I've only been to Nimbin once, to visit a local friend. My boyfriend was physically assaulted by two youths on bicycles, who then glowered and followed him about for the duration of our visit. I found the experience terrifying.

People visit Nimbin because it's a freak show, not because they admire the lifestyle or people there.

There's not much else happening up that way in Northern NSW is there?

If people have perceptions of Nimbin being an aging hippie hangout, for people on the dole who have seldom if ever worked, maybe it's because there's some truth to it?

What's the point of this para, apart from hating Piers Aks "But perhaps even more bizarre is a poisonous piece from the notorious Piers Ackerman in an article entitled “Pay no mind to paranoid hippies” (Sunday Telegraph October 14, 2001). Conflating the Greens and Democrats with “dole bludging fringe dwellers at Nimbin” who want the navy to release videos of refugee boat people, he insists that, “The navy must not accede to the wishes of ageing hippies and dysfunctional children”.

Why is it poisonous - because you disagree?

Grow up ..

While I admire Graham's efforts in analysing Nimbin's media coverage as someone who's been a journalist for way too long I could have told him the result. Once Nimbin gets an image it is very difficult to shake. Media items are mostly selected to confirm images, not change them, particularly when editors want dirt for the front page and they want it now. Everyone is vaguely aware that Nimbin is a haven for dreadlock-wearing, drug-crazed ferals and a drug production centre, so that's what the stories say irrespective of what the reality may be..
Once Nimbin does shake its image, however, no-one will bother writing about it, and that may affect the tourist trade...

I first visited Nimbin at the time of the Aquarius festival. Nowadays, having friends and offspring in the area, I visit Nimbin 3 or 4 times a year. What I've noticed over the years is that the main street has become decidely grungey, and that's the Nimbin that young backpackers and older oglers (including journos) tend to see when they visit.

However, there's lots of positive stuff happening away from the grunge strip of which casual visitors wouldn't be aware. As for "There's not much else happening up that way in Northern NSW is there?", you are joking, aren't you?

There's more cultural and social development happening in the Northern Rivers than just about anywhere I can think of in Australia. You haven't actually been there, have you Amicus?

'In some ways the village of Nimbin has come a long way since the 1973 Aquarius Festival which was the largest assembly of alternative thinkers Australia has ever seen. '

What many of these alternative thinkers had in common was that they did not mind being dole bludgers and most were enslaved to their lusts. Out of this very little wholesome thinking came.

cj - I lived at Coopers Shoot for years, before Byron was "popular", when it was a railhead for the dairy and abattoir.

Lived at Evan's head for a while and at the top of the road at Main Arm, Mullim.

Surfed at the pass when the crowd was less than a dozen, for many years then left the area when it became full of alternative lifestyle ferals and hippies, who I could not and still cannot stand listening to the crap they go on with. A bunch of whining parasites.

I was asking a question cj, as usual, you go on with your ignorance.

"more cultural and social development happening in the Northern Rivers than just about anywhere I can think of in Australia", that really shows the limits of your perspective doesn't it.

Yes, social development, on the dole while someone else is paying for it - nothing changes up there does it? (that's a question cj)

Sorry Amicus - I should have said you haven't been there recently, have you?

If you think most people in the Northern Rivers region are on the dole, why don't you check out the real estate prices? (That's a rhetorical question, Amicus - but feel free to apologise when you've acquainted yourself with contemporary facts, rather than your memories from decades ago).

cj - vitriol at the messenger, how quaint. When you don't like the truth, the message, you resort to your usual poison pen.

The Nimbin, Mullumbimby, Byron Bay area has a reputation which it cannot shake, people who go there see it as it is and as reflected by other posters.

The author doesn't like the truth either, Piers Ackerman commented about "hippies" and gets flamed (gosh, that will change perceptions). Piers is drawing on the widely held perception that many up there are dole bludging no hopers, whose brains are addled by substance abuse.

You don't change perceptions by attacking people who have them you change it by changing the source, and it takes time.

Do you reckon it will change?

I still am involved in the area, have an interest in a manufacturing business, so I am well aware of the "social" challenges. I don't live there and never stay more than a day or so, I don't like country much, I prefer the cities.

Here's a thing, we can't get workers for the business, so have had to bring them up from "down south", why?

It's hard work, it's regular, this business draws on the dairy industry so work starts early .. young people up there don't want that, they want casual work that doesn't impact their other activities .. social activities of course.

Can you expand on your claim of "social development", is it more than partying and facebook? I don't believe it's advancing, the people coming in and buying up land are boomers who are retiring, they are not starting businesses but they do want services.

So are services being developed, no, they don't like "non locals" do they? There is a huge opportunity for industry and business, but what are they doing .. social development. Yep, that's helpful, that's the Aussie way, and they'll all whine when some outsiders come in and take over all the business and services .. but they'll be OK, they will have "social development"

Vitriol, Amicus? Wasn't it you who began your contributions to this thread with

<< People visit Nimbin because it's a freak show, not because they admire the lifestyle or people there.

