Ballina, New South Wales
Encyclopedia
Ballina is a town on the Northern Rivers of New South Wales
, Australia, and the seat of the Ballina Shire Local Government Area. It had a population of 16,477 in the 2006 Census.
, and was established on the northern shore of the Richmond River
near Cape Byron
, Australia's most easterly point, in the 1840s. It is approximately 750 km (466 mi) north of Sydney and 205 km (127 mi) south of Brisbane. It is home to the world's largest prawn (made of concrete and fibreglass).
Ballina is situated on the mouth of the Richmond River
, which was an important transport route for the region for the first 100 years after settlement. The river and its estuaries abound with marine wildlife and are used for recreational fishing and water sports.
, was first constructed in Ballina in 1866. The temporary lighthouse was replaced with the current one, designed by James Barnet
, in 1879, and first lit in 1880. It is still active.
Ballina has a number of famous "landfalls" associated with it. In 1928, Charles Kingsford Smith
's plane, the Southern Cross
, crossed the coast over Ballina after its epic journey across the Pacific Ocean
. Ballina had a festival associated with the event during the 1970s and 1980s, and a school in East Ballina bears the name "Southern Cross".
In 1973, the Las Balsas
rafts were towed into Ballina by fishing trawlers after their journey from Ecuador
. They had planned to arrive in Mooloolaba
in Queensland
, but currents forced them off their course. Their journey was almost twice as long as the Kon-Tiki
expeditions of 1947 and proved that people could have travelled across the Pacific in ancient times.
A branch railway line connected Ballina with the Casino
-Murwillumbah
Railway at Booyong. The line was opened on 24 August 1930 and closed on 12 January 1949.
, although a more likely source is a Bundjalung word, "bullinah", meaning "place of many oysters". One possibility is that the Aboriginal name reminded the predominantly Irish settlers of "Ballina", so the name's origin could be an accidental or deliberate corruption of the Aboriginal form.
Ballina has a sister city agreement with its Irish namesake.
is a tabloid newspaper based in Lismore. It covers the region from Casino to Ballina and up to Murwillimbah and Byron Bay, covering a population of several hundred thousand.
The commercial radio stations in the area are Triple Z (Hit Music) & 2LM 900 AM (also broadcast on 104.3fm). Both are run by Broadcast Operations Group
. The community radio station is Paradise FM 101.9. Other radio stations are Triple J
96.1 FM, ABC Radio National 96.9 FM, ABC Classic FM
95.3 and ABC Local Radio
- North Coast 94.5 FM.
All major television Network channels are available in Ballina and the wider Northern Rivers region.
s to north of Ballina at the intersection with Ross Lane at Tintenbar
. Twelve km of local roads will be upgraded.
Early works started in April 2008 with commencement of substantial works on 16 June 2008. The Cumbalum to Ross Lane section is due to open by early 2011 (the bypass was extended an extra .5 km to allow for a better connection to the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale Project) with full completion mid 2012. In July 2011 it was announced the section between Cumbalum and the Bruxner Highway interchange would open to traffic in late 2011, several months ahead of schedule.
and Lismore
, is in Ballina. The airport has links to Melbourne and Sydney with Jetstar Airways
, Regional Express Airlines
and Virgin Australia each operating services. Ballina Airport is located in Southern Cross Drive and is 5 km (3 mi) from the Ballina CBD. The airport is a 20 minute road trip to Byron Bay and 30 minutes to Lismore. In 2005 the Ballina airport was renamed the Ballina Byron Gateway airport in a bid to attract more people to the area.
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia, and the seat of the Ballina Shire Local Government Area. It had a population of 16,477 in the 2006 Census.
Location
Ballina is located on the Pacific HighwayPacific Highway (Australia)
The Pacific Highway is a major transport route along part of the east coast of Australia and is part of Australia's national route 1.It is 960 km long and links Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, to Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, along the coast, via Gosford, Newcastle, Taree, Port...
