Rebuilding Tourism

Nimbin is known the world over as Australia’s most famous hippie destination and alternative lifestyle capital. In October 2020, during small business week, the Nimbin Chamber of Commerce received funding to conduct a community workshop to, amongst other things, explore options for replacing the Visitor Information Centre, permanently closed by Lismore City Council in March 2020, and reinstatement of the visit Nimbin website, a visitor resource that Council was no longer maintaining.

Following the workshop the Chamber undertook a number of initiatives:

• Upgrading and expanding this website and the Visit Nimbin website, integrating both to ensure consistency, removing duplication and guaranteeing continuity of both as valuable community resources into the future.
• Organising for extensive directional and educational signage to be creatively designed and installed throughout the village.
• Development of a social media strategy using Facebook & Instagram.
• Securing funding from the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery Fund to construct The Rainbow Road Walking Track.
• Supporting acquisition of 11a Alternative Way, 2+ha of land surrounding the Rainbow Road Walking Track for development into Aquarius Park - a community park and educational/experiential precinct for visitors. The Chamber contributed $20,000 to Nimbin Community Centre to secure this property.
• Establishing a partnership between Nimbin Bush Factory, Nimbin Chamber of Commerce and Lismore City Council to deliver a self-funded, accredited, Visitor Information Centre (VIC) alongside employment of a Tourist Destination Officer (TDO). The partnership will enable Nimbin Bush Factory, an existing and cultural visitor destination, to meet development consent conditions to operate a VIC while enhancing the visitor experience and increasing visitor length of stay. Nimbin Bush Factory will fully fund the establishment and staffing of the VIC. Lismore City Council will fund the full-time TDO position.
• Submitting a grant application to reseal the car park at the Bush Factory to provide the car parking required to meet Council consent conditions including disability parking, a turning bay, and bollards; upgrading the ramp to deliver compliant disability access to the toilets and the Bush Factory theatre; and, replacing the theatre stairs to mitigate the risk of future flood damage.
• Working with the tourist destination officer to develop and build visitor experiences that will encourage people to stay longer in our village, providing opportunities to showcase the village’s unique culture, icons and stunning landscape; to develop tourism product in collaboration with local indigenous populations as well as the arts, tourism and education sectors.