Brunswick Heads, New South Wales

Brunswick Heads is a town in Byron Shire in the far northeast of the Australian state of New South Wales. The town has about 1,600 inhabitants ( 2011).

Infrastructure

Brunswick Heads is located on the Pacific Highway about 150 km south of Brisbane and approximately 800 km north of Sydney. The town lies at the mouth of the Brunswick River in the Tasman Sea. In about 1 km away, on the north bank of the Brunswick River, lies the village of Ocean Shores. Until Mullumbimby, the administrative seat of the Byron Shire in the hinterland of the coast, there are about 5 km.

The larger Byron Bay is located about 20 km southeast of Brunswick Heads at Cape Byron.

History

Originally, the region was inhabited by Brunswick Heads of the Bundjalung Aborigines. For the Bundjalung today's Brunswick Heads was a special place, were held at which ceremonial gatherings and trade was driven by other tribes.

1828 was mapped for the first time the Brunswick River by Henry John Rous. Rous named the Brunswick River to Caroline of Brunswick- Wolfenbüttel, the wife of the English king.

More than 20 years later, in 1849, built the three lumberjacks Steven King and John and Edward Boyd were the first Europeans to site of today's Brunswick Heads, the first permanent settlement. This thing also the first European settlers branch within the present Byron Shire.

The harvested wood was floated down the Brunswick River and loaded at the mouth of the river with the help of oxen on ships: the cedar from the surrounding areas of Brunswick Heads highest quality has been awarded.

During the 1850s and 1860s, the establishment of the three lumberjacks then developed the village of Brunswick Heads. In the 1870s, more than 100 loggers were already working in the woods around Brunswick Heads.

At that time, a pilot station was on a local hill, the Harry 's Hill, built. Harry 's Hill was named after a certain Harry Houghton, who then operated a ferry to cross the river mouth.

Until the 1880s Brunswick Heads has then developed into a busy port as well as a small but solid commercial center. 1884 opened the woodcutter Bob Marshall, the first hotel in the village. After Marshall was also the main branch of the Brunswick River, the Marshalls Creek, named.

Shipbuilding boomed due to the tropical timber immediately available in the region.

However, the place has long been accessible only by boat, with some vessels should land which supplies, suffered in the shallows at the mouth of Brunswick River shipwreck. This fate befell as the SS Brunswick in 1883, Agnes in 1889 and 1892, the Endeavour. For the latter, the local Aboriginal people in the region to help rescue the castaways.

After the completion of the railway line from Sydney to Brisbane in 1894, the village saw first economic decline, as these are not as hoped ran through Brunswick Heads but by the Mullumbimby Set inland of the coast. In addition, wood had become scarce in the immediate area due to deforestation.

The village henceforth developed more slowly than before. However, Brunswick Heads won now among the inhabitants of its hinterland over the years increasingly popular as a destination for family trips to the coast. At least since the 1920s, Brunswick Heads is also nationally as a popular tourist destination renowned, what is, confirmed by numerous cottages, which have survived in place for just this time.

1934, the first bridge over the Brunswick River was built in the place. Until then, the river could be crossed only by ferry. 1937 was followed by a pedestrian bridge over Simpson Creek. 2007, a new highway bridge was opened across the river near the village.

1959 flood safe boat harbor was built. The destruction of the landing stage at the nearby Byron Bay in 1954 had a significant influence on this decision.

In 1974, the cyclone Pam great damage in Brunswick Heads, as there were strong flooding in the wake of the storm. In 1998, the Pacific Highway was paged by a bypass of the town center.

Economy

Tourism plays a very important role for Brunswick Heads. Accordingly, this sector is nowadays very strongly developed in place and numerous businesses and entrepreneurs in this industry are located there.

2009 were reported in Brunswick Heads 134 tourism enterprises. However, the majority of these companies is small and only about half has more than 4 employees.

Besides tourism, the local fisheries, which has quite industrial character, of great economic importance for the village.

In Brunswick Heads but there are also a variety of retail stores. 2011 also were represented in the village 22 catering establishments ( cafes, restaurants, snack bars, bistros and fast food outlets). Among them were " Fins Seafood Restaurant ", which is considered one of the best restaurants in the whole of Australia is located.

Arts and Culture

The " Mina Mina Art Gallery " offers a wide range of Aboriginal art. In the " Wheel of Life Pottery Studio " you can buy artistic ceramics and pottery.

Despite the small population, Brunswick Heads, with more than 40 local clubs on an active club life. Throughout the year numerous events are held in Brunswick Heads: So every January the " Woodchop Carnival" will be held. Each year in May, it comes on a Sunday for " Mullums to Bruns Paddle " and in June of " The Old and Gold Festival " and the " Byron Beach to Bruns Run" will take place.

In addition, each year is held a photography competition from July to September and every September, a triathlon for families will be held.

Every second year, on the last Sunday in March, the " Kites n ' Bikes Festival".

In Brunswick Heads, alternative medicine is well represented with multiple surgeries. Regarding Wellness you can practice in Brunswick Heads yoga, pilates, aerobics and Tai Chi. There is also a gym in the town.

Attractions

Due to its coastal location Brunswick Heads is primarily for swimming, surfing and fishing are popular. Most tourists also search for one or more of these reasons to the place. Furthermore, whales and dolphins are regularly seen from the beach.

Late at night there in Brunswick Heads, however, virtually no entertainment. The most popular of this Byron Bay lies only 20 km away. As for that should be mentioned that Brunswick Heads, in contrast to Byron Bay, has been spared to date from backpacker tourism and continue to want to stay.

About 5 km north of the town lies the Billinudgel Nature Reserve. In the hinterland of the town are two national parks, Mount Jerusalem National Park and the Nightcap National Park, each about 10 km away.