, and was established on the northern shore of the Richmond River
Richmond River
The Richmond River is a river in the north-eastern corner of New South Wales, Australia. It runs for approximately 170 km from the foothills of the Border Ranges past the towns of Kyogle, Casino, Coraki, Woodburn, where it turns northward and empties into the Pacific Ocean at Ballina. It has a...
near Cape Byron
Cape Byron
Cape Byron is the easternmost point of the mainland of Australia. It is located about northeast of the town of Byron Bay and projects into the Pacific Ocean...
, Australia's most easterly point, in the 1840s. It is approximately 750 km (466 mi) north of Sydney and 205 km (127 mi) south of Brisbane. It is home to the world's largest prawn (made of concrete and fibreglass).
Ballina is situated on the mouth of the Richmond River
Richmond River
The Richmond River is a river in the north-eastern corner of New South Wales, Australia. It runs for approximately 170 km from the foothills of the Border Ranges past the towns of Kyogle, Casino, Coraki, Woodburn, where it turns northward and empties into the Pacific Ocean at Ballina. It has a...
, which was an important transport route for the region for the first 100 years after settlement. The river and its estuaries abound with marine wildlife and are used for recreational fishing and water sports.
History
A lighthouse, Richmond River LightRichmond River Light
Richmond River Light, also known as Ballina Head Light and Ballina Light, is an active lighthouse located at Ballina Head, a headland in Ballina, New South Wales, Australia. The headland is at the northern side of the entrance to the Richmond River...
, was first constructed in Ballina in 1866. The temporary lighthouse was replaced with the current one, designed by James Barnet
James Barnet
James Johnstone Barnet was the Colonial Architect for New South Wales from 1862 - 1890.-Life and career:Barnet was born at Almericlose, Arbroath, Scotland. The son of a builder, he was educated at the local high school...
, in 1879, and first lit in 1880. It is still active.
Ballina has a number of famous "landfalls" associated with it. In 1928, Charles Kingsford Smith
Charles Kingsford Smith
Sir Charles Edward Kingsford Smith MC, AFC , often called by his nickname Smithy, was an early Australian aviator. In 1928, he earned global fame when he made the first trans-Pacific flight from the United States to Australia...
's plane, the Southern Cross
Southern Cross (aircraft)
Southern Cross is the name of the Fokker F.VIIb/3m trimotor monoplane which in 1928 was flown by Australian aviator Sir Charles Kingsford Smith and his crew in the first ever trans-Pacific flight, from the mainland United States to Australia, about ....
, crossed the coast over Ballina after its epic journey across the Pacific Ocean
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest of the Earth's oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic in the north to the Southern Ocean in the south, bounded by Asia and Australia in the west, and the Americas in the east.At 165.2 million square kilometres in area, this largest division of the World...
. Ballina had a festival associated with the event during the 1970s and 1980s, and a school in East Ballina bears the name "Southern Cross".
Las Balsas
The 1973 Las Balsas expedition was the first multiple-raft crossing of the Pacific Ocean in recent history. It is the longest-known raft voyage in history....
rafts were towed into Ballina by fishing trawlers after their journey from Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
. They had planned to arrive in Mooloolaba
Mooloolaba, Queensland
Mooloolaba is a suburb and tourist resort township on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. It is located north of the state capital, Brisbane, and is part of the Maroochydore urban centre.- Etymology :...
in Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
, but currents forced them off their course. Their journey was almost twice as long as the Kon-Tiki
Kon-Tiki
Kon-Tiki was the raft used by Norwegian explorer and writer Thor Heyerdahl in his 1947 expedition across the Pacific Ocean from South America to the Polynesian islands. It was named after the Inca sun god, Viracocha, for whom "Kon-Tiki" was said to be an old name...
expeditions of 1947 and proved that people could have travelled across the Pacific in ancient times.