There's not much else happening up that way in Northern NSW is there? >>

You've now changed your story a couple of times. Apparently because you can't get young people to work in your manufacturing business at Byron Bay, everybody in the Northern Rivers is a 'dole bludger'.

All I've done is disagree with you, on the basis of my own extended experience of the area. I've got family and many friends in the Northern Rivers, and not one of them is on the dole. Some have their own small businesses, others work as teachers, nurses, lawyers, graphic designers, sound engineers, musicians, scientists, tradesmen etc.

Perhaps you could attract workers if you paid more, or otherwise improved conditions at your factory. In current conditions of nearly full employment, every business is competing for staff - I know, because I'm an employer.

Ackerman was criticised because he made a stupid generalisation based on a tired stereotype, as did you. However, Ackerman is a notorious wingnut tool - what's your excuse?

cj, it's about perception, that's the point of the whole article and my responses - you've raced off as usual with various tedious accusations ... get over it sheesh, you seem to feel very strongly about it .. wonder why?

Can you show me where I said "everybody in the Northern Rivers is a 'dole bludger"

Typical hysterical exaggeration from cj .. why do I bother? (that's rhetorical, it requires no answer)

have a good weekend cj, try not to stress out about the little things, like people's perceptions that can't be changed by getting hysterical.

This is reminiscent of the thread on nation branding. Difficult to shake a reputation even an overgeneralised one. I have never been to Nimbin but it is always wise to read beyond what a media article might purport.

Having experienced the backlash from friends about the 60 Minutes piece many years ago which painted all Canberrans living in the lap of luxury in big mansions while the rest of the country does it tough (using Mugga Way as the aytpical street - Mugga Way is in elite Red Hill/Forrest area). This media misrepresentation was enough to put me off 60 Minutes for a long time - even now I rarely switch it on.

Media needs more than any town like Nimbin, to get its act together as regards integrity in reporting, but why let facts get in the way of a good story when you want to give people something to whinge about.

I recall seeing a show about 10 years or so ago, where people from the traditionalist farming community and alternative lifestyle residents, were brought together for a natter. Basically they showed that they had integrated fairly well.

The alternative folk had started out dancing naked around maypoles and such but years later ended up, having experienced sunburn, ticks and the like, piece by piece adopting the same clothing as the farmers. A lot of alternatives had also gradually taken various types of paid work around the northern rivers region; having discovered that life gets a bit dull and grim when doing without some goods that just can't be produced in a cottage industry. However, they didn't appear to have completely sold out to conservatism or to capitalism.

CJ - (hiya!) I also have many relatives and friends throughout the northern rivers region - every single one of them employed and industrious homeowners or farmers and a few (working) non-conformists thrown in to boot.

Amicus <- oi. You related to rehctub by any chance? There is a dedicated region of drug culture in NSW and it isn't in Nimbin. In fact I have often wondered if the drug users from Nimbin moved to new digs. It's true that the main 'street' in Nimbin is a bit shabby, in an interesting sort of way; there is also the occasional old dread locked hippy ambling about like a quaint reminder of times past - but all is overwhelmed by the much more prominent business fronts; busy people, traffic and the like.

A typical stereotype of Nimbin was exemplified by ABCTV's Tony Jones in introducing a film clip made by the hirsute Mook and Peej and screened on the "Q & A" program last night.
He could not resist snidely commenting that, "of course they are from Nimbin." which remark raised some sniggers from the in-house audience.

In fact neither of the two is from Nimbin but I feel it justifies the conclusion to my article - that some media don't let the truth get in the way of a good story.
Graham

Hmmm, isn't the point being missed here? The article, as I understand it, is about perceptions of Nimbin as portrayed through the media. That topic was addressed in some posts, but most have simply written down their own perceptions of Nimbin, which is interesting (a bit) but not what we might more profitably be considering.
While he editorialises, in order to show us the difference between a long-term resident's view and that of writers such as Piers Ackerman, Graham Irvine has made a careful study of media perceptions of the village; and despite the fact that he frequently, and in my view, disrespectfully, substitutes the word 'hack' for 'journalist', I still think this is a scholarly piece with much to say about how a million people can look at the same sight and see a million different things; and about how hard it is to change the media's mind, and by so doing, alter public perceptions.

I've tried very hard to get this sentence out of my head - honest I have - but it keeps coming back to haunt me.

>>There's more cultural and social development happening in the Northern Rivers than just about anywhere I can think of in Australia<<

CJ, with the greatest respect - and profound curiosity - could you spare a moment or two to expand on this?

As a city dweller in Australia for thirty years or so, and having visited various country towns every so often during that time, I can't quite come to grips with the "more cultural and social development happening" concept.

Please, could you help me out here, with just a couple of examples?