Lismore is a city that boasts the culture and convenience of a major regional centre and all of the lifestyle advantages of an extraordinarily beautiful natural environment. Founded on agriculture, Lismore’s farming community is still thriving in the rolling hills and beautiful villages that surround the city.
Lismore is known as the “Rainbow Region” – a name which reflects the magical richness and extraordinary cultural diversity of the region, as well as its strong sense of community and its penchant for natural living. A strong centre for all things “organic” coupled with a diverse community residing together, make Lismore a very special and culturally great place to live.
Useful Facts
Size: 1,267km 2
Population: 45,000
Climate: The subtropical climate means Lismore enjoys warm and mild weather all year. Expect hot, languid summers, mild winter days with cool evenings, and lots of sunshine. Rainfall in the region is high, and green, lush vegetation abounds. Average temperature range is 17° to 30°C in summer and 6° to 23°C in winter. The average annual rainfall is 1,342mm.
Transport
Road: 860km from Sydney, 200km from Brisbane Rail
CountryLink: services are available from Sydney to Casino with a change over and bus from Casino to Lismore.
Airport: Lismore (52 flights per week to Sydney)
Local: Rivers Buslines’ modern fleet provides a network of town services in Lismore, as well as connections to rural communities such as Casino, Kyogle and Tenterfield in the west, and the coastal villages of Evans Head through Coraki and Woodburn in the south east. Lismore is linked to the nearby coastal towns of Ballina and Byron Bay by Ballina Buslines.
Education
Employment
Lismore has a proud rural tradition, which began in forestry, graduated to dairy and has grown to include macadamia nuts, coffee, tea tree plantations and bush foods. The growth of industries such as medicinal herb production, health, transport, education and tourism continue to thrive.
The three largest industries by employment are:
- Retail
- Health care
- Education
- Agriculture
Dining
The cosmopolitan culture of Lismore, Nimbin and surrounding villages has spawned an eclectic array of imaginative dining alternatives and fabulous food. Lismore offers everything from award winning wood fired pizzas and contemporary Asian to innovative organic, vegetarian and modern Australian cuisine.
Renowned as one of Australia’s largest coffee growing centres and home of the macadamia, the Northern Rivers is also fast developing a reputation as a haven for gourmet regional cuisine. The region produces an abundance of avocados, tropical and stone fruits, coffee, blueberries, pecans, herbs and organic produce, finger limes and aniseed myrtle along with beef, pork and a variety of dairy products.
If you’re looking for that great country pub experience Lismore, Nimbin and Villages are home to a host of historic country hotels, pubs and clubs! With their classic pub architecture and memorabilia, each hotel has a story of its own.
Sport
For sports enthusiasts, Lismore has excellent facilities in Oakes Oval, a magnificent sporting ground for major events, dozens of playing fields and tennis courts, several gymnasiums, horse and greyhound racing tracks, and a very popular Speedway circuit, which is also the largest in the region.
Arts and culture
Lismore’s cultural diversity, idyllic climate and spectacular landscape has attracted and inspired creative innovators from all around the globe. The result is a dynamic and eclectic mix, with an extraordinary output of traditional, innovative and alternative arts.
There are, quite possibly, more actors, artisans, buskers, dancers, divas, film-makers, musicians, painters, potters and performers, per capita, than anywhere else in the country. You’ll find their work on display at weekend markets, galleries, cafes, pubs and many venues throughout the region.
Aboriginal Culture
Lismore and its surrounding villages is Country to the Widjabul people of the Bundjalung nation, a living culture with continuous connection to place. Widjabul Country is steeped in the tradition of Ngathang Garr, ancestral beings whose movements, travels and events are etched in the landscape and rivers of this ancient land.
The Wilsons River that runs through the heart of Lismore is the lifeblood of Widjabul Country, supporting ecosystems that have evolved over thousands of years. The river is sacred to the Widjabul who view it as an old friend – always there in times of need with sources of nourishment to feed and look after the people. Through this relationship, the river is seen as an important gathering place where shared learning takes place.
