Broadwater, New South Wales facts for kids
Broadwater is a small town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia. It's part of the Richmond Valley and City of Lismore areas. Broadwater is about 52 kilometers (32 miles) from Casino and 35.5 kilometers (22 miles) from Lismore.
The Bundjalung people are the traditional owners of this land. In 2021, about 524 people lived in Broadwater. The town is located right next to the Pacific Highway and the Broadwater National Park.
Contents
Broadwater's History: The Sugar Story
The history of Broadwater is mostly about its sugar mill. In 1863, Henry Cook and Alexander MacDonald were the first people to choose land here. At first, farmers grew sugar and crushed it on their own small farms.
The Sugar Mill Opens
The CSR company opened the town's main sugar mill in 1880. In the early days, sugar cane was grown far up the Richmond River in places like Bexhill. The cane was then carried to the mill on special boats called punts. In 1978, CSR sold the mill to a new group called the New South Wales Sugar Milling Cooperative. This cooperative set up its main office in Broadwater.
Riley's Hill Dock
Near Broadwater, the Riley's Hill Dock started operating in the late 1800s. Many punts, river boats, and even larger ships were built there. One of the last big jobs at the dock was fixing up the ferry South Steyne in the 1980s.
Broadwater Today
Today, Broadwater is still a very important center for the region's sugar industry. This industry uses lots of machines and provides many jobs. In recent years, more people have moved to Broadwater. They are attracted by its quiet, country way of life.
Broadwater's Population Over Time
A census is a count of all the people living in an area. It helps us understand how a town is growing or changing.
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1971 | 388 | — |
| 1976 | 363 | −6.4% |
| 1981 | 397 | +9.4% |
| 1986 | 424 | +6.8% |
| 1991 | 488 | +15.1% |
| 1996 | 504 | +3.3% |
| 2001 | 411 | −18.5% |
| 2006 | 463 | +12.7% |
| 2011 | 436 | −5.8% |
| 2016 | 484 | +11.0% |
| 2021 | 524 | +8.3% |
| Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics data. | ||
In the 2021 Census, there were 524 people living in Broadwater. Most people (81.1%) were born in Australia. Also, 85.7% of people spoke only English at home. When asked about their religion, 43.7% said they had no religion. Other common answers were Catholic (17.9%) and Anglican (11.5%).
Gallery
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Sugar cane burns before harvesting for the Broadwater mill, 2007
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A cane harvester collects cane for the mill, 2007
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A stationary harvester, 2007
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A wooden church in Broadwater, 2013