A branch railway line connected Ballina with the Casino
Casino, New South Wales
Casino is a town in the Northern Rivers area of New South Wales, Australia, with a population of 9,400 people . It lies on the banks of the Richmond River and is situated at the junction of the Bruxner Highway and the Summerland Way....
-Murwillumbah
Murwillumbah, New South Wales
Murwillumbah is a town of approximately 7,500 people in far north-eastern New South Wales, Australia in the Tweed Shire. It lies on the Tweed River, 848 km north-east of Sydney, 13 km south of the Queensland border and 132 km south of Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Murwillumbah had a...
Railway at Booyong. The line was opened on 24 August 1930 and closed on 12 January 1949.
Name
Ballina's etymology is not entirely certain. Some believe it was named directly after the Irish town of BallinaBallina, County Mayo
Ballina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
, although a more likely source is a Bundjalung word, "bullinah", meaning "place of many oysters". One possibility is that the Aboriginal name reminded the predominantly Irish settlers of "Ballina", so the name's origin could be an accidental or deliberate corruption of the Aboriginal form.
Ballina has a sister city agreement with its Irish namesake.
Development
The population of Ballina Shire is estimated at 38,461 in the 2006 census. There are four high schools (Xavier, Southern Cross, Ballina and Emmanuel), five primary schools (Holy Family, St. Francis Xavier, Emmanuel, Ballina and Southern Cross), a hospital and aged care facilities.Notable people
- Kerry Saxby-JunnaKerry Saxby-JunnaKerry-Anne Saxby-Junna, born Kerry Saxby , is a retired Australian race walker. She is the world record holder at 5.000 metres track walk with 20:03.0 from 1996, and the Oceanian record holder at 10.000 metres walk with 41:57.22 from 1990. She was born in Ballina.-Achievements:-External links:*...
Saxby competed with the Ballina Athletic Club; the "Kerry Saxby Pathway" runs past the Olympic Pool and Waterslide to the Naval and Maritime Museum. - Dustin DollinDustin DollinDustin Dollin is a professional skateboarder.-Biography:He also has his own shoe line with Vans. He is featured in the Tony Hawk video games Tony Hawk's Project 8, Tony Hawk's Proving Ground, and Tony Hawk: Ride...
- Adam PineAdam PineAdam Pine is an Australian freestyle and butterfly swimmer. Adam is married to Sasha Pine and is the father of 3 children, Maximillian, Buster and Xander....
- Simon BakerSimon BakerSimon Baker is an Australian actor. Since 2008, he has starred in the CBS television series The Mentalist.-Early life:...
- actor - Nathan CrosswellNathan CrosswellNathan Crosswell is a professional Australian basketball player.-Professional career:Crosswell debuted in the NBL in 1999 with the Melbourne Tigers. He then moved on to the Victoria Titans in 2002, and the Cairns Taipans in 2005 before returning to the Tigers in 2007...
, basketball player
Economy
Media
The Northern Rivers Echo is a free weekly community newspaper with 27,000 copies going to Lismore, Alstonville, Wollongbar, Ballina, Casino, Nimbin and Evans Head. The Northern StarThe Northern Star
The Northern Star is a daily newspaper serving Lismore, New South Wales, Australia. The newspaper is owned by APN News & Media.The Northern Star is circulated to Lismore and surrounding communities, from Billinudgel to the north, to Kyogle and Casino to the west and Evans Head to the south and...
is a tabloid newspaper based in Lismore. It covers the region from Casino to Ballina and up to Murwillimbah and Byron Bay, covering a population of several hundred thousand.
The commercial radio stations in the area are Triple Z (Hit Music) & 2LM 900 AM (also broadcast on 104.3fm). Both are run by Broadcast Operations Group
Broadcast Operations Group
Owned by Bill Caralis, Broadcast Operations Group operates a number of radio stations in northern New South Wales & southern Queensland, Australia. These are collectively known as the "Super Radio Network"...
. The community radio station is Paradise FM 101.9. Other radio stations are Triple J
Triple J
triple j is a nationally networked Australian radio station intended to appeal to listeners between the ages of 18 and 30. The government-funded station is a division of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation...
