Wikipedia

Main Arm, New South Wales

Main Arm is a locality located in the Northern Rivers Region of New South Wales. It is located in the Byron Shire local government area and is approximately 32 kilometres (20 mi) from the regional centre of Byron Bay and the closest town is Mullumbimby which is 14 kilometres (8.7 mi) away.[2][3]

Main Arm
New South Wales
Main Arm is located in New South Wales
Main Arm
Main Arm
Coordinates28°29′54″S 153°26′4″E / 28.49833°S 153.43444°E / -28.49833; 153.43444
Population640 (SAL 2021)[1]
Postcode(s)2482
LGA(s)Byron Shire
State electorate(s)Ballina
Federal division(s)Richmond

It is nearby to and closely associated with Upper Main Arm.

The traditional owners of this place are the Bundjalung (Arakwal) people.[4][5]

Origin of place name

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The name Main Arm is taken from its location nearby to where Blindmouth Creek flows into the Brunswick River and, in 1899, was almost named Durrumbul which is now the name of the local community hall and local public school.[6][7][8]

History

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The area was settled by Europeans from the 1890s but the first signs of permanent settlement were in 1905, with the construction of a sawmill, this was followed by the construction of a gothic-style Presbyterian Church in March 1909.[6]

There was significant growth in the area post World War I when blocks were granted to returning soldiers as part of a soldier settlement scheme; it was during this time that Settlement Road was built on he southern section of Main Arm after grievances were raised about lack of access.[9][10][11] Despite this growth the area struggled to remain agriculturally viable during the Great Depression.[6]

Main Arm became the centre of a 'banana boom' in the area from the late 1930s until it declined in the 1950s; as a part of this boom a Banana Syndicate was formed.[6][12][13][14] During this boom they experienced significant issues with Banana bunchy top virus.[6][10][15]

Demographics

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In the 2016 census, the population of Main Arm was 586,[16] which at the 2021 census had increased to 640.[17]

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  •  
    A picture of the Main Arm Store and Bottlo, est. 1947, as pictured in September 2024
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    A road in Main Arm as pictured in September 2024
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    A view in Main Arm as pictured in September 2024
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    Entry sign for the Karu-Kali Community in Main Arm as pictured in September 2024

References

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  1. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (28 June 2022). "Main Arm (suburb and locality)". Australian Census 2021 QuickStats. Retrieved 28 June 2022.  
  2. ^ "Byron Shire Council: Our Region". Byron Shire. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  3. ^ "Main Arm". NSW Geographical Names Board. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  4. ^ "Arakwal People of Byron Bay". Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  5. ^ "Aboriginal Cultural Heritage". Byron Shire Council. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e Brunswick Valley Historical Society Inc (2019), Labels and landmarks : the many meanings of Brunswick Valley place names, Brunswick Valley Historical Society Inc, pp. 57–58, ISBN 9780958592192
  7. ^ "Durrumbul Hall". Byron Shire. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Home - Durrumbul Public School". durrumbul-p.schools.nsw.gov.au. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  9. ^ "Soldier Settlement Road". Tweed Daily. Vol. VIII, no. 80. New South Wales, Australia. 6 April 1921. p. 2. Retrieved 23 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. ^ a b Joanna, Boileau (1 September 2004). "Community based heritage study: thematic history" (PDF). Tweed Shire Council. Retrieved 23 September 2024.
  11. ^ "Soldiers' settlement". Northern Star. Vol. 44. New South Wales, Australia. 17 November 1919. p. 6. Retrieved 23 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  12. ^ "Banana culture at Main Arm". Tweed Daily. Vol. XXIV, no. 79. New South Wales, Australia. 3 April 1937. p. 4. Retrieved 23 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  13. ^ "Banana Syndicate". Mullumbimby Star. New South Wales, Australia. 23 March 1933. p. 2. Retrieved 23 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  14. ^ "Banana Industry". Tweed Daily. Vol. XXXI, no. 257. New South Wales, Australia. 31 October 1944. p. 2. Retrieved 23 September 2024 – via National Library of Australia.
  15. ^ Geering, Andrew D. W. (16 May 2024). "The untold history of banana bunchy top disease". Historical Records of Australian Science. 35 (2): 170–189. doi:10.1071/HR24001. ISSN 0727-3061.
  16. ^ Australian Bureau of Statistics (27 June 2017). "Main Arm (State Suburb)". 2016 Census QuickStats. Retrieved 12 September 2024.  
  17. ^ "2021 Main Arm, Census All persons QuickStats". Australian Bureau of Statistics. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
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