Last Updated on March 1, 2017 by Red Nomad OZ
Hi There!
Amongst Nimbin’s main street throng of weekend hippy trippers, bong-brain backpackers and Rainbow Region locals I stood out like a tourist.
The specially chosen bright orange chain store T-shirt I’d worn to Australia’s alternative lifestyle capital just didn’t stack up against the psychedelia of wildly experimental natural-dyed organic hand-woven fibres in daring and cutting edge styles.
The locals who stayed on after Nimbin’s 1973 Aquarius Festival and transformed this small dairying community 30 km north of Lismore forever have had a massive head start on me …
But the REAL proof that Nimbin personifies life OFF the grid wasn’t the Rainbow Power Company on Alternative Way; the Hemp Embassy; or the Nimbin Candle Company’s use of medieval monk technology to produce its all-natural product.
It was the artist WAAAAAY younger than me who refused to own a mobile phone!
Later, Red x
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Sadly the Museum complex burnt down in August 2014 so that is no more 🙁
Bummer! But I guess this means I now have an historic photo of it, right Linda?!
Don’t think I’ve ever been here – usually took the coastal route
We made a special trip one day, Mallee – it’s like another world!! Since then, we’ve visited a few times – not only is the town itself an intriguing slice of Aussie quirkiness, the landscape is spectacular!
I thought you were here in Oregon for a minute!…Eugene (our nearest ‘big’ city) was just named by some magazine as the US most hippy-friendly city. We like those neighborhoods (but do stand out a bit I admit).
Hah! I am reading a crime novel by the Norwegian novelist Jo Nesbo, and his character Harry Hole is in Oz to investigate the murder of a Norwegian woman. Some of it is set in Nimbin. Until an hour ago, I had never heard of it. It looks like quite a place.
Young artist, no phone. SMART young artist. I love things out of joint with the times, as long as they are not done just to be out of joint with the times.
@PDP – Are you serious?? Byron is full of pretenders … Nimbin is the real deal!!!
@Filip – It’s a work of art!!
@Vicki – Do it, my friend!!! It’s awesome!!
@Jim – I think you’ll find it’s a little bit different to Sydney …
@Reb – Feel free to contact me via my profile to discuss paid links or sponsored posts!
@diane b – HHHMMMmmm… not sure I agree with that. I guess it depends what parts of it you see when you visit!!
@Jill – Sadly, I’m too uptight to be a hippy and I don’t have any Balinese pants. The locals could sure play ‘spot the tourist’ with me! BUT … that doesn’t mean I don’t appreciate the atmosphere!
@Jo-Anne – The more I see, the more I realise how much more there is to see!! Watch this space!!
@Indrani – Everything’s SO colourful in Nimbin!
@River – The whole region is such a beautiful part of Australia and the hippy thing just adds to the charm!!
@Beach Bum – Hahaha, I’m sure you’d fit right in!
@MJWC – HAhaha, it’s still reality in Nimbin!!!
@MastHoliday – Thanx!! Now how about a free plug for my blog on YOUR site?!?!
@Iris – I’m SO with you … even my ordinary mobile is a little too high-tech for me sometimes!! But this guy didn’t even want one of those!!!
@Sharon – Visiting Nimbin made me realise how FAR I was from real Hippy-dom!!! How accustomed we get to our conveniences!!
@TMWH – Hey, I KNEW there was a good reason I didn’t do the boho chic thing!!!! But it’s all under the guise of consideration for others …
@Rosemary – Wow! I guess he doesn’t suffer from career boredom then!!!
@Rose – Do it, girlfriend!! Quite apart from being set amongst some of the most picturesque countryside imaginable, it’s a WAAAAAY different shopping experience to what you’d get elsewhere!!
That is one weird town to visit but it is more of a tourist mecca than a real alternative style living. A bit like a living museum.
LOVE it!
Nimbin is somewhere I’ve wanted to visit for ages!
That “zombi” is amazing!
Thanks so much Red 🙂
This is one place I have to visit.
The van impression is great.
Greetings,
Filip
Happy High Herbs :))) I thought Byron Bay was the hippy hideaway over that way Red..
Beautiful picture postcards.
Oh my… what a blast from the past. Looks like I was transported back to my younger days when hippies roamed the streets and drove vans all decorated.
Now that is a place I would love to call home!
I have never been to Nimbin but of course I have heard of the place but hell there are a lot of places I have not visited in the great country
love it! I always wished I was casual enough to be a hippy! I would stand out as a tourist too. My tie die Bali pants might get my toe in the door though.
Have a great week.
Love the Cosmic Combi!
I’ve always wanted to visit Hippie Central.
I see their cheeses and yoghurts in the supermarkets, but I buy a different brand.
My brother lives there and is manager of 2NIM, the FM Community radio station.
No mobile phone??? Even though I lived most of my life without one, I simply can’t imagine doing that today. How easily and quickly we adapt. I’m not sure I was ever a real “hippy” but, I do know that I’m a bit “hippy” today. Of course the word has a completely different meaning now. 🙂
Wow, love that VW-art!! Truly great!
Aw, well, that guy reminds me a bit of myself. I have an ordinary cellphone, no smartphone because I think I just don´t need this…
Wow, how many things to buy at the street which looking a beautiful shop. Nice post.
How gorgeous, great to see these towns in all their glory and colour 🙂
Red, you never disappoint with your photos and stories. Can’t believe Nimbin is stuck in the 1960s, but remember those days of my youth well. We decided that a “hippy” was someone we didn’t know who looked like us, but we were never hippies as we had real lives. Love the VW bus.
G’day Red,
Oh Nimbin, Nimbin! It has been a lifetime since I’ve been there, perhaps now that I’m footloose and fancy free I should head down there for a few days and have a look-see! Discover the old hippy (who still lurks within somewhere I’m sure!)
Happy travels and wishing you a great week!
Wow–I do so much with my smart phone, I don’t think I could do without it! Guess I am not artistic material? Good. Bohemian clothing makes me look fat. Er, fatter.
@SFlaGuy – Oh right. So that makes your exhortation to ‘get away from your computer’ a bit irrelevant, doesn’t it?!?!?! And who’s to say which addiction is more damaging to one’s neural synapses??!!
@TFG – Thank you!!! Nimbin does very well being stuck in the 60’s – it’s a real tourist magnet!!! Which kinda makes it – well – just a little bit mainstream!!!
@whiteangel – It’s even more bizarre & amazing in reality!!
My mobile phone IS my addiction.