, although everybody was still using it! So it had to be dismantled. I was an engineer at the abattoir at the time and engaged a team of divers to blow to piles off at the level of the sea bed. In my humble opinion the destabilisation of the Main Beach and the Belongil spit increased after it was removed, because the jetty piles although they were not a solid barrier they did interrupt the natural Northerly progression of sand which occurs on the Eastern Seaboard.
So the end of another era in the Bay, I wish the Jetty was still here so my grand kids could enjoy it as much as I did.
Max
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