Wooyung
Wooyung is a small town located in the Northern Rivers Region of New South Wales. The most recent census indicated a population of 139, with a median age of 49. Wooyung means 'slow' in the local Bundjalung language, and is believed to reflect the natural tranquility of the area.
History
The owners of the Wooyung area were the Bundjalung people, who built a Bora ring from the wetlands to perform traditional ceremonies and partake in the bounty of nature. The name is an Aboriginal expression, which literally means slow.In the 19th century, European settlers arrived at Wooyung.
On 6 May 1849, the Swift, en route from Brisbane to Sydney was encountered by a fierce cyclone, which forced the schooner to capsize and cast ashore near Wooyung. Two timber-getting pioneers, John Boyd and Steve King, released the ship's skipper Captain Robb and a passenger who were trapped inside an air pocket. To this day, Captain Robb's descendants still live in the town.
In 1919, a little wooden school was built on the site of a red-brick building which still stands.
In 1935, prospectors looked for gold on Wooyung Beach. Its traces of black mineral sands, rutile and zircon can still be seen in the crumbly black rocks.
Today, Wooyung is a small residential area and lies within part of its nature reserve. Since then, it has not lost its attraction as a range to visitors, including surfers, birdwatchers and fishermen.