It Takes a Town

It Takes a Town Strengthening the culture of generosity and responsiveness to create opportunities for everyone to th This can be different. Our long-term goals are to:
1.

1 in 5 children in the 2484 postcode area are living below the poverty line. It takes a Town is built upon the premise that we all have a role to play in creating change - residents, services, clubs, churches, businesses, schools and government. We are focused on nurturing the qualities of collaboration, generosity and responsiveness. If we get the culture of community ‘right’ and provide backbone

support for the seeding of new collaborations and initiatives, then multiple outcomes can reverberate out for the benefit of children, families and individuals. Provide all children with the opportunities and environments required to thrive.

2. Create a culture of generosity and responsiveness that benefits everyone. Join with us in growing a culture of generosity and responsiveness to create a thriving community for our children and each other.

A reminder that there's a great conversation on this afternoon at M-Arts regarding the building of a food movement in th...
23/05/2026

A reminder that there's a great conversation on this afternoon at M-Arts regarding the building of a food movement in the Tweed and beyond. Would love to see you there.

There's an important conversation on this Saturday to explore how we can all participate in building a food movement in ...
20/05/2026

There's an important conversation on this Saturday to explore how we can all participate in building a food movement in Murwillumbah, the Tweed and beyond.

South Murwillumbah Matters: What comes next? (15)When a moderate flood surged into South Murwillumbah in 1916 most of th...
15/05/2026

South Murwillumbah Matters: What comes next? (15)

When a moderate flood surged into South Murwillumbah in 1916 most of the riverbank houses, built within the previous ten years, remained above the flood line. Council buybacks on River Street began slowly after the 1989 major flood when the Commercial Road levee was raised to protect the main town, pushing more water across the river.

The 2017 and then 2022 ‘flood of record’ brought faster, deeper and more dangerous flood conditions into the historically flood-prone South Side than ever before. Buybacks escalated under the RA’s Resilient Homes program. However, as historian Adele Wessell notes: ‘Our climate future requires not just the retreat from vulnerable areas, but the preservation of place-based knowledge that gives communities their strength and adaptability in the first place.’

The local SES, Murwillumbah Core and other community groups are actively working towards permanent preparation for whatever climate emergencies are in store, street by street. ‘It Takes A Town’ is asking us to imagine the type of Northern Rivers we want to live in, into the future. How do we make sure that there is genuine intermeshing between local knowledge and broader policy engagement.

Since the flood boats went missing in between the major floods of 1931 and 1945 (post 8) there have been a myriad of local, state and federal responses to floods across our region. Following the devastation of the 1950s floods, government turned to structural engineering solutions. After the 1970s floods there was a shift towards regulation as well as engineering, to try and stop people and development being in harm’s way.

The ‘climate shift’ towards drier times that coincided with the ‘population shift’ of the 1980s, 90s and into the 2000s, however, left more recent arrivals of up to 30 years without the preparation and experience of regular, major flooding. Then 2017 and 2022 – no one had past experience of the extremes of those events. But climate change suggests we need to be permanently prepared for whatever is to come.

Across the Northern Rivers we are in yet another phase, shaping future community and government floodplain policy responses around climate emergencies. On Friday 8th May Tweed Shire Council announced the start towards design planning for the South Murwillumbah flood buyback precinct. Keep an eye out.
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Many thanks to Carmen for hosting these snippets of history on ‘It Takes A Town’ face book page. This is the last one for now. Best wishes to us all in the Tweed Valley and across the Northern Rivers as we engage across multiple sectors to plan for our climate-fuelled futures, cheers Jo.

An illustrated essay with full references will be shared in the coming weeks.

Image: Moderate flooding in South Murwillumbah in 1916. The train remains high and dry. Image courtesy of David Holston.

Learn more at the Living Lab Northern Rivers website:
https://llnr.com.au/what-we-do/living-memory-south-murwillumbah

South Murwillumbah Matters: The Climate Shift and the Population Shift (14)Meteorologists refer to a ‘climate shift’ as ...
02/05/2026

South Murwillumbah Matters: The Climate Shift and the Population Shift (14)

Meteorologists refer to a ‘climate shift’ as a long-term, persistent change in the average weather pattern of a region that lasts decades, rather than temporary, year-to-year variations. The last decades of the 1800s were very wet. But then a ‘climate shift’ set in across the eastern seaboard, bringing decades of dryer weather into our region. As we’ve seen in previous posts, while South Murwillumbah constantly experienced low to mid-level flooding, only two major floods hit the town across fifty years to 1945 (post 8). This both coincided with, and helped shape, the urban population growth of the early twentieth century. Homes and businesses filled low-lying places in these drier times.

Then three decades of major flooding hit the town and the eastern seaboard (post 9). Following the extreme flooding of the mid 1950s, state and federal government funding was directed towards structural/engineered flood mitigation to try and control the big North Coast rivers. Levees, floodwalls, drainage, floodgates and diversion channels were built.

