Stories of the Tweed Valley

Formed by a period of volcanic activity which took place more than 20 million years ago, the Tweed Valley is essentially a huge volcanic crater, known as a caldera. The landscape is dominated by the Tweed River and by the core of the ancient shield volcano, called Wollumbin by the local Bundjalung Aboriginal people, and named Mount Warning by Captain James Cook in 1770.

For many thousands of years before that time the Bundjalung were settled in the forested valleys and along the coast, fishing, hunting small game and relying on the local plant life, such as ferns and cycads, for food and other resources. Wollumbin and its surrounding area are sacred to the Bundjalung because of its cultural significance.

Thanks to its volcanic past, the Tweed Valley has rich soils that have supported dense rainforests, woodlands and, since the arrival of white settlers in the mid 19th century, agricultural industries including sugar cane and banana plantations and dairy farming. In fact, it was the richness and diversity of the vegetation in the area, and in particular the highly-prized red cedar wood, that first drew Europeans to live and work here in the 1840s.

These pages will explore some of the Tweed Valley’s fascinating stories, bringing to life the history of the area through oral and written histories, objects and images. There is information here for wide range of people, including school students, teachers and parents.

Image Gallery