Uki, New South Wales

Uki is a village situated near Mount Warning in the Tweed Valley of far northern New South Wales, Australia in the Tweed Shire. At the 2006 census, Uki had a population of 203 people. The town's name may have derived from an aboriginal word for 'small water plant (like a fern) with a yellow flower and edible root'. There are several stories, perhaps apocryphal, associated with the origins of the name. One is that timber cutters, who were the first non-Aboriginal settlers in the area, marked the finest cedar for export to the United Kingdom with "UK1", this eventually becoming UKI, or Uki as it is known today.

There are three approaches to Uki village; from the North it is approximately 15 minutes by road south of the main township of Murwillumbah along the Kyogle Road and 4 km past the turnoff to the World Heritage listed Mount Warning National Park, from the South West along the Kyogle Road from Lismore, Kyogle and Nimbin and from the East along Smiths Creek Road linking Uki to the quaint village of Stokers Siding and the Tweed Valley Way to popular coastal towns including Brunswick Heads and Byron Bay. It is also possible to travel to Mullumbimby from Uki using gravel back roads and fire trails through the Mount Jerusalem National Park.

Clarrie Hall Dam is located 10 km from Uki, and the area is described as "one of New South Wales’ finest fishing destinations". While the main function of the Dam is to provide fresh water for the Tweed Shire, recreational activities include sailing, rowing, canoeing, bass fishing, picnicking, bush hiking and bird watching.

The last two decades has seen a significant shift in demographics. 'Tree-changers' relocating from cities on the eastern seaboard are bringing new money, business, investment and entrepreneurship to the area enhancing the 'established' families with both remaining attracted by the subtropical climate, close proximity to pretty beaches and coastal villages and of course the world class natural beauty of the area. Increasingly and importantly it is becoming known as a haven from the drought affected areas of the rest of the State and country. When 98% of the State of NSW was declared drought affected recently, Uki was in the 2% that was not drought affected.

Uki today
Prominent buildings in the village include the historical 'Old Butter Factory', a primary school and the Mt Warning Hotel, which is a very popular weekend lunch 'stop-over' for touring motorbikes and those out for a pleasant weekend drive. There are several stores including a Post Office, General Store, Cafe, Bakery, Pharmacy, wheelchair-accessible Guesthouse and laundromat. Uki is the town on which the village of Yurriki in Robert G. Barrett's book The Godson is based.

History
Early pioneers were either timber cutters (usually Australian Red Cedar which is one of the world most beautiful carving timbers: botanical name: Toona ciliata) or dairy farmers. Photos of The Sisters and Mt Uki near Uki in the early 1900s show these cleared of nearly all vegetation.

Following a rationalisation of the dairy industry in the 1960s many dairies closed down with farmers turning to beef cattle, which remains a feature of the region today. Tropical fruits have also been grown in the area and cane farming is a prominent agricultural activity in the Tweed Valley itself. The last remaining sawmill is located on the Smith's Creek Road towards the north of the village.