Originally inhabited by people of the Bundjalung nation, the Brunswick River was charted by Captain Henry Rous in 1828. His visit was followed more than 20 years later by cedar cutters, whose activities led to the creation of the first town in what is now Byron Shire. By the 1880s, Brunswick Heads was a busy port with a small commercial centre.[citation needed]
The township went into decline after the opening of the Murwillumbah railway line through Mullumbimby in 1894. From the 1920s, however, Brunswick's popularity for family seaside holidays returned. Holiday cottages from that period are still in evidence throughout the town.[citation needed] The early camping grounds along the foreshores later became caravan parks.
Poet and painter Edwin Wilson (1942-2022) started school at Brunswick Heads, as recorded in his 2000 autobiography The Mullumbimby Kid.
Geography
Brunswick Heads is a small coastal holiday village situated at the mouth of the Brunswick River. Torakina Beach is located within the breakwater, while a white sandy surf beach stretches to the south. The north bank of the river is the home to a protected rainforest and the southern bank provides a harbour and small marina for fishing boats and small craft. Mount Chincogan and Mount Warning are located in the area, and form a backdrop to the river that leads down from the small town of Mullumbimby.[citation needed]
Despite the surrounding coastal development, Brunswick Heads has retained its traditional seaside village atmosphere.[citation needed] Timber bridges link the riverside to the river and surf beaches.
Brunswick Heads is situated 10 km (15 minutes drive) north of the town of Byron Bay and 30 minutes travelling time from both Coolangatta and Ballina airports, and 40 kilometres south of the Queensland border. Brunswick Heads is across the river from Ocean Shores. The Pacific Highway bypassed Brunswick Heads in 1998.[2]
Brunswick Heads has a number of cafes, restaurants, accommodation and specialty shops.[citation needed] Brunswick Heads offers a range of leisure activities all year round,[citation needed] and hosts a number of small-scale community and family-oriented festivals and events.[citation needed]
In popular culture
The town was the location for the cult 1980s comedy series Brunswick Heads Revisited (a send-up of Waugh's Brideshead Revisited), broadcast across Australia by the ABC.[5][6][7] The fourth series of the ABC TV drama series, SeaChange, was filmed there in 2019.[8]
Gallery
Banner Park, east side of Brunswick Terrace, showing Simpson's Creek, May 2014
A private residence in Tweed Street, May 2014
Brunswick Heads RSL, May 2014
Jetty, Brunswick Heads Boat Harbour, May 2014
Brunswick River facing east (toward the sea). A holiday camp can be seen on the right, May 2014
A picnic area in Brunswick Heads featuring Bundjalung words and their translations, September 2024