96.1 FM, ABC Radio National 96.9 FM, ABC Classic FM
ABC Classic FM
ABC Classic FM is a classical music radio station available in Australia, and internationally online. It is operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation . It was established in 1976 as "ABC-FM", and later for a short time was known as "ABC Fine Music" , before adopting its current name...
95.3 and ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio
ABC Local Radio is a network of publicly owned radio stations in Australia, operated by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.ABC Local Radio stations broadcast across the continent using terrestrial transmitters and satellites...
- North Coast 94.5 FM.
All major television Network channels are available in Ballina and the wider Northern Rivers region.
Ballina bypass
The long awaited Ballina bypass project will upgrade 12.4 km of dual carriageway road, extending from south of Ballina at the intersection of the Bruxner and Pacific HighwayPacific Highway
Pacific Highway may refer to:*Pacific Highway - Queensland/New South Wales Border-Sydney*Pacific Motorway - Brisbane - Gold Coast *Pacific Highway , the name of several highways in the United States...
s to north of Ballina at the intersection with Ross Lane at Tintenbar
Tintenbar, New South Wales
Tintenbar is a village located on the Far North Coast of New South Wales .Administratively it is part of the Ballina Shire. It is located about or a 9 minutes car drive north-west from Ballina along the Pacific Highway...
. Twelve km of local roads will be upgraded.
Early works started in April 2008 with commencement of substantial works on 16 June 2008. The Cumbalum to Ross Lane section is due to open by early 2011 (the bypass was extended an extra .5 km to allow for a better connection to the Tintenbar to Ewingsdale Project) with full completion mid 2012. In July 2011 it was announced the section between Cumbalum and the Bruxner Highway interchange would open to traffic in late 2011, several months ahead of schedule.
Airport
The major airport for the region, servicing Byron BayByron Bay, New South Wales
Byron Bay is a beachside town located in the far-northeastern corner of the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is located north of Sydney and south of Brisbane. Cape Byron, a headland adjacent to the town, is the easternmost point of mainland Australia. At the 2006 Census, the town had a...
and Lismore
Lismore, New South Wales
Lismore is a subtropical town in northeastern New South Wales, Australia. Lismore is the main population centre in the City of Lismore local government area. Lismore is a regional centre in the Northern Rivers region of the State.-History:...
, is in Ballina. The airport has links to Melbourne and Sydney with Jetstar Airways
Jetstar Airways
Jetstar Airways is an Australian low-cost airline headquartered in Melbourne, Australia. It is a subsidiary of Qantas, created in response to the threat posed by low-cost airline Virgin Blue...
, Regional Express Airlines
Regional Express Airlines
Regional Express Pty Ltd is an airline based in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia. It operates scheduled regional services. It is Australia's largest regional airline outside the Qantas group of companies and serves New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria, North Queensland and Tasmania...
and Virgin Australia each operating services. Ballina Airport is located in Southern Cross Drive and is 5 km (3 mi) from the Ballina CBD. The airport is a 20 minute road trip to Byron Bay and 30 minutes to Lismore. In 2005 the Ballina airport was renamed the Ballina Byron Gateway airport in a bid to attract more people to the area.
Twin cities
Ballina is twinned with:- Ballina, County MayoBallina, County MayoBallina is a large town in north County Mayo in Ireland. It lies at the mouth of the River Moy near Killala Bay, in the Moy valley and Parish of Kilmoremoy, with the Ox Mountain range to the east and the Nephin Beg mountains to the west...
, Ireland - Matamata-Piako DistrictMatamata-Piako DistrictThe Matamata-Piako District is a local government area in the Waikato region of New Zealand. It lies to the east of the city of Hamilton.The district encompasses the southern end of the Hauraki Plains and much of the Thames Valley, and is bounded in the east by the Kaimai Range...
, Waikato, New Zealand