Nambucca Heads

Nambucca Heads, New South Wales

Nambucca Heads is a town on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Australia in the Nambucca Valley. It is located on a ridge, north of the estuary of the Nambucca River near the Pacific Highway. Its 2021 population was 6,675 (6,327 in 2016 census, 6,137 in 2011 census), including 5,226 (78.3%) Australian born persons and 672 indigenous persons. The place name is derived from an Gumbaynggirr word Ngambagabaga. Clement Hodgkinson asked two Ngamba men what the name of the area was they responded to Nyambagabaga as the spot they were standing was a bend in the river where a Ngamba giant was speared in the leg in the Dreaming. This location is the Foreshore Caravan Park now. Ngamba is a subsection of Gumbaynggirr Nation & Baga Baga means Knee. This was later interpreted as Nambucca. It is a popular holiday and retirement destination. The town is located on the North Coast railway line, and is served by the three daily NSW TrainLink services.

Nambucca Heads is the current and historical homeland of the Gumbaynggirr people. Gumbaynggirr lands stretch from Pillar Valley, Tyndale, Grafton and Copmanhurst in the north, to Glen Innes, Guyra and Black Mountain to the west, and to Bowraville to the south. The Nambucca River separated the Gumbaynggirr from the Dunghutti Ngaku. The name Nambucca comes from an Aboriginal word, ngambugka, variously translated as "winding or crooked river", and as "entrance to the waters." The North Coast railway was extended from Taree to South Grafton in 1915, but Nambucca Heads station was not opened until 1923. Nambucca Heads has one of the oldest surf lifesaving clubs in Australia and also invented junior surf lifesaving known as Nippers. In December 1980 the five kilometre Belwood Deviation of the Pacific Highway opened bypassing Nambucca Heads.

Nambucca Heads railway station, opened in 1923, on the North Coast Line. It is serviced by three NSW TrainLink trains per day in each direction.