Nimbin is a village in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, in the hills about 30 kilometres north of Lismore. Its postcode is 2480 and it is part of the Lismore City Council area.

What is Nimbin known for?

Nimbin became known across Australia after the Aquarius Festival was held here in 1973. Many of the people who came stayed, and the village has had a reputation for alternative lifestyles, the arts, environmental activism and community land sharing ever since.

How do I get to Nimbin?

Most people drive. Nimbin is roughly half an hour from Lismore, a little over an hour from Byron Bay and around two hours from Brisbane. Public transport is limited, so check timetables before relying on it.

MardiGrass is held in Nimbin each year, traditionally on the first weekend of May. Check the organisers' announcements for this year's dates and program.

About Nimbin, NSW

A small village in the Northern Rivers hills with a big reputation. Here's where it is, what it's known for and how to find your way around.

Nimbin sits in a green valley in the hills of the Northern Rivers, on the land of the Widjabul Wia-bal people of the Bundjalung Nation. The village is small, with one main street, but it is the centre for a wide spread of farms, hamlets and community land shares, and it draws visitors all year round.

What Nimbin is known for

For most of the twentieth century Nimbin was a quiet dairy and banana-growing village. That changed in 1973, when the Aquarius Festival brought thousands of students, artists and back-to-the-land dreamers to the valley. Many stayed, bought land together and started the communities, businesses and traditions that still shape the place.

Today Nimbin is known for its painted shopfronts on Cullen Street, its artists and musicians, its long history of environmental activism, and an independent streak that shows up in everything from permaculture gardens to solar power. The Nimbin Rocks, a line of volcanic spires just south of the village, are a site of great significance to the Bundjalung people and are best admired from the road.

Getting to Nimbin

From Lismore: about 30 kilometres north, roughly half an hour by road through Goolmangar.
From Byron Bay: a little over an hour's drive inland through the hinterland.
From Brisbane or the Gold Coast: around two hours from Brisbane, coming south and then inland through Murwillumbah and Uki.

The roads in are winding and scenic. Public transport is limited, so most locals and visitors drive, and it pays to check road conditions after heavy rain.

What's on

There is usually something happening: live music, markets, workshops, hall events and community meetings. MardiGrass, held each year around the first weekend of May, is the village's best-known event. For what's coming up this week, see the Nimbin events listings and the wider community noticeboard, both posted by locals.

Living and working here

Nimbin's economy runs on small employers: cafés and shops, tourism, farms and market gardens, trades, health and care services, schools and community organisations. Much of the work is part-time or casual, and many residents commute to Lismore. The Nimbin employment guide covers where the work is and how locals find it, and current vacancies are on the Nimbin jobs page.

Looking for a room, a ute or a load of firewood? The classifieds carry housing and rentals, items for sale and local services.

The villages around Nimbin

The Nimbin district takes in a ring of smaller places, each with its own character: Tuntable Creek, Blue Knob, Stony Chute, Lillian Rock, Barkers Vale, The Channon, Goolmangar, Coffee Camp, Jiggi, Dunoon and Uki. Listings on The Nimbin cover all of them, along with Lismore and Kyogle.

Common questions

Where is Nimbin?: Nimbin is a village in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, in the hills about 30 kilometres north of Lismore. Its postcode is 2480 and it is part of the Lismore City Council area.
What is Nimbin known for?: Nimbin became known across Australia after the Aquarius Festival was held here in 1973. Many of the people who came stayed, and the village has had a reputation for alternative lifestyles, the arts, environmental activism and community land sharing ever since.
How do I get to Nimbin?: Most people drive. Nimbin is roughly half an hour from Lismore, a little over an hour from Byron Bay and around two hours from Brisbane. Public transport is limited, so check timetables before relying on it.
When is MardiGrass?: MardiGrass is held in Nimbin each year, traditionally on the first weekend of May. Check the organisers' announcements for this year's dates and program.