Tumbulgum facts for kids
Quick facts for kids TumbulgumNew South Wales |
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 Tumbulgum
Location in New South Wales
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| Population | 349 (2006 census) |
| Postcode(s) | 2490 |
| Location |
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| LGA(s) | Tweed Shire |
| State electorate(s) | Tweed |
| Federal Division(s) | Richmond |
Tumbulgum (pronounced tum-BUL-gum) is a small village in northern New South Wales, Australia. It sits in the Tweed Shire area. The village is special because it's where the Rous River meets the Tweed River. Tumbulgum is about 818 kilometers (508 miles) northeast of Sydney, the state capital. It is also about 120 kilometers (75 miles) southeast of Brisbane. In 2006, about 349 people lived in Tumbulgum.
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History of Tumbulgum
In the 1880s, Tumbulgum was the main town in the Tweed Valley. It had many shops and even a bank. But things changed when a railway line was built to Lismore in 1897. Also, the Murwillumbah Bridge opened in 1901. After this, Murwillumbah became the bigger town, taking Tumbulgum's place.
The area around Tumbulgum had many Australian Red Cedar trees. These trees attracted timber-cutters from the 1840s. By the early 1860s, a small community and river port grew on the northern side of the Tweed River. This place was first called "Tweed Junction." In 1880, the people living there asked for the name to be changed to "Tumbulgum." Some say this name means "meeting place of the waters" in an Aboriginal language. Others believe it means "a large fig" or "wild fig tree." By 1885, most of the town had moved to the southern side of the Tweed River.
The Aboriginal people of the Tweed River Valley generally agree that three main groups lived there. These were the Goodjinburra people near the coast. The Tul-gi-gin people lived around the North Arm (Rous River). The Moorang-Moobar people lived in the Southern and Central Arms, near Wollumbin (Mt Warning).
Key Dates in Tumbulgum's History
- 1823: John Oxley discovers the Tweed River.
- 1842: Timber-cutters arrive to harvest cedar trees.
- 1866: The first settlers arrive, and the river port of Tweed Junction is set up.
- 1881: The name changes from Tweed Junction to Tumbulgum.
- 1883: An auction of Baker's Farm helps the current village site grow.
- 1894: The Murwillumbah Railway line opens. Murwillumbah becomes the main business center.
- 1936: The Barney's Point Bridge opens. This bridge helps traffic go from Murwillumbah to Tweed Heads, bypassing Tumbulgum Road.
- 1973: The Pacific Highway bypasses Tumbulgum. This leads to the creation of Riverside Drive.
- 1986: The Alexander Twohill Bridge opens, replacing the old Tumbulgum Ferry.
- 2002: The Yelgun-Chinderah Freeway opens. The old highway route is renamed Tweed Valley Way.
In 2013, the Tumbulgum Heritage Trail was created. This trail has signs that show what life was like in Tumbulgum's past. There are 12 important historical spots along the trail. It's a flat walk that takes about 40 to 50 minutes. You can find a map of the trail in the window of the Community Hall.
Tumbulgum was affected by floods in early 2022. Many people had to leave their homes.
Tumbulgum Today
Today, Tumbulgum is a historic village. Many of its buildings are very old and important. Some were even built using the local Red Cedar wood. The Tumbulgum Hotel is one of these special buildings. Besides the hotel, you can find a General Store, a newsagency, and a post office. There are also cafes, restaurants, and an antiques store. Tumbulgum is a great place for fishing and boating.
Near Tumbulgum, you can find amazing natural areas. These include Stotts Island Nature Reserve, which has a 77-hectare (190-acre) example of lowland sub-tropical rainforest. There are also Duroby Nature Reserve and Skinners Reserve. Tumbulgum is a bit hidden away from the busy Tweed Valley Way. In 2010, Tumbulgum became one of the first places in New South Wales to ban free plastic shopping bags in shops.
In 2016, a special rock monument was placed at Bluey Hill Park. This was to celebrate 150 years since European settlers first arrived in Tumbulgum.
Population Information
In 2011, a study showed that 383 people lived in Tumbulgum. About 50.4% were female and 49.6% were male.
The average age of people in Tumbulgum was 42 years old. This is 5 years older than the national average age of 37.
Most people (78.1%) living in Tumbulgum were born in Australia. Other countries where people were born include England (5.7%), New Zealand (2.1%), Wales (1.3%), Philippines (1%), and Denmark (1%).
Most people (87.7%) spoke only English at home. Other languages spoken included Dutch (1.6%), German (1%), Italian (1%), and Greek (0.8%).
