The Tweed
Aboriginal acknowledgement
We wish to acknowledge the Ngandowal and Minyungbal speaking people of Bundjalung Country, in particular the Goodjinburra, Tul-gi-gin and Moorung – Moobah clans, as being the traditional owners and custodians of the land and waters within the Tweed Shire boundaries. We also acknowledge and respect the Tweed Aboriginal community’s right to speak for its Country and to care for its traditional Country in accordance with its lore, customs and traditions.
Council works with our local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and has a Reconciliation Action Plan in place.
About the Tweed
Tweed Shire covers 1,303 square kilometres and borders the NSW shires of Byron, Lismore and Kyogle. The NSW/Queensland border to the north divides the twin towns of Tweed Heads and Coolangatta.
The Tweed has 3 public libraries, 2 TAFE campuses, 3 public swimming pools, more than 480 parks and reserves and more than 35 sports fields.
For demographic information see community profiles and statistics.
Population
The Tweed’s population is growing steadily at 101,000 and is estimated to be more than 126,000 by 2046. Our diverse population is geographically spread between urban communities, coastal and rural towns and more than 15 villages.
Our landscape
The stunning centrepiece of the Tweed, where the sun first hits the Australian continent, is Wollumbin / Mount Warning which is surrounded by national parks forming the caldera of the fertile Tweed Valley.
The area includes 37 km of coastline, wetlands and forests, pastoral and farm land, the entire basin of the Tweed River, and mountainous regions containing 3 World Heritage listed national parks.
Tweed is located in one of the largest natural erosion calderas in the world and boasts an internationally significant environment with the highest biodiversity in NSW (top 3 in Australia).
Read about our towns and villages.
History
Captain James Cook identified and named 2 of the Tweed's most prominent features, Wollumbin / Mount Warning, and Point Danger (Aboriginal area of Pooningbah), in 1770. Before European settlement the area was blanketed in sub-tropical forest and was home to the Bundjalung people.
Many of the Tweed's towns and villages are named in the local Aboriginal language.
- The area was settled by timber-getters around 1844.
- The first school opened in 1871.
- By the 1890s the river port of Tumbulgum was the centre of population.
The focus moved to Murwillumbah when the first Local Government municipality was declared in 1902.
The Municipality of Murwillumbah and Shire of Tweed were amalgamated, and the Tweed Shire was declared on 1 January 1947.
To learn more local history visit the Tweed Regional Museum.
Climate and rainfall
Being orientated on the coast, the temperature of Tweed Heads is moderated by the refreshing offshore breezes during summer. On average, 51 days during the summer months are not interrupted by rain.
The temperatures of Tweed Heads offer a very moderate year-round climate and a very pleasant place to live. Murwillumbah experiences mild winters with evening minimums just below 10°C, and summers offering a near tropical experience.
During the summer months, Murwillumbah experiences 42 days of sunshine. The remainder are usually broken by spectacular late afternoon tropical thunderstorms.
The Tweed has an average rainfall of 1,600 mm per year.
Time zone / daylight saving
The Tweed observes Daylight Saving.
- Clocks go forward one hour on the first Sunday in October.
- Clocks go back one hour on the first Sunday in April.
Daylight saving is not observed over the border in Queensland.
Electorates
Schools and education
Around 50 schools service the Tweed, including 39 primary schools and 11 secondary schools that offer a mix of public, Catholic and independent providers.
The region is supported by TAFE NSW campuses at Murwillumbah and Kingscliff.
Higher education is available at Southern Cross University (Lismore and Gold Coast campuses) and other major universities on the Gold Coast.
Health
Public hospitals are located in Cudgen and Murwillumbah.
Libraries
The Tweed has 3 libraries located in Tweed Heads, Kingscliff, Murwillumbah. See Richmond-Tweed Library Service
Art gallery
The Tweed Regional Gallery and Margaret Olley Art Centre is a stunning attraction and Council facility.
Museum
The Tweed Regional Museum operates across branch locations in Murwillumbah and Tweed Heads.
The award-winning Tweed Regional Museum Murwillumbah features vibrant displays which bring Tweed's history to life through stories of our past.
Beaches
The Tweed has 37 km of stunning beaches with some of the best surf spots on the east cost. Surf Life Savings Clubs are at Cabarita Beach, Fingal Head, Cudgen Headland, Pottsville and Salt. See beaches and lifeguards.
Council manages the Tweed Holiday Parks in 7 locations along the coast - Boyd's Bay, Fingal Head, Kingscliff North, Kingscliff South, Hastings Point, Pottsville North and Pottsville South.
National parks
Tweed is home to the world-heritage listed National Parks of Wollumbin / Mount Warning, the Nightcap Ranges, the Border Ranges and a portion of Lamington National Park. See National Parks website
Tourism and business
The Tweed welcomes more than 2 million visitors each year, with domestic and international services offered at Gold Coast Airport, the gateway to the Tweed.
Council provides tourism and economic attraction services as The Tweed Tourism Co.
With more than 9,000 local businesses our health, retail, construction, tourism and educational industries are major employers.
For more information head to Business and economy.