Evans Head, New South Wales
| Evans Head New South Wales | |
|---|---|
 Storm on the horizon, Evans Head, 2017 | |
  Evans Head | |
| Coordinates | 29°07′S153°26′E/ 29.117°S 153.433°E |
| Population | 2,907 (2021 census)[1] |
| Postcode(s) | 2473 |
| Elevation | 6 m (20 ft) |
| Location | |
| LGA(s) | Richmond Valley Council |
| County | Richmond |
| State electorate(s) | Clarence |
| Federal division(s) | Page |
Evans Headis a town inRichmond Valley Councilof theNorthern Riversregion ofNew South Wales,Australia. At the2016 census,Evans Head had a population of 2,843 people.[1]It is 726 kilometres north ofSydney,and 11 kilometres east off thePacific HighwayfromWoodburn.
History
[edit]Evans Head is situated on the traditional lands of the Bandjalang clan of theBundjalung people.[2]
Evans Head is named after amarine surveyor,Lt Evans, RN who carried out the first marine survey of the coastline in the area.[3]
TheEvans Head Air Weapons Rangeis located near the town. It has been used by theRoyal Australian Air Forcesince 13 July 1949.[4]
Heritage listings
[edit]Evans Head has a number of heritage-listed sites, including:
- Memorial Airport Drive:Evans Head Memorial Aerodrome[5]
Native title
[edit]In late April 2021, theFederal Court of Australiaconvened at Evans Head, where anative titledetermination was made over 7.2 square kilometres (2.8 sq mi) of land, consisting of 52 separate areas of land. The application had been launched in 1996, and the first determination made in 2013. Included in the land is abora ringof great cultural significance nearCoraki.[6]
Population
[edit]According to the2016 censusof Population, there were 2,843 people in Evans Head.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people made up 4.5% of the population.
- 85.0% of people were born in Australia and 90.7% of people spoke only English at home.
- The most common responses for religion were No Religion 29.0%, Anglican 21.9% and Catholic 20.9%.[1]
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 1,098 | — |
| 1971 | 1,315 | +19.8% |
| 1976 | 1,591 | +21.0% |
| 1981 | 1,802 | +13.3% |
| 1986 | 1,903 | +5.6% |
| 1991 | 2,375 | +24.8% |
| 1996 | 2,613 | +10.0% |
| 2001 | 2,603 | −0.4% |
| 2006 | 2,630 | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 2,722 | +3.5% |
| 2016 | 2,847 | +4.6% |
| 2021 | 2,894 | +1.7% |
| Source:Australian Bureau of Statisticsdata.[7][8] | ||
Attractions
[edit]It is a coastal town and a holiday resort, playing host to one of the largest holiday parks in NSW. It is sandwiched betweenBundjalung National ParkandBroadwater National Park.There is a wide curved beach that is popular for fishing,surfingandswimming.
Evans Head is home to the Illawong Hotel, an RSL club and one of the largest holiday parks in NSW, parts of which are pet-friendly. The Evans Head Holiday Park (formerly known as 'Silver Sands Caravan Park' ) has almost 600 sites and is located within walking distance of all the town amenities. The town has two supermarkets, two butchers, a number of clothing stores, cafes and other eateries that cater for the tourist population. Whilst the population is less than 3,000 people that number swells in school holidays.
The 1874 wreck of a timber schooner,Pilot,is visible on the beach north of the town in times of high erosion.[9]The aerodrome hosts one of the few retired F-111 aircraft in Australia and a museum with a number of authentic aircraft on display.
Transport
[edit]
The town'sairport,theEvans Head Memorial Aerodrome,formerly aRAAFbase is heritage listed.
Northern Rivers Buslines operates two routes from Lismore, the 690 and 695, where the 695 also continues to Grafton from Evans Head. Ballina Buslines operates one route to Ballina via Woodburn, the 660.
NSW TrainLink operates a daily coach between Grafton and Byron Bay via Evans Head.
Sport
[edit]The town has a bowling club and surf club. Evans Head Bombers rugby league club was established in 1999 and draws players from Broadwater, Woodburn and Coraki. The club fields junior and senior teams in theNorthern Rivers Regional Rugby Leaguecompetition. Golf is played at the Woodburn-Evans Head course with 11 holes and 18 tees.
Industry
[edit]The main industry today istourismwithsugar canegrowing just inland from the town. The town has a small industrial estate near the airport.
The town was traditionally a fishing village, with snapper fishing and prawning forming the basis of the town's local economy.
The voyage of theFriendship R
[edit]
From the 1950s Evans Head has been distinguished as the first dedicated base of the oftentimes perilous prawn trawling industry in Australia. There was a prawn fishing fleet permanently moored in the estuary. Messenger recalls that many fisherman lost their lives. One instance in the 1960s was the trawlerWyownawas lost at sea with all hands on board.[10]: 39 [11]
At ca. March 1963 the Fisherman’s Cooperative of Evans Head was the base starting point of the journey of theFriendship R,the first fishing trawler to circumnavigate Australia. It was built in nearbyBallinaby K.F. Barlow for Rex Montford, an experienced seaman and fisherman. With crewman Ken Messenger, a grandson ofDally Messenger,therugby leaguesuperstar of the early 20th century, Montford set out on his epic journey.[10]: 11 & 7
TheFriendship Rwas originally contracted by theCSIROto teach the fishermen at Shark Bay near Carnarvon WA, the art of trawling for prawns.[10]: 9
Leaving Evans Head the trawler journeyed south, stopping atCoffs Harbour,Broken Bay,Sydney,Edenand on toPort Fairyin Victoria. They then headed West toPort Lincolnand then across theGreat Australian Bightto Western Australia aided only with a compass and a book of charts. They negotiated extremely hazardous reefs on their way intoFremantle.[10]: 11 & 12
As it turned out the fishermen atShark Bayhad already had been mentored by Jack Drinan, a skilled Queensland prawner who was in charge of six trawlers all namedNorbut numbered one to six. This was the same Jack Drinan who was shipwrecked on 26 April 1963 and declared lost, but was sensationally found seventeen days later, in the open sea, clinging to the trawler’s refrigerator door. Montford and Messenger were part of the search party.[10]: 12ff [12] In the company of Drinan and his surviving boats theFriendship Rsaw out the rest of the fishing and prawning season, while domiciled at theShark Baywhaling station.[10]: 17
In October 1963 Montford and Messenger decided to leaveCarnarvonand return to Evans Head by the top end of the Australian continent.
In the company of two other boats, theToowoon Bayand theRambler,they proceeded along the coastline north toExmouth Gulfand then east toDarwin.On this leg of the trip, a crisis occurred when, in a calm sea, their engine failed. The sails, gifted by Sydney yachtsman Englebert “Boy” Messenger, were not helpful as there was no wind. Fortunately, Reg Massey, skipper of theRamblersensed something was wrong, doubled back, found theFriendship Rand towed it into the port of Darwin.
When all was repaired and overhauled in Darwin theFriendship Rset out across the unpredictableGulf of Carpentaria.They stopped atElcho Islandwhere they received enthusiastic hospitality from the locals.
They were similarly welcomed atThursday Island.They then proceeded back to Evans Head viaCairnsandTin Can Bay.[10]: 12–30 The Friendship R was the first fishing trawler or similar vessel to circumnavigate Australia. It is considered a pioneer voyage in Australia's history. Messenger left for other pursuits and Rex Montford lived out his life in Evans Head, honoured and respected by the local population. He is buried in the local cemetery.[10]: 32
References
[edit]- ^abcAustralian Bureau of Statistics(27 June 2017)."Evans Head (Urban Centre/Locality)".2016 Census QuickStats.Retrieved24 January2019.
Material was copied from this source, which is available under aCreative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
- ^Tindale, Norman Barnett(1974)."Badjalang (QLD)".Aboriginal Tribes of Australia: Their Terrain, Environmental Controls, Distribution, Limits, and Proper Names.Australian National University Press.p. 191.
- ^"Evans Head".Geographical Names Register (GNR) of NSW.Geographical Names Board of New South Wales.Retrieved20 September2009.
- ^"Evans Head Air Weapons Range".Defence Aircraft Noise.Department of Defence.Retrieved25 December2020.
- ^"Evans Head Memorial Aerodrome".New South Wales State Heritage Register.Department of Planning & Environment.H01649.Retrieved18 May2018.Text is licensed by State of New South Wales (Department of Planning and Environment) underCC-BY 4.0licence.
- ^Ross, Hannah (30 April 2021)."NSW Bandjalang people victorious after 25-year native title fight".ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation).Retrieved7 May2021.
- ^"Statistics by Catalogue Number".Australian Bureau of Statistics.Retrieved18 January2024.
- ^"Search Census data".Australian Bureau of Statistics.Retrieved18 January2024.
- ^"Shipwrecks exposed".Mid Coast Observer.Rural Press. 5 August 2009. p. 6.
- ^abcdefghMessenger, Ken;Friendship R,Publisher Ken Messenger, Box 282 Hornsby NSW, 2020
- ^Search for Lost Boat Extended,The Canberra Times, 2 Jan 1964
- ^"Lost at Sea in an Esky".maritimemuseumsaustralia.The Maritime Museum.Retrieved29 December2020.
- Sturt, Charles,'Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia during the years 1828, 1829, 1830, 1831 with Observations on the Soil, Climate and general Resources of the Colony of New South Wales,' Vol 1 London, Smith Elder and Co, 1833, map facing LXXX Map is titled: Map of the Discoveries in Australia copied from the latest M. S. Surveys in the Colonial Office, 16 Feb 1832, London, J. Arrowsmith.
External links
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Media related toEvans Head, New South Walesat Wikimedia Commons
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