Bellingen, New South Wales facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bellingen New South Wales
The view of Bellingen from the south c. 2020
Bellingen Location in New South Wales
Population	13,253 (2021 census)
Postcode(s)	2454
Elevation	15 m (49 ft)
Location	547 km (340 mi) from Sydney 35 km (22 mi) from Coffs Harbour 29 km (18 mi) from Dorrigo 156 km (97 mi) from Armidale
LGA(s)	Bellingen Shire
County	Raleigh
State electorate(s)	Oxley
Federal Division(s)	Cowper
Mean max temp Mean min temp Annual rainfall 35.4 °C 96 °F 0.2 °C 32 °F 1,519.8 mm 59.8 in

Bellingen (pronounced BEL-in-jen) is a small town in the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia. It is located on Waterfall Way along the Bellinger River. The town is about halfway between the big Australian cities of Sydney and Brisbane. In 2021, the town of Bellingen had 3,923 people living there. The wider Bellingen Shire had a population of 13,253. Bellingen is also the main town for the Bellingen Shire council.

Bellingen is known for its relaxed, artistic community. It has a diverse arts scene and a friendly atmosphere.

History of Bellingen

The Bellinger Valley was first home to the Gumbaynggir people. They lived here for thousands of years.

European Arrival and Naming

The first European to explore the Bellinger Valley was William Myles in 1840. He was looking for new valleys north of Kempsey. The next year, Myles came back with a government surveyor named Clement Hodgkinson. Hodgkinson decided to name the area after the local Gumbaynggir word for the river, "Billingen." This word sounded like "Billing-en." When it was written down, it became "Bellingen." Over time, people started to say it as "Bell-in-jen."

Interestingly, the river's name became "Bellinger." This happened because a mapmaker misread Hodgkinson's handwriting. The town kept the name "Bellingen."

Early Industries: Cedar and Dairying

Hodgkinson noted that the area had a lot of valuable cedar and rosewood trees. By 1842, people were cutting cedar near the Bellinger River. Sheep also started grazing in the valley. In July 1843, the first load of red cedar from the Bellinger Valley was sent to Sydney.

Cutting cedar grew very quickly in the 1840s. By 1843, 20 sawyers were working along the river. In 1849, the first timber ship, the 'Minerva,' was built there. So much cedar was being cut that it was estimated over 2 million feet were taken each year.

The Bellinger Valley continued to be settled in the 1850s. In 1864, a spot was chosen for the village of Bellingen. The Police Station and Court House were built in 1869. Town land was sold in September 1870.

By the early 1900s, most of the red cedar in the Bellinger Valley was gone. The cleared land was then used for farming. The valley became a big center for dairy farming. The Gumbaynggir people faced many challenges during this time. Their traditional way of life changed dramatically. 'Black Jimmy,' believed to be the last full-blood Gumbaynggir person from Bellinger, died in 1922. He is buried in Bellingen Cemetery. The Gumbaynggir people still live in the Bellingen area today.

The dairy industry faced problems in the 1960s. This was when export prices dropped. Dairy farming still happens today, but not as much. Logging of rainforests stopped completely in 1975. Logging of other forests still happens, but less than before.

Heritage Sites

Bellingen has some special places that are protected for their history. These are called heritage-listed sites.

• 69-75 Hyde Street: Hammond and Wheatley Commercial Emporium

Population Details

Let's look at who lives in Bellingen.

According to the 2021 census, there were 3,923 people living in Bellingen town.

• Most people (79.4%) were born in Australia.
• The next largest group (4.7%) was born in England.
• Almost everyone (88.8%) spoke only English at home.
• When asked about religion, 50.8% said they had no religion. Anglican was 14.1% and Catholic was 11.7%.

In the 2016 census, there were 3,074 people living in Bellingen.

• 78.8% of people were born in Australia.
• 5.2% were born in England.
• 89.8% spoke only English at home.
• For religion, 46.9% had no religion. Catholic was 13.1% and Anglican was 12.5%.

Climate

Bellingen has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, wet summers. Winters are mild, but nights can be chilly. Bellingen gets a lot of rain. Because it is near the Bellinger and Kalang rivers, it often experiences flooding. Tallowood Point, close to Bellingen, often has the highest rainfall in New South Wales each year.

Culture and Events

Bellingen is a lively town with many festivals and events.

• The Global Carnival
• The Bellingen Jazz and Blues Festival
• Camp Creative
• The Bellingen Music Festival
• Bello Winter Music Festival
• The Bellingen Readers and Writers Festival (started in 2011)

One of the first festivals was the annual Azalea Festival. It included a parade with floats, local bands, and community groups. They marched down Hyde Street while people cheered.

Bellingen has also been featured in books and movies.

• The award-winning book Oscar and Lucinda by Peter Carey was set in a place like Bellingen.
• The 2003 comedy film Danny Deckchair was filmed here.
• Bellingen was chosen as a filming spot for a movie based on Murray Bail's novel Eucalyptus. A big set was built, but filming never started.

Bellingen also hosts Plant Fairs twice a year. These fairs raise money for the Bellingen Environment Centre. Thousands of visitors come to these events. Over 70 stalls offer information and sell plants. These include Australian native plants, food plants, and garden supplies. They help people grow local food and create homes for native birds and animals.

The Bellingen Community Market happens once a month. It has been running for over 40 years. It features live music and more than 200 stalls.

Schools

Bellingen has several schools for students of different ages:

• Bellingen Public School
• St Mary's Primary School
• Chrysalis School for Rudolph Steiner Education
• Bellingen High School

Notable People from Bellingen

Many interesting people have lived in Bellingen:

• Saskia Burmeister – an actress.
• Mike Cockerill – a football journalist.
• Bruce Cowan – a politician.
• Ben Cropp – an ocean adventurer and filmmaker.
• Keith Froome – a former Australian Rugby League Test captain.
• Adam Gilchrist – a famous Australian test cricketer.
• Jimmy Hannan – a radio and television personality.
• David Helfgott – a concert pianist.
• Matthew Locke – a soldier who received the Medal for Gallantry.
• Oliver McGill – a musician, keyboard player for The Cat Empire.
• George Negus – an author, journalist, and TV presenter.
• Gordon Parsons – a country music singer-songwriter. He wrote the famous song "A Pub With No Beer."
• John Vallins - an Australian musician and composer.
• Colin Thompson – an author and illustrator.
• John Warwick – an actor.
• Ziggy Ramo - a singer.