Back-to-back La Niñas continued throughout the 1960s. Then Cyclone Zoe hit the Tweed in 1974, and major flooding continued in 1976 and 78. For the first time, the new raft of flood reports argued against building on the lowest parts of the floodplain (post 10). House raising and the first voluntary council buybacks and removal of houses along River Street were set in motion after the 1989 flood.

However, the climate shifted again from the late 1970s and three decades of El Niño dry to drought times descended. Only two major floods were recorded to 2017 in Murwillumbah. Tourism to the Far North Coast had already been expanding rapidly. But a permanent ‘population shift’ now coincided with this next ‘climate shift’. Between 1976 and 2006 the population doubled. Flood history and memory receded.
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Full references will be included in the final environmental history.

Image – Readers enjoyed the elephants sloshing up Prospero Street (post 12). Here they are passing Trevan’s garage on their return to the railway station, a few buildings up from Holston’s Emporium. Trevan’s was bought by Partridge and Walker, Ford dealers, in 1938. Image courtesy Tweed Regional Museum.

Learn more at the Living Lab Northern Rivers website:
https://llnr.com.au/what-we-do/living-memory-south-murwillumbah

South Murwillumbah Matters: The Weather (13)The late 1880s were big flood years. A Murwillumbah correspondent noted in 1...
25/04/2026

South Murwillumbah Matters: The Weather (13)

The late 1880s were big flood years. A Murwillumbah correspondent noted in 1889 that ‘we have been having the real old Tweed weather… Our chief business and occupation have been to discuss the weather, and wonder if it would end in flood.’

In the wake of the 1940s floods, the Walkabout article (post 9) noted Tweed Bundjalung stories of huge floods within their oral memory, which we heard again across our region following February 2022. Weather that brings heatwaves, droughts, storms, cyclones and floods that wreak havoc are part of our individual, family, and national history telling.

In 2015 the BoM published an engaging broad history called ‘Stormy Weather: A century of storms, fire, flood and drought in NSW’. They noted the ‘revolutions in weather observing technology and communications’, providing a list of extreme events: see p14 onwards: Bureau of Meteorology: A history of stormy weather

At the same time, we must always look locally. Not only is the same flood episode different for each place across our North Coast region, but the same place doesn’t repeat exactly the same flood. Lismore’s worst flood was in 1954, until February 2022. But until then, Murwillumbah’s ‘flood of record’ was March 2017.

Unlike previous extreme flooding, following weeks of rain, almost all the rain in 2017 fell in 24 hours. It came from Ex-Cyclone Debbie that passed far to the north of the Tweed, unlike the close cyclones of 1954 and ‘74. And it wasn’t a La Niña period – it was potentially heading to El Niño. There had only been three major floods in Murwillumbah since 1979. Forecast as a moderate flood, the rapid runoff of the Tweed system meant flooding quickly submerged both South Murwillumbah and parts of Murwillumbah with little warning. Two generations calling the Tweed Valley home had little or no memory of severe flooding.

On top of natural flooding the SES notes that ‘Climate change is expected to bring heavier rainfall and higher sea levels, which will make flooding worse in South Murwillumbah and nearby areas.’
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Full references will be included in the final environmental history.

Image: Aftermath of the 1954 flood at South Murwillumbah.
Courtesy Tweed Regional Museum.

Learn more at the Living Lab Northern Rivers website:
https://llnr.com.au/what-we-do/living-memory-south-murwillumbah

Join Historian Jo Kijas for South Murwillumbah Matters, an environmental history talk: Thursday 7 May, 11 am – 12 pm (followed by a light lunch) @ Murwillumbah Library.

Places are limited — registration essential. Book today: https://llnr.com.au/what-we-do/south-murwillumbah-matters

South Murwillumbah Matters - come along on 7 May to hear the stories of South Murwillumbah.
21/04/2026

South Murwillumbah Matters - come along on 7 May to hear the stories of South Murwillumbah.

South Murwillumbah Matters: Elephants and Buybacks (12)The house where Ian Holston grew up in Stafford St, South Murwill...
19/04/2026

South Murwillumbah Matters: Elephants and Buybacks (12)

The house where Ian Holston grew up in Stafford St, South Murwillumbah, has been bought back by the NSW Reconstruction Authority (RA) following the 2022 floods. Ian’s Norwegian-born grandfather John Magnus Holston built Holston’s Furniture Emporium and undertaking business in Prospero Street, opening in ca 1903 (now Paradise Living Co in the original buildings).

They made their own furniture and mattresses; were glaziers and picture framers; sold hardware, paints, kitchenware, quality china, electrical goods, lino, carpet and more. Ian’s uncle Len (John’s oldest son) became the undertaker, and they made their own coffins. One of Len’s worst memories was during the Spanish Flu epidemic in 1919 when he buried 57 victims in one week. After John drowned while fishing near Tweed Heads in 1928, Ian’s dad Nord and uncle Len had to take over the whole business.

