The Channon, New South Wales facts for kids
The Channon is a small village in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Australia. It's located about 18 kilometres northwest of Lismore and 21 kilometres from Nimbin, NSW. This village is part of the City of Lismore area.
The original people of this land are the Wiyabal people, who are part of the larger Bundjalung nation. The name "Channon" comes from an Aboriginal word, 'dganon', which means a type of palm tree called the Burrawang palm. These palms grow a lot on the hills around the area.
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History of The Channon
First Peoples: Bundjalung History
Before European settlers arrived, the area known as The Channon was home to the Widjabal people, a group within the Bundjalung nation. They lived in the valleys and on the ridges around Terania and Tuntable Creeks.
One important food for the Widjabal people was the seeds of the Burrawang palm, which they called Djaning. These seeds are naturally poisonous, but the Widjabal people knew how to prepare them safely by washing them carefully. It's believed that the name "The Channon" comes from this word, Djaning.
The Terania Creek area held special, sacred places for Widjabal men. Many of the important stories about these sites are kept secret by the elders and are not shared with others. Aboriginal people continued to live and work on farms in the area after European settlement. Later, they moved to reserves and then to better housing in Lismore in the 1970s. Many families from this area have the European last name Roberts, and some still live in Lismore today.
European Settlement and Development
In the 1840s, early timber cutters started working their way up the Richmond River. They were cutting down cedar trees. A timber camp near Terania Creek was destroyed by a flood in 1849. These cutters were not allowed to build permanent homes.
The first official settlers in The Channon area were Don and Jim Thorburn, who received their land in 1882. More settlers arrived in the early 1900s, including a group from Sydney led by James Mitchell. They first thought about running a sawmill but decided to start dairy farming instead after clearing their land.
Around 1904, Edwin Roach moved his sawmill to the area, and a small village began to grow. It was first known as Roach's Mill, then Terania. In 1908, the village's mail office moved to its current spot, and the name was officially changed from "Terania" to "The Channon."
Dairy Farming and Local Businesses
After clearing the forests, dairy farming became the main industry for many years. Farmers produced cream to make butter, which was sold locally and exported. The leftover skimmed milk was fed to pigs.
At first, cream was taken by wagons to Lismore for processing. But in 1913, a local butter factory opened in The Channon. This factory helped the community grow, but it closed in 1946 because better transport made it cheaper to process cream in larger factories like the one in Lismore. The old factory building was later turned into a Tavern, which is still open today.
From the late 1960s, dairy farming in the region slowly declined. Many farmers switched to raising beef cattle or sold their land.
A new bridge over Terania Creek opened in 1912. Around the same time, a new community hall was built after the old one burned down. This hall was later moved to its current location around 1924.
The first Channon Store was opened by Joseph Black. Another store, built by Rue Friedman, opened in 1909 on the site of the current store. In the past, The Channon also had a butcher's shop, a bakery, a blacksmith's, and a boarding house. The butcher's shop later became a Tea House, but it is now closed.
Community and Modern Times
After World War I, special memorial gates were built at the entrance to the community hall to honor those who served. These gates were updated in 1950 to include names from World War II. Records show that 42 local men served in World War I, and 90 served in World War II.
The current Channon Public School, a primary school, opened in 1922. A local park, Coronation Park, was opened around the time of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation in 1953. A small Rural Fire Service (RFS) station was also set up in the 1970s.
In the early 1970s, land prices were low. This attracted new people looking for different ways of life, especially after the 1973 Aquarius Festival in nearby Nimbin. Several new communities, where people share land, were started in the Channon area.
Many of these new settlers were involved in the Terania Creek Blockade in 1979. This protest helped convince the New South Wales Government to stop commercial logging in the rainforests. This led to the creation of the Nightcap National Park, protecting these important natural areas.
The Channon Craft Market started in 1976. It quickly grew and moved to Coronation Oval, where it is still held once a month today. It is now a well-known market in the region.
Economy of The Channon
Like many villages in the area, The Channon has cattle farming and small crop farms. There are also many permaculture and organic farms. You can find macadamia nut and coffee plantations here too.
The area is also home to several intentional communities, where people live together with shared goals. Zaytuna Farm is a working farm that teaches about permaculture, which is a way of designing sustainable human settlements and agriculture. The Channon, like Nimbin, is also a starting point for exploring the rainforests of Nightcap National Park.
Events in The Channon
The Channon Crafts Market is held on the second Sunday of every month at Coronation Park. It attracts many visitors, musicians, and sellers from all over the district.
Coronation Park also hosts an outdoor opera event each year.
