Bellingen, New South Wales

Bellingen is a small town (pop 2,721) on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia and the seat of Bellingen Shire Council. It is approximately halfway between the major Australian cities of Sydney and Brisbane. The Bellingen area is a mixture of valley, plateau and coastal environments.

Bellingen is known by citizens around the area as "Bello". Bellingen township lies on the not-quite-spelled-the-same Bellinger River; this different spelling was originally suggested as being the result of a misinterpretation of some poor handwriting. In fact it results from an ongoing German tradition to have the name of a river ending in "er" and the related town name ending in "en".

Bellingen was one of the filming locations for the 2003 comedy film Danny Deckchair, written and directed by Jeff Balsmeyer. Bellingen was also the notional setting of the book Oscar and Lucinda written by Booker Prize winning author Peter Carey. The film version of Eucalyptus (novel) was set to be filmed in Bellingen as well before it fell through.

In fact Bellingen has a strong affinity with the arts and is home to four festivals: the popular Global Carnival (often known simply as "Global"), the Jazz and Blues Festival, Stamping Ground Dance Festivaland Camp Creative.

Bellingen is home to well-known current events reporter George Negus, writer Victor Kelleher, pianist David Helfgott (subject of the film Shine released in 1996) and author Steve Biddulph. Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist was born in Bellingen.

History
The Bellinger Valley including Bellingen was first settled by Kooris - the Gumbaynggir People - long before European settlement. Bellingen was originally known as Boat Harbour, changing its name to Bellingen in 1870. In the 1830s, Bellingen was literally a backwater where red cedar was shipped to the mouth of the Bellinger River. From the 1840s onward red cedar attracted more and more settlers. In the 1890s, Bellingen was selected as the government centre of the valley, due to its location at the tidal limit of the Bellinger River and the availability of fresh water. A period of rapid growth ensued.

By the early 1900s, red cedar supplies were virtually depleted, except for those that survived in the inaccessible upper reaches of the Bellinger Valley. The indigenous population had been decimated by disease and inability to move across the land to locate traditional food supplies, and many were killed in their bid to drive away the cedar getters and new settlers from traditional Gumbaynggir land. 'Black Jimmy' is reported to be the last full-blood member of the Gumbaynggir People. Black Jimmy died in 1922 and is buried in Bellingen Cemetery. The Gumbaynggir People have since moved between districts and have inter-married. Many of the old customs have disappeared.

The dairy industry crashed in the 1960s with the rise of the European Common Market, when export prices fell (with Britain no longer relying on Australian dairy products) and the margarine industry finally overcame long-standing draconian laws restricting its production levels. Dairy farming still continues to a lesser extent.

Rainforest logging ceased altogether in 1975 but sclerophyll forest logging is still a significant industry.

In 1950, Bellingen came to national fame with the birth of the Sara Quads (Sara family quadruplets). From the 1970s until the present, alternative life-stylers purchased land in the area and built owner-built homes. Numerous intentional communities were established, such as Shamballa Co-operative Limited, Shamballa (still extant) in 1973. The rural lifestyle of Bellingen and surrounds has consequently diverged and is now a mix of traditional and non-traditional farming. Many of today's residents, such as artists, craftspeople, writers, musicians and horticulturalists, have established home-based activities.

Tourism has been encouraged in recent years by the cafe, market and festival culture.

Notable Residents
Adam Gilchrist - Australian test cricket wicketkeeper/batsman

Amiel Daemion - Singer (most notably: totally addicted to bass)

Ben Cropp - Ocean adventurer, shipwreck hound, marine conservationist, and filmmaker

Daimon Downey (MC Double D) - MC from ARIA winning band Sneaky Sound System

David Helfgott - Multi Award-winning Australian Concert Pianist

George Negus - Australian author, journalist, and television presenter.

Keith Froome - Australian national Rugby League Test captain

Vic McCrystal - Legendary fishing expert and writer