Nimbin, New South Wales

Nimbin is a small town of about 450 inhabitants in the north of New South Wales, about 780 kilometers north of Sydney in Australia.

Etymology

The name was derived from Nimbin " Nyimbunje ", of the tribe of the Bundjalung, whom it is alleged the name of one of the tribal elders of the Aboriginal magical powers. Even today, his tomb at the Nimbin Rocks, with three prominent rocks in the area ( " Cathedral", "Needle" and " Thimble " ) is searched for male initiation rites.

Geography

Nimbin is part of the local administrative area Lismore City, and one because of its landscape has become a popular day trip destination of Byron Bay, and is also called the Rainbow Region. Nimbin is the best place to visit in less than an hour's drive three different National Parks: Nightcap National Park, Northern Ranges National Park and Mount Warning National Park. The area is in the Aboriginal culture of spiritual significance.

History

Nimbin was a sleepy town, until 1973, a hippie festival was held, the Aquarius Festival. In the solid then four festival-goers were detained by the police. In communal peaceful protest, the community festival drew to the police station and demanded their release. Subsequently, the police surrendered, the prisoners left free and approved as the consumption of marijuana. Many of those festival visitors stayed resident. For the annual festival, the "Mardi Grass" ( an ironic corruption of " Mardi Gras" ), come up to 20,000 visitors to the town. The area around "Mount Nardi " is today a World Heritage Site due to the efforts of the Nimbie hippies.

In the city a cannabis culture is openly maintained, although the consumption and cultivation are illegal in New South Wales. There are several shops and a hippie museum.