Nord and his wife Rita purchased their family home in Stafford Street behind the furniture factory, where the smell of French polishing from Holston Lane could permeate the back yard. Next door stood the tennis court and family clubhouse. The Holston cup was a local prize to be fought for. Grandmother Ann moved diagonally across Stafford Street after John died, and Len and wife Agnes’ family lived at the River Street end of the street.

Floods were common and often entertainment for the children. Ian enjoys the photo of two circus elephants sloshing past Holston’s Emporium returning to the railway station. The family house was raised after the 1945 flood. In the disastrous 1954 flood they were able to help lower neighbours. At the time one of several houses that had washed off their stumps settled in the middle of Stafford Street. The raised platforms in the shop, however, were not high enough and products were inundated.

Thanks to Ian Holston and Cathie Humphries’ family history From Tjφllig and Chillington 2020.
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Full references will be included in the final environmental history essay.

Image: Two circus elephants walking back to the railway station c1932. Courtesy Tweed Regional Museum.

Learn more at the Living Lab Northern Rivers website:
https://llnr.com.au/what-we-do/living-memory-south-murwillumbah

South Murwillumbah Matters: 17 Prospero StreetDid you shop in Prospero Street? What was it like? Who shopped there and d...
28/03/2026

South Murwillumbah Matters: 17 Prospero Street

Did you shop in Prospero Street? What was it like? Who shopped there and did you dress for town?

As an outsider walking the quiet street of today, it’s hard to imagine the hustle and bustle of earlier times. Until the mid-20th century everything you needed was available there. Butchers, bakers, barbers and a bike shop, chemist, doctor, post office, café, car dealerships, garage, Holston’s furniture emporium, the undertakers and next door at 17 Prospero Street, Hartmann’s Store.

Originally established in 1910, H E Hartmann had the premises rebuilt in brick in 1933. ‘You can get groceries, draperies, fancy goods, all manner of goods... and household luxuries can be had’ the Tweed Daily gushed.

Today, Geoff Smith (below) and his son Murray still own the panel be**er business that once held the grocery store. Geoff remembers it well. Standing at the front of today’s premises, he describes the can of cash whizzing to the cashier at the back on its zipline and returning with the change.

One might think all the car dealerships of today are new. However, Geoff started his panel beating apprenticeship up the street at Ebbott and Fenner’s Holden franchise opposite the railway station in 1954. Further down the street, the Hayes family who now sell Toyotas were already dealing in new and used cars. Across the road, Trevan’s garage became Partridge and Walker who sold Fords. Owned by Darcy Stainely, his son Bob remembers the low, back area where the op shop is now. This was the crash repair area known as the ‘submarine base’. His father eventually grew weary of the floods and moved the business across the river.

Thanks to Geoff, Bob and Ian Holston for their lively memories. Next post will turn to Holston’s Furniture Emporium.

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Image: Geoff Smith standing in front of the panel be**ers, March 2026.

Learn more:
https://llnr.com.au/what-we-do/living-memory-south-murwillumbah

South Murwillumbah Matters: A Flurry of Flood Planning (10)Over three decades of flooding smashed the eastern seaboard f...
25/03/2026

South Murwillumbah Matters: A Flurry of Flood Planning (10)

Over three decades of flooding smashed the eastern seaboard from 1945 to the late 1970s (previous post). 13 coordinated floodplain management reports on NSW’s major coastal rivers were subsequently written. The Tweed Valley report was published in December 1980 (McNamara).

Its key recommendations were ‘non-structural measures which will redirect development within the Tweed Basin floodplains so that future flooding will not cause the damage and inconvenience that has occurred in the past.’ The first two objectives were to 1. Prevent further development in the floodplain and the gradual clearing of existing development from such areas and 2. Flood immune construction of any further development … but only where this could be justified economically.

‘Structural works’ it argued ‘have a limited life in comparison to the life of a community so that eventually the only option is to restructure the pattern of community development within the basin.’

The report came on the back of two decades of expansive state and local government funded flood mitigation programs. The Tweed River Flood Mitigation Committee was the second to finalise its flood planning report in 1957. Slow to start work, its 1964-69 program was directed towards installing floodgates on current drains. The 1971-76 program was much busier, including new drains, floodgates and levees.

Blacks Drain, constructed in the late 1890s at Greenhills, was one of the first drains in the state. At that time, it was all about draining the swamps for agriculture. However, by the 1960s and 70s governments also unambiguously attached drainage to flood mitigation.

Federal government members noted during 1964 parliamentary debates that “The actual task of mitigating a flood [includes] building channels to drain swamps...” This also enabled the rapid expansion of agriculture, particularly the sugar industry. Few understood the negative consequences of swamp drainage on future flooding and ecological issues such as acid sulphate soils.

Perhaps you have some experience of Blacks Drain in floods?
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Image: Blacks Drain crossing the highway near Greenhills 1954.

Courtesy Tweed Regional Museum.

Learn more:
https://llnr.com.au/what-we-do/living-memory-south-murwillumbah

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