Tweed Shire Profile

Tweed Shire covers 1303 square kilometres and adjoins the NSW shires of Byron, Lismore and Kyogle, with the NSW/Queensland border to its north where it divides the twin towns of Tweed Heads and Coolangatta.

With 37 kms of natural coastline, wetlands and estuarine forests, lush pastoral and farm land, the entire basin of the Tweed River, and mountainous regions containing three world-heritage listed national parks, Tweed boasts a unique and diverse environment.

Centrepiece of the Shire is Mount Warning, where the sun first hits the Australian continent.  The surrounding McPherson, Tweed, Burringbar and Nightcap ranges form the caldera of the fertile Tweed Valley.

Prior to European settlement, the area was blanketed in sub-tropical forest and was home to the Nganduwal/Minjungbal people.  Many of the Shire’s towns and villages derive their names from the language of the local Aboriginal people.

The retail, hospitality, agricultural and tourism industries are major employers, while construction, fishing, and light industry are other significant contributors to the local